Big Mike’s Legacy
Our Story
The journey started about five years ago when I was looking for some healthy jerky, and something that would fit a paleo type diet. You would think that all jerky is healthy and good for you, but I wanted something that had smallest number of ingredients, “no sugar” and tasted great. Amazingly, it was easy to find good tasting jerky, but extremely tough to find sugar free jerky with simple ingredients. I’m never one to shy away from a challenge.
I began searching for recipes for beef jerky that met my basic requirements. In the kitchen using my normal oven and spices I had around, I started experimenting and tweaking my recipe until I had the basic recipe. It took about a year but the jerky was finally just the way I liked it. It is sugar free, gluten free, nitrate free, no extra chemical preservatives and it only has “seven” ingredients. I couldn’t find a way to get it any simpler.
My jerky is full of garlic, onion, some pepper and some soy. I tried playing around with some spicier versions, some with Tabasco, some with Cholula, but I always came back the basic.
I started out making a few pounds for me and the family. As I started sharing it with friends over the intervening years, and everyone would ask where they can buy some. The batches stated getting bigger and bigger. I would make 5 to 10 pounds of jerky at a shot and it would be gone in a week.
One buddy would ask for a large bag of jerky for his annual spring break trip with the family to Florida. I loved sharing.
I had a great time making the jerky and sharing it with friends but I quickly out grew my kitchen. It was time to expand, but I still want to keep the “small batch” to preserve consistence across every piece. I found a small batch co-packer to help preserve my recipe, it was tough but we managed to make it work so the jerky tastes just like it came out of my kitchen.
A buddy gave me the idea about helpling out our soldiers. As we continue to grow, we plan to develop a program to partner with you and provide a care package to members of the military who are deployed. Stay tuned for more, as we develop the program.
We are always interested to hear from you, please drop me a note or post a message on the web site or Facebook.
We appreciate your support.
The Process
At Big Mike’s Jerky, our process starts with sourcing the highest quality, lean cuts of meat. We then marinate the meat using a simple, carefully crafted blend of garlic, onion, pepper, and soy – all free from sugar, gluten, and nitrates. This mixture infuses the meat with rich, bold flavors, adhering to our commitment to simplicity and purity with only eight basic ingredients.
After marinating, we move on to dehydration, where the meat is dried to perfection in our oven. This step ensures the jerky retains its ideal texture and taste. Once the new flavor is ready, the real fun begins as we evaluate the taste and look for feedback from our friends. After we have confirmed the recipe, we start the challenging work of scaling up the recipe for production.
1. Selecting and Preparing the Meat
Big Mike selects high-quality beef, adhering to our commitment to simple and healthy ingredients. The meat is trimmed of excess fat and sliced to the correct thickness to ensure it dries properly. The spices are added and everything is sent to the fridge to marinate.
2. Preparing for the Oven
After it has marinated for just the right amount of time, it’s drained and laid out on racks in preparation for the oven.
3. Dehydration to Perfection
In this step, we take our expertly marinated meat and dehydrate it until it reaches the perfect texture and flavor. Our dehydration process locks in the savory goodness, creating jerky that’s not just dried, but perfected.
4. Taste & Share & Tweak
The jerky is now ready to test and share. This step takes several iterations and not every recipe we try works out.
5. Scale Up
After we have the exact taste we want, we work with the plant to scale up the recipe and volume. It can take a few tries to get the plant version to match the test kitchen recipe.
6. Delivering Swiftly
The final step in Big Mike’s Jerky process is ensuring our freshly packaged jerky gets to you quickly. We believe that the sooner you get your jerky, the sooner you can savor its deliciousness!
7. FINALLY, YOU CAN ENJOY!
More than just jerky
Big Mike’s Jerky is more than just great-tasting jerky; it’s a local, family, and veteran-run business dedicated to community and giving back. We proudly support charities and organizations such as Dog’s for the Brave and Aloha Baskets, demonstrating our commitment to making a positive impact. At Big Mike’s, we’re not just about delivering delicious jerky; we’re about supporting those who serve and strengthening our community.
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PREMIUM JERKY
3737 New Town Blvd, PMB: 452
Saint Charles, MO 63301