Every once in a while we get an email from a PR firm announcing a new food product and offering a free sample.
The latest of these came our way on the first of August, with an opening line that read “Tajín is one of the most popular spices in the country and is continuing to grow in popularity.”
I am a big fan of Tajín even though I had never heard of it until just a couple years ago. I was photographing a roller derby bout and there was a local vendor selling street tacos and fresh fruit. By-the-way, this was in California, so the sight of a street taco vendor makes sense and is absolutely not uncommon. Though it’s something one doesn’t encounter on the East Coast and certainly not in New Hampshire where I had been living.
Having complete faith in the Mexican couple making the food, I ordered a couple tacos – they did not disappoint – and a massive cup of fruit, which they sprinkled with what I later learned was a spice called Tajín.
Tajín is actually a spice blend made of 100% natural chili peppers, lime and sea salt, and it is awesome. I highly recommend trying it on some chopped up watermelon, cantaloupe, or even pineapple.
The cup of fruit I ordered had also been drizzled with something called Chamoy, but if you really don’t know what Tajín is then there’s no point in trying to explain Chamoy…but it too is real good.
The mixture of sweet and spicy flavors with the juicy coolness of the fresh fruit hit the spot on a hot, sunny afternoon, and from that moment on, suffice it to say, I was all in on Tajín.
So, when I read that first line of the pitch it’s safe to say they had me. The next line, though, is what had me firing off a reply in record time. It read, “Now this trending flavor is officially coming to beef jerky for the first time.”
Tajín and beef jerky? That’s just gotta be two more great tastes that taste great together. A moment later my well worded plea for a sample hit the email outbox. I am happy to report a sample of the new Tillamook Tajín Flavored Beef Jerky, from Tillamook Country Smoker, arrived, making my day.
The bad news is, it didn’t’ last long…at all. The jerky that is.
There are a lot of beef jerky flavors and most people have a favorite. I learn towards a peppered jerky or something even hotter. Naturally, a Tajín flavored beef jerky was right in my wheelhouse.
Regardless of what flavor you prefer I think it’s safe to assume most everybody likes beef jerky. It’s an ideal snack for when you’re on the go because it’s high in protein, low in calories and, for those that care about such things, gluten free. It’s been a staple in the sportsmen community since forever with many hunters making their own.
So, how did the Tajín flavored jerky fair? Well, as I mentioned it did not last long. I received two bags, one a 2.2 oz bag with an MSRP of $5.99 and the other a 6.5 oz bag retailing for $13.99, and they were gone in record time.
As for the taste, the jerky was excellent. This is the first time I recall eating a Tillamook brand jerky and I really enjoyed it. Tillamook uses 100% premium beef then slow-smokes it over real hardwood, which made for an excellent base flavor.
Add to that the bold, savory flavor of the Tajín Clásico spice blend and you get a ridiculously delicious snack with deep flavor and just the right amount of kick.
The Tillamook Tajín Flavored Beef Jerky is spicy but it’s not spicy hot, unless of course you’re one of those people that avoids fresh ground pepper and shuns even the shaker of stale ground pepper at the restaurant.
If you’re proudly a member of team bland then you will not like this, or probably any other beef jerky, and frankly should consider returning to England and their rich tradition of boiled everything.
If, like me, you love savory flavors then this new Tajín Flavored Beef Jerky is for you.
Tillamook’s new beef jerky flavor was officially announced last Tuesday, August 20, and is available now on Tillamook’s website as well as on Amazon. I have yet to see it appear on local shelves here in the Phoenix Valley but that may due to the fact it is literally a brand new product and that the beef jerky game is a competitive one with shelf space in short supply. But considering the demographic make up of Arizona, and the fact that people here buy their Tajín in bulk, I’d be surprised if it didn’t find its way into local stores very soon.
– Paul Erhardt, Managing Editor, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network