How Did “JerkyHomemade” Come About?
My name is Jimmy, the creator and author of this website, JerkyHomemade, focused on Homemade Jerky, and I want to start by telling you my story—at least that which has to do with jerky.
As a Kid…
As a kid, I enjoyed beef jerky from time to time. I grew up camping, in fact, on my first birthday and every year after that, we camped as a family for two weeks. When I turned 11 years old, I moved from being a Cub Scout/Weblow to a Boy Scout. Now I could camp year-round!
Camping, hiking, canoeing, and other outdoor sports seem to increase the desire for jerky, so we bought it to enjoy along the trails and mountains of the Northeast United States.
First Jerky Business
Fast forward to 2004, I returned from living in Brazil for ten years and started driving a truck. I was looking for a way to make some money in network marketing and found this really cool company with a plan to earn money selling jerky. WOW!
That company was called Jerky Direct. Unfortunately, they sold it, and it doesn’t exist anymore. But they had 34 jerky varieties- beef, buffalo, turkey, and fruit sticks. I started ordering by the case and had quite a few truck drivers who would look for me as they headed out on the road.
It’s a tremendous on-the-road snack since it doesn’t have to be refrigerated. Of course, I was never without jerky for myself. I also had a website where people could go and place an order, and each month, I would get a check from the company. I didn’t get rich, but I did okay.
A New Opportunity
At the end of 2006, I moved from South Carolina to Colorado. I was no longer driving a truck, but I continued to sell jerky, and people kept asking me about venison, elk, and other varieties I had not heard about.
I am always looking for an opportunity! After researching, I started selling more jerky varieties and created a website in 2009. My store name was My Jerky Shop.
near Woodland Park, CO
I went from 34 varieties to 51+ (like Baskin Robin’s 31 flavors), then 101, 151, to over 170 varieties of jerky on our shelves, with an entire retail store at this point. The website had over 400 items for jerky lovers to choose from. We even opened a second location – a roadside stand or shack on the road to the mountains.
Besides jerky, we had many other locally-made items such as pickles, salsas, BBQ sauces, jellies, and more, as well as equipment, spices, and information for making jerky yourself. The truth is, most people like to go to the store to purchase it.
I even had one supplier who I would help make her jerky when she traveled. All her jerky was made from eye of round using dehydrators. She had quite a variety. She also had a variety of spice mixes for making jerky at home.
The End of an Era
Unfortunately, that only lasted until December of 2014. I learned so much over those years, and my passion for jerky remained. It was a fun business, and I had some customers that I would call “Jerky Aficionados.” They believed jerky was a necessity.
I wanted to share what I had learned.
I am a copywriter marketer. I write copy (content or words) for advertising and website pages. I wanted to combine one of my passions – jerky – with my skills as a writer. You are now seeing the result of that here on JerkyHomemade.
This website will continue to be added to for a long time. So check back often and see what new information you can learn.
If you have something you want to contribute, especially a favorite recipe, or you have a question that you want the answer to, contact me, and I will research and then write about it. I’ll even give you credit if you like.
Not the End…
My story doesn’t come to an end here, but it is a continuation of a passion for good, all-natural meat snacks. It’s also a way to preserve some meat without refrigeration.
My first experience making jerky at home using my mom’s oven was when I was a teenager in the 1970s.
I’ll be making different varieties of jerky using different methods and recipes, and of course, I will be sharing my experiences, including photos and videos.
So join me in this adventure and tell me about your experiences and styles of homemade jerky.
Some Topics to Get You Started
What is JerkyHomemade? Check out this article for some answers…
A to Z Jerky – A FUN article on animals from around the world that can be used to make jerky.
Are you Looking for Recipes?
Look at the MEATS TAB above. Almost every page under that TAB has recipes. There is quite a variety to choose from.
Ingredients for Jerky – Different ingredients and how they affect different types of meat…