Are you looking for a new sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong? Look no further than pickleball! In this article, we'll dive into the world of pickleball, exploring its history, rules, equipment, and strategies. Plus, we'll share some tips on refueling post-game with the delicious and protein-packed bulk beef jerky. It's the game taking over America by storm.
Pickleball, a paddle sport that has gained tremendous popularity in recent years, was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Three friends, Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum, and Bill Bell, created the game to entertain their families during the summer. They named it after their dog, Pickles, who loved chasing the ball.
Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court with a modified tennis net. The game can be played in singles or doubles, making it suitable for players of all ages and skill levels. Here are the key elements of pickleball:
a. Equipment: All you need to get started is a pickleball paddle, which resembles an oversized ping pong paddle, and a perforated polymer ball, similar to a wiffle ball. Both are widely available in sports stores and online.
b. Court Setup: The pickleball court measures 20 feet by 44 feet for doubles and 20 feet by 20 feet for singles. It is divided into two halves by a net that stands 34 inches high at the center.
c. Serving and Scoring: The game begins with an underhand serve diagonally across the net. The serve must clear the non-volley zone, also known as the "kitchen." Points can only be scored by the serving side, and games are usually played to 11 or 15 points.
d. Gameplay: The ball must bounce once on each side of the net before players can volley it. After the ball has bounced, volleys can be made both in and outside the kitchen. The game continues until one side fails to return the ball or hits it out of bounds.
a. Master the Dink: The dink, a soft shot that gently clears the net, is a crucial technique in pickleball. It allows players to control the pace of the game and set up winning shots.
b. Positioning and Communication: In doubles play, maintaining proper positioning with your partner and effective communication are vital. Develop a strategy that maximizes court coverage and minimizes gaps.
c. Learn to Lob: The lob is an excellent defensive shot when your opponents are crowding the net. It can buy you time and create opportunities to regain control of the point.
After an exhilarating game of pickleball, it's essential to refuel your body with the right nutrients. Our jerky is an excellent option as it is a rich source of protein and low in carbohydrates. It's a convenient and tasty snack that you can easily pack in your pickleball bag. Everyone will want a bite from you, so eat with caution.
Pickleball is a fun and addictive game that combines elements from various sports. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, understanding the game's history, rules, and strategies is crucial. And don't forget to refuel with some bulk beef jerky after your game to replenish your energy and enjoy a satisfying snack! We always fuel up with our Brisket Jerky.
]]>Beef jerky has become a popular snack in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s high in protein, low in fat, and makes for a tasty and convenient snack on-the-go. However, many people wonder why beef jerky is so expensive. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the reasons behind the high cost of beef jerky.
One of the main reasons why beef jerky is expensive is due to the cost of the meat itself. Beef is one of the most expensive meats on the market, and jerky requires a significant amount of beef to produce. Moreover, high-quality beef is essential for producing good jerky, which can drive up the cost even further. To create one pound of beef jerky, you need roughly three to four pounds of beef, which can quickly add up in cost.
The process of drying the meat is another factor that contributes to the high cost of beef jerky. Beef jerky is made by marinating slices of beef in a mixture of spices and salt before drying them. The drying process can take several hours and requires specialized equipment, such as dehydrators or ovens. The cost of this equipment can be significant, and it requires a lot of energy to run, which can increase the cost of the final product
Packaging is another factor that can drive up the cost of beef jerky. Most beef jerky products are packaged in individual bags, which requires additional material and labor costs. Additionally, the packaging needs to be sturdy enough to protect the product during shipping and storage, which can add to the cost. Some companies also opt for more eco-friendly packaging, such as recyclable or biodegradable materials, which can further increase the cost.
Finally, the high demand for beef jerky can contribute to its high cost. As more people have become health-conscious, high-protein snacks like beef jerky have become more popular. This increased demand can lead to higher prices as manufacturers try to keep up with the demand. Additionally, beef jerky is often sold in convenience stores and gas stations, which can also drive up the price due to the added convenience factor
When comparing the price of beef jerky to other raw materials, it's important to consider the cost per pound. As previously mentioned, beef is one of the most expensive meats on the market. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average price of beef in 2021 was $4.68 per pound.
In comparison, other raw materials used to make snacks can be significantly cheaper. For example, potatoes cost around $0.48 per pound, while corn costs around $0.21 per pound. These ingredients are often used to make chips, which can be sold for a lower price than beef jerky.
However, it's important to note that the cost per pound doesn't tell the whole story. Beef jerky requires a significant amount of beef to produce, as it needs to be sliced and dehydrated to remove moisture. This can result in a final product that is much lighter than the original meat. As a result, the cost per pound of beef jerky can be much higher than the cost per pound of other snacks.
While making beef jerky at home can be a fun and cost-effective way to enjoy this popular snack, there are several benefits to buying from jerky producers.
Here at bulk beef jerky, we have the expertise and equipment to create high-quality, consistent products. They have access to high-quality beef and the equipment needed to dry and package the beef jerky properly, ensuring a tasty and safe product every time.
]]>Alright, listen up folks, 'cause I'm about to drop some serious knowledge on you. Are you looking to spread a little joy in the world today? Well, good news, 'cause I've got five random acts of kindness that'll make you feel like a superhero, minus the spandex suit (unless that's your thing, no judgement here).
First up, leave a funny note for a stranger. It's like a tiny present they never saw coming. Go ahead, make their day with a silly message on a car windshield or a sticky note in a library book. Just remember, if it's too inappropriate, you might get a different kind of surprise note back.
We paid it forward in the video above! Buy an extra bag of beef jerky for someone behind you in line at the grocery store or gas station. You can even ask the cashier to attach a fun note to the bag. The recipient will be pleasantly surprised, and you'll feel great for spreading joy.
Next, give someone a compliment in a creative way. Sure, you could just say "nice shirt," but where's the fun in that? Instead, tell 'em they have a smile that could light up a city or that they're so funny, they should be on SNL. Get creative, people!
Moving on, let's do a classic - holding the door for someone. But why not take it up a notch and add a silly comment? "After you, my dear Alpaca" or "I'm not a doorman, but I play one on TV!" Get it? It's like Dad joke meets kindness.
Finally, do a chore or errand for someone. It might not sound like a big deal, but taking something off someone's plate can make all the difference. And if you want to add a little humor to it, promise to "whisk" away the dirty dishes or "vacuum" up the competition.
So there you have it, folks. Five random acts of kindness that'll make you feel like a superhero. See, you don't need swords and guns to make a difference. Just a little humor and a big heart.
]]>Beef jerky is a popular snack that is enjoyed by many people, but is it a healthy choice? In this post, we'll explore the health benefits and drawbacks of beef jerky to help you decide if it is a good fit for your diet.
Beef jerky is a good source of protein. One serving of beef jerky (about 28 grams) contains around 14 grams of protein, which is important for building and repairing tissues, and supporting the immune system. Additionally, beef jerky is low in fat and calories. A serving of beef jerky contains around 80-100 calories and 1-2 grams of fat, making it a lower calorie snack option compared to many other protein sources. Beef jerky can also be a convenient snack on the go as it is easy to pack and does not need to be refrigerated.
However, beef jerky can also have some drawbacks. It can be high in sodium, with many brands containing high amounts of sodium which can contribute to high blood pressure and other health problems if consumed in excess. Additionally, beef jerky can be expensive compared to other snack options, and some brands may contain additives and preservatives to extend their shelf life.
For more information on the health benefits and drawbacks of different snack options, check out this article from Healthline.
In conclusion, while beef jerky can be a convenient and protein-rich snack, it is important to be aware of its potential drawbacks, such as its high sodium content and the possibility of additives and preservatives. If you choose to include beef jerky in your diet, opt for brands that are lower in sodium and choose natural or minimally processed options whenever possible. As with any food, it is important to consume beef jerky in moderation and balance it with a variety of other healthy foods. See our other article about All about the almond - an elegant superfood
]]>Beef jerky is a popular snack that can be found all over the world, but did you know that there are many different regional styles of beef jerky? In this post, we'll explore some examples of beef jerky styles from different parts of the globe and look at how the ingredients and methods used to make beef jerky vary by region. We'll also discuss how the global trade of beef and beef jerky has influenced the spread and evolution of different styles.
For more information on the global trade of beef and its impact on the economy, check out this article from the Journal Record.
In conclusion, there are many different regional styles of beef jerky found around the world, each with its own unique ingredients and methods of preparation. The global trade of beef and beef jerky has played a role in the spread and evolution of these styles, leading to a diverse range of flavors and techniques.
]]>Beef jerky has been enjoyed by people for centuries, but where did it originate and how has it evolved over time? Here is a brief history of this tasty snack.
The origins of beef jerky can be traced back to ancient civilizations. The ancient Egyptians and Native Americans were some of the first to preserve meat by drying it in the sun or smoking it over a fire. This allowed them to store meat for long periods of time without it going bad.
As people began to migrate and explore new lands, the process of making beef jerky spread to other parts of the world. In the 16th century, European explorers discovered that the native people in South America and the Caribbean were also making jerky by drying thin slices of meat in the sun.
There are many different techniques and methods used to make beef jerky today, including:
For more information on the process of making beef jerky, check out this article on our blog.
The popularity of beef jerky has also changed over time. In the past, it was primarily consumed by travelers and soldiers as a convenient source of protein on the go. However, in recent years, beef jerky has become a popular snack among a wider range of people and is widely available in stores and online.
The production of beef jerky has also changed over time. In the past, it was mostly made at home or in small batches by specialty producers. Today, there are many large-scale producers of beef jerky, such as Jack Link's and Oberto, and it is also made by small, artisanal producers using traditional methods such as Bulk beef jerky or people's choice beef jerky.
In conclusion, the history of beef jerky is long and varied, with origins dating back to ancient civilizations. The methods and popularity of beef jerky have evolved over time, and it is now a widely available and popular snack.
]]>There are eight main cuts of beef:
How beef is delivered to the diner can take many forms. Ground beef, of course, shows up in the form of hamburgers, meatloaf, meatballs, tacos, sloppy joes, or Salisbury steak and in pasta sauces, chilis, soups, and casseroles. Ribs and roasts, are always popular when properly prepared. And, who can forget America’s favorite meat snack: beef jerky?
Steaks, though, are often viewed as the pinnacle of the beef mountain. According to Seven Sons Farms in Roanoke, IN, there are 10 cuts of steak that stand out above all others. The 10 best steaks are:
Where the meat comes from and the skill of the butcher doing the cutting will help determine the overall quality of a steak. But, there is only so much that the butcher has control over. One of the biggest factors in terms of the quality of a steak is what breed of cattle the meat is sourced from.
According to Countryside Magazine, the most common breeds of cattle farmed for consumption are:
Of these breeds, there is a small handful that most U.S. consumers will run into at restaurants or in grocery stores.
According to Farm Flavor, there are several breeds of cattle that are the most popular among U.S. ranchers.
In the case of feeder cattle, the quality of the beef factors in the tenderness of the meat and the amount of intramuscular fat content – what is also known as marbling.
Marbling can range from 0.99% to 2.72% among the different breeds of cattle typically farmed for their meat. That wide range of marbling is a sign of how significant the fat content can be in the overall flavor of the meat.
Ultimately the best beef raised in the U.S. is generally considered to be American Wagyu – descended from Japanese Wagyu cattle. However, they are in such limited number that they don’t make the list of the most raised cattle in the U.S.
Wagyu beef is viewed primarily as a delicacy due to its amazing level of marbling and the buttery richness of the fat. It can cost up to $300 per pound.
Just like how the best breeds of cattle translate to the best steaks, those breeds also translate to be best beef jerky.
The quality of beef used by makers of meat snacks will vary from company to company. BULK has achieved its position as America’s go-to source for Premium Beef Jerky and other healthy snacks by always using the best ingredients.
BULK never cuts corners with lower quality cuts of meat from inferior breeds. We stand behind our products with a replacement or refund promise – that’s quality you can trust.
For all your snack cravings, find the healthiest and best tasting options all here!
]]>There is no doubt that dog owners love their puppies. As such, we like to spoil them. Everyone likes to feel special, why not a dog?
Giving your dog the right kind of dog treat will help make them feel like they are getting a reward for good behavior.
There are four primary categories for dog treats:
Let’s explore what you should consider when selecting the ideal treat for your four-legged friend.
Dog biscuits have an interesting history. They were first invented by businessman James Spratt in England circa 1860.
Spratt was inspired to create dog biscuits after being on the docks to witness sailors giving leftover biscuits to stray dogs. Originally called Spratt’s Patent Meat Fabrine Dog Cakes, they were made from a mixture of wheat, beetroot, vegetables, and beef blood.
Although introduced in England, Spratt was actually from Ohio. He was on a trip to England to sell a new lightning conductor when he had his epiphany to introduce the first commercial dog treat.
After Spratt sold his formula to a British public company, the company started its U.S. manufacturing operation in 1890.
The prevailing image of the dog biscuit received a complete visual overhaul in 1907 when American inventor Carleton Ellis came up with the idea to manufacture dog biscuits in the shape of a cartoon bone.
In today’s world, common dog biscuits are made in commercial manufacturing plants by combining protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber in huge vats. The mixture is then shaped, cooked, packaged, and sent for distribution. They are essentially dog food in a snack size.
Made from the soft inner skin of animal hide, rawhide chews have been around since the 1950s. The skin can come from a host of different livestock including:
The chews were originally introduced as a substitute for dogs with a propensity for chewing leather furniture or shoes.
First this inner layer of the animal hide is stripped of muscle, fat, and hair. This is usually done with an ash-lye solution. It is then further cleaned with water, bleach, and hydrogen peroxide. In countries outside the U.S. formaldehyde is also used. This is one of many reasons to only buy U.S. made rawhide chews.
The appeal of rawhide bones is that they can help remove plaque and tartar from your pet’s teeth. Like a human brushing their teeth, this helps promote tooth and gum health.
Another appeal of rawhide treats is that they can keep a dog occupied for long periods of time. They get maximum enjoyment out of savoring their treat, compared to the short-lived instant gratification of an easily chewed dog treat.
There are also some concerns when it comes to rawhide chews. In the U.S., manufacturers use refrigerated trucks to transport the hides for processing. In other countries, such measures are not always taken – this leads to the hide beginning to rot before it is moved into production. This isn’t a recipe for good health. Again, a reason to limit your purchases to U.S. manufacturers.
In most cases, rawhide chews are not considered food by the FDA. As such, they are not subjected to regulations on ingredients and manufacturing procedures. You often don’t know what kind of animal the treat has been derived from, and the manufacturers are not required to list ingredients.
Rawhide chews start off hard, but as the dog gnaws on them, their saliva softens the treat. This can allow pieces to get pulled off and swallowed. This can cause a dog to choke or experience an internal blockage that requires surgery to repair. Sharp shards can also cause injury to the dog’s mouth, tongue, and gums.
One of the biggest appeals of freeze-dried dog treats is that they typically are just freeze-dried meat, with no additives or other ingredients.
Some raw protein options in the freeze-dried dog treat arena include:
The great thing about freeze-dried meats is that they contain the same color, taste, and nutritional value as their raw versions. But unlike raw meat, freeze-dried meats have a lower risk of transporting harmful bacteria.
In fact, freeze-dried meats require no added preservatives. By removing the water from the meat, bacteria can’t survive. Thus, there is no need for chemical preservatives. Further, they have a much longer shelf life compared to other meats. In terms of limiting bacterial contamination, opt for products that have been cooked prior to freeze-drying.
Freeze-dried treats are often a good solution for dogs that have digestive issues or allergies. They are also easily broken into pieces to make it simple to give your dog the right sized treat every time.
Jerky dog treats are made in much the same fashion as the beef jerky you buy for yourself. Meat is dried via slow cooking dehydration. By dehydrating the meat, it preserves the vital vitamins and nutrients. While jerky for humans is usually seasoned and salted, no such use of spices is warranted for pet jerky.
It’s also important that you have your jerky, and the dog has theirs. Beef jerky made for humans might contain seasonings that are harmful to dogs.
Ingredients that are safe for humans but potentially harmful to dogs include:
Just as jerky for humans is an optimal source of protein, premium jerky for dogs is also an ideal protein source. That is, assuming, the pet jerky is made from quality, 100% real beef such as those from BULK.
In fact, BULK does something completely unique by using only beef graded for human consumption in making our dog treats. Yes, you could indeed try a stick of pet jerky and be no worse for wear. You might not enjoy it as much as your puppy, as that they are manufactured to appeal to K9s and not humans, but then again, some people have strange tastes.
All kidding aside, BULK Pet Treats are made with no additives, preservatives, or powders. And they are made to exacting standards at our manufacturing facility in the heart of the U.S.
Further, BULK pet jerky is grain-free. There is no wheat, corn, soy, or artificial flavors. Not every manufacturer makes that promise of quality.
Because pet jerky is manufactured to have a firm consistency, it requires the dog to gnaw at it. Just as with rawhide chews, this helps to rid teeth of plaque and tartar.
No matter what kind of dog treats you end up getting for your canine family member, make sure you know the ingredients and where it was manufactured.
Buying American-made products first isn’t just a sign of patriotism. In the case of ensuring your dog’s health, it’s the safest way to go.
BULK is proud to be your number one source for human and pet jerky. Why not get cozy with your pooch and enjoy some good jerky together? Bonding with your four-legged family members is always special.
To check out all the great BULK beef jerky products, including 100% all-beef pet jerky, visit all of our pet treats here: https://www.bulkbeefjerky.com/products/dog-jerky?variant=30123881037886
]]>According to The Cold Wire website, historically brisket was a very affordable cut of meat. According to Jewish lore, it originated as a part of Jewish cuisine because it comes from the front of the animal, thus making it kosher.
Brisket is cut from the heavily muscled area of the breast. This part of the cow is responsible for supporting 60% or more of the animal’s weight. As such, the meat is laden with lean muscle, making it ridiculously tough. Because of this, brisket was always a cheap cut of beef. This made it highly appealing to people of little means.
Then came the question of: how do you make this tough, sinewy chunk of beef edible? European Jews in such places as Germany and Czechoslovakia discovered that marinating the beef and slow cooking it at low heat for many hours resulted in a juicy and delicious piece of meat. Because of this it has become a part of Jewish tradition. It has customarily been served at such Jewish celebrations as Hanukkah, Rush Hashanah, Passover, and Shabbat.
Brought to Texas by Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants in the 1800s, smoked brisket began being featured on the menu of Jewish delis in the state by the early 1900s. Smoked brisket began appearing in newspaper advertisements in Texas in 1910.
The brisket is also used to make corned beef. Although not traditional, brisket is now often used to make pastrami as well.
Since smoking brisket over a low-heat fire is the preferred method of preparing the meat, the type of hardwood used can influence the flavor. Hardwoods commonly used to smoke brisket include:
While there are certain woods that add a preferred flavor to smoked brisket, there are also certain woods to avoid at all costs. This is especially important to note for do-it-yourself enthusiasts who want to tackle the smoking process themselves at home. Woods to avoid using to smoke brisket are:
By the 1950s Texas BBQ chefs began adapting the Jewish form of smoking brisket to their respective restaurants. Black’s Barbecue in Lockport Texas claims to be the first BBQ restaurant to put brisket on the menu. There are now over 2,500 barbecue joints in Texas, with almost all of them offering brisket as one of the most popular menu items.
The love of brisket is no longer contained to just Texas. California boasts over 1,150 barbecue establishments. Florida has over 850 such eateries. In both cases, brisket is almost always an option, and a popular one at that.
Industry research authority IBISWorld, states that there are over 17,000 barbecue specialty restaurants in the U.S. While most BBQ aficionados prefer independent smokehouses, this figure does include chains as well. And what’s popular at chains and small independents alike? You guessed it: brisket!
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Top 10 U.S. states for barbeque are:
Adding to the appeal of brisket is its potential health benefits. Per an article on the Wide Open Country website, researchers at Texas A&M University have found that brisket is one of the healthier meats available.
The researchers argue that beef brisket contains impressive levels of oleic acid. This chemical compound is the most common monounsaturated fat in the diet of North Americans. This type of “healthy fat” is necessary for overall good health.
Oleic acid occurs naturally in both animals and plants. Colorless and odorless, this monounsaturated fat has been linked to decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (also known as LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol). Instead, it can increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (also known as HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol). The FDA has ruled that oleic acid can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist Dr. Stephen Smith notes that brisket has a far higher level of oleic acid than meat from the flank or plate of a cow. These trim meats are notably tough and fatty and are used for making ground beef.
The key to creating the ideal brisket is prolonged smoking of the meat. As Dr. Smith points out, the fat found in brisket has a low melting point. This is what leads it to be incredibly juicy when properly prepared.
Currently brisket is all the rage. It can be used in a variety of recipes, both traditional and avant-garde. Some popular brisket meals include:
Since bursting to popularity, brisket has gone from being a cheap cut of meat, to one in high demand. As the principles of supply and demand dictate, when there is high demand for a particular food item, such as brisket, the price goes up.
Up until a few years ago, you could pick up brisket at the grocery store for around $3 a pound. Currently the price of raw brisket is $5-8 per pound. Prime cuts of brisket may run up to $10 per pound. According to Complete Carnivore, if you order beef brisket at a restaurant, you’ll be paying $25-35 per pound for your meal.
In addition to gaining in popularity both in restaurants and in home kitchens, brisket is also in limited supply – thus adding to the price point. There are only two briskets per cow. With recent droughts and heat waves leading to the death of thousands of cattle, the number of cows available for slaughter has been diminished. All this contributes to a higher per pound cost for consumers.
Brisket is one of the most popular forms of beef jerky. Thanks to time-tested preparation techniques, BULK’s brisket beef jerky is soft and flavorful and just what the doctor ordered. Packed with juicy flavor, BULK’s brisket offerings are all-natural, gluten free, nitrate free, and msg free.
Consider trying one of three signature styles: All-Natural Brisket Beef Jerky, Nevada Brisket Beef Jerky, and California Brisket Beef Jerky. Each one is offered in a wide variety of flavor options including Sweet BBQ, Teriyaki, Habanero, Garlic Pepper, Carolina Reaper, and Traditional Western. In total BULK offers 31 flavor options of brisket beef jerky.
If you’ve discovered the bliss of a well-prepared brisket, you’ll love the lusty flavor and on-the-go convenience of brisket beef jerky.
]]>The most common species of apricot is the Prunus Armeniaca. This is the variety of apricot long associated with Armenia. Genetic analysis now shows that the P. armeniaca was first grown in Central Asia and China over 4,000 years ago. This point of origin was first theorized by Soviet botanist Nikolai Vavilov.
From China, the domesticated apricot tree was imported to South Asia, West Asia, Europe, North Africa, and Japan. There are 11 primary varieties of apricot:
Most apricots grow on small trees ranging from 20 to 25 feet tall. Dwarf and semi dwarf trees range in height from 5 to 18 feet. Apricot trees are unique because they are self-pollinating, meaning they don’t require a pollination partner to grow fruit.
The fruit itself is a drupe, similar to a peach. These stone fruits usually range in color from yellow to orange. Depending on the amount of sun exposure, they can also exhibit a tinge of red.
In the U.S., apricots are grown in the country’s western states where spring and summer are warm and winters are cold enough to induce a dormancy period. According to the Agricultural Marketing Research Center, 75% of the apricots grown in the U.S. hail from California. Additional locations for apricot farmers include Washington and Utah.
In 2020, U.S. apricot production came in at 33,400 tons. This translates to a $34 million industry yield. Patterson, California has given itself claim to the moniker of “The Apricot Capital of the World.” The small Modesto town holds an annual Apricot Festival featuring apricot foods, drinks, and games.
Worldwide, the leading producers of apricots are Turkey and Iran. Other major producers include Uzbekistan, Italy, and Algeria. The estimated world production of apricots in 2017 was a whopping 4,257, 241 metric tons.
Interestingly, apricots can be successfully grown when grafted onto rootstocks of other Prunus genus species including peaches and plums. Grafting controls the height of the tree and results in earlier fruiting than a tree grown on its own roots.
The apricot is rich with vitamins, flavonoids, and potassium which results in the stone fruit possessing many health benefits.
The strong presence of potassium in apricots allows them to be beneficial for nerve and muscle function. This mineral also is linked to maintaining healthy blood pressure. Potassium is also crucial for maintaining overall heart health.
The skin of the apricot demonstrates high levels of vitamin E and vitamin C. These antioxidants help to protect skin cells from UV radiation. They also aid in reducing the signs of aging by minimizing the presence of wrinkles and boosting skin elasticity. The skin is also packed with beta-carotene that can help protect skin from sunburns and UV damage.
Along with its high levels of beta-carotene, the apricot is also packed with vitamin A and other carotenoids. These components are key for maintaining eye health. The nutrients found in apricots are linked to reducing the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.
Apricots are also high in fiber, which truly helps in maintaining a healthy digestive tract. Apricots feature both soluble fiber and insoluble fiber – both of which can be instrumental in maintaining your health.
The presence of flavonoids helps to protect against inflammatory illnesses. Flavonoids also reduce the risk of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. The primary flavonoids in apricots are catechin, quercetin, and chlorogenic acids.
Altogether, apricots contain such vitamins and minerals as:
While the ideal climate for growing apricots is warm and sunny, too much sun can be a problem. Hot weather such as that in California’s Central Valley can cause pit burn. This condition causes the fruit around the pit to become soft and brown. Apricots are also susceptible to bacterial and fungal diseases including brown rot and blossom wilt.
The apricot kernel or seed has its own uses. Apricot kernel oil is used to give amaretto its almond-like flavor. However, it should be warned that the kernel contains amygdalin which is a poisonous compound. This compound has been marketed as an alternative cancer treatment, however there is no data suggesting it is effective in abating cancer. Further, the toxic element can also be lethal due to cyanide poisoning.
Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include:
Apricots are a seasonal fruit. So, you’re not always going to find fresh apricots at the grocery store. Thankfully, though, dried apricots are available in abundance from healthy snack providers like BULK.
In dried form, the apricot retains many of its beneficial healthy characteristics including high levels of vitamins and nutrients.
Dried apricots are extremely delicious, amplifying the sweet flavor of the fruit. They can be used in making cookies, smoothies, salads, tarts, muffins, pies, pancakes, and cakes. Truly the options are limited only by the creativity of the chef.
]]>While teriyaki is a flavor that most people associate with Japanese cooking, it should seem understandable that the word’s origins are Japanese.
The term teriyaki can be traced back to 18th century Japan. Then, it referred to the technique of marinating fish and then dipping it or brushing it with sauce throughout a grilling or broiling process.
The word teriyaki is a combination of the word teri, that translates to shiny, and the word yaki, which translates to cooking via broiling or grilling.
In the 1700’s when teriyaki cooking was invented, the two other favored culinary methods were yakitori and sukiyaki. Yakitori involves skewering meat before grilling over a charcoal fire. Sukiyaki is a slow cooking method using a Japanese hot pot known as a nabemono.
However, while the name teriyaki traces back to 18th century Japan as a cooking style, what is accepted worldwide as teriyaki sauce originated in Hawaii in the 1960’s.
Today the common ingredients for teriyaki sauce are:
However, the original recipe pioneered in Hawaii in the 60’s was slightly different – reflecting its place of origin.
Hawaii is well known for its luscious pineapple crops. The sweet juice of the pineapple was what was originally used to create the glaze now accepted as teriyaki sauce. Japanese immigrants to Hawaii mixed pineapple juice with soy sauce and brown sugar. Thus was born a flavor that has gone on to captivate the world.
Taking a dish of one culture and adapting it to reflect the influences of another culture is called fusion cuisine. Such dishes resemble the original but incorporate unique twists.
There are many Asian-fusion foods that are popular in modern America:
While teriyaki sauce may not have originated in Japan, since its invention in Hawaii and its ever-growing popularity in the continental US, Japan has come to embrace teriyaki among its common menus. Not only are dishes like teriyaki chicken popular in Japan, many fast food restaurants in the Asian country offer teriyaki dipping sauces as a regular part of their menu.
Generally speaking, the way teriyaki sauce is used is first as a marinade and then as a glaze. Chicken, fish, or beef should be marinated a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking via grilling, broiling, or frying in a wok. Many chefs, both professional and amateur, like to let meat marinate overnight.
After the cooking commences, once the meat is 80% cooked, the chef will begin applying the marinade as a glaze. Application of the glaze should continue until the meat is fully cooked and ready to serve.
After gaining popularity in Hawaii, teriyaki as a flavor started to take off throughout North America. In fact, an interesting craze for teriyaki food emerged in Seattle, Washington.
The first stand alone teriyaki restaurant in Seattle opened in 1976. Seattle is known for its large Asian American population. Approximately 16.3% of Seattle’s population is Asian.
That restaurant, Toshi’s Teriyaki, was a hit and inspired other teriyaki restaurants to bloom in the coastal city. By 1996, Toshi’s Teriyaki had 17 locations throughout the Seattle area. Now, the Washington State Restaurant Association lists 83 Seattle restaurants with teriyaki in the name.
Part of the popularity of Toshi’s Teriyaki is credited to the uniqueness of the charbroiled taste of meat marinated in sweet and tangy sauce. The other part of the popularity equation is how inexpensive the dishes were. If there’s one thing Americans like its quality, tasty food at cheap prices.
One area of Americana that has fully embraced the teriyaki taste sensation is the beef jerky industry. There is just something special about the way teriyaki flavor mixes with luscious brisket or hearty round cut beef.
Beef jerky, of course, is a wonderful snack. Not only is it tasty, it’s also one of the healthier snacks you can choose. Rather than filling you with empty calories you might get from high sugar candy bars, beef jerky is packed with healthy attributes.
A single serving of beef jerky will deliver 11 grams of protein, at just 80 calories. That’s a filling snack without a high calorie payload.
Teriyaki beef jerky adds the Asian-inspired flavor to an already tempting snack. The sweet brown marinade gives the dried beef an amazing taste sensation that will tickle and tantalize even the most ardent fans of traditional jerky.
Plus, while teriyaki chicken and fried rice may be the dinner meal you love the most, having beef jerky as an on-the-go snack option is something you’ll love as well. You’ll be able to enjoy that savory and tangy flavor anywhere you go because it doesn’t require refrigeration.
BULK offers a number of teriyaki flavor options for beef jerky fans. BULK’s strict dedication to using premium ingredients translates to sinfully good jerky regarded as the best in the industry.
Brisket jerky aficionados will find favor with All-Natural Brisket Teriyaki Beef Jerky or All-Natural Brisket Hot Teriyaki Beef Jerky options. BULK also offers the exquisite California Brisket Orange Teriyaki Beef Jerky and soft and tender Nevada Brisket Teriyaki Beef Jerky.
No matter if you are a teriyaki beef jerky fan, an addict of teriyaki chicken, or a lover of teriyaki wings, you must admit there is something special about America’s take on the classic flavor. Taking a traditional dish of another culture and adapting it to our own is part of what makes America great. We are a true melting pot – and the embrace of teriyaki food is proof of that.
]]>In 1908, the Hershey Company added the Hershey Bar with Almonds to its offerings. In 1925, Hershey introduced the Mr. Goodbar – a chocolate bar with peanuts. However, it is the Hershey Bar with Almonds that appeals to those with a more refined palate.
In an article on the Food Business News website, Lu Ann Williams, director of innovation at Innova Market Insights, states that any product containing whole almonds is accepted as being a “premium experience.”
Candies like the Hershey Bar with Almonds and the ever-so-tasty Almond Roca are a mainstay in popular American culture. For that matter, many foods made with almonds are beloved by people around the county and even around the world.
According to Statista, the 2020/21 worldwide domestic consumption of almonds was over 1.56 million metric tons. In fact, almonds are the most commonly consumed nut in the entire world.
Americans eat the most almonds per year, hovering around 316,000 metric tons. This is not surprising considering that the US is also the world’s largest producer of almonds. California growers account for 99% of all almonds produced in the US. Approximately 70% of those California almonds are exported overseas.
India ranks second in worldwide domestic almond consumption. Unlike the US, every single almond eaten in India is imported. The country produces no almonds themselves.
The top five almond consuming countries are:
In addition to having a regal flavor associated with people living the good life, almonds are incredibly healthy. In fact, they are considered an important superfood that people should think about adding to their regular diet.
As far as nuts go, the almond is the nut with the highest amount of calcium. One serving of these scrumptious nuts provides 23 milligrams of calcium. They are also an excellent source of protein.
Nutritionally speaking, the almond is a wonderful natural source of vitamin E. According to Healthline, one 28-gram serving of almonds translates to 37% of the recommended daily intake (RDI). This qualifies the almond as being one of the best sources of vitamin E among any foods worldwide.
The overall nutrient profile of almonds includes:
Almonds are also an excellent source of antioxidants. These building blocks protect cells from oxidative damage. Per Healthline, oxidative damage is a significant player in aging and disease. So, in a way, a healthy diet that includes almonds may keep you looking and feeling younger.
Multiple studies have proven that almonds can actually lower cholesterol levels. Eating just two handfuls of almonds per day can lead to reductions in bad LDL cholesterol. This, in turn, reduces the risk of heart disease.
Hitting home on the idea that almonds are a more elegant nut than some other common favorites are statistics from World Atlas. According to these statistics, almonds account for 39% of the nut consumption by high-income economies. By contrast almonds are only 19% of the nuts consumed in middle-income economies.
According to VeryWellFit.com, despite being relatively high in calories, almonds are actually a great dietary option for those looking to lose weight. Regarding the calories associated with almonds, it’s important to realize that 10-15% of the calories from this particular nut are not absorbed by the human body.
Another important fact to know about infusing your diet with almonds for the purpose of pursuing weight loss is that evidence suggest that almonds can help boost metabolism. Because they are low in carbs, studies have shown that a diet rich in almonds saw 62% more weight loss compared to a diet filled with complex carbohydrates.
Another key reason that almonds can help with weight loss is that they are a natural appetite suppressant. According to National Public Radio (NPR), snacking on calorie-dense almonds will give you the feeling of being full, thus reducing hunger and cravings for less healthy foods.
While candy containing almonds, such as Hershey’s, can be absolutely delicious, candy is by far not the only way to enjoy almonds.
First, there is nothing wrong with enjoying raw or roasted almonds. They are a wonderfully healthy, impeccably tasting snack option that also offers a plethora of health benefits.
Other recipes that make use of the delectable and nutritious almond are many.
Roasted and salted almonds are a great snack. Much of the nutritional value is in the almond’s brown outer skin. So, if you’re looking to absorb as much nutritional value as possible, make sure you are ordering almonds that still have their distinctive brown skin.
BULK is a premier seller of almonds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans, and pistachios. You can buy these super healthy nuts in 1-pound, 3-pound, or 6-pound quantities. Almonds, in particular, are a healthy treat that are good to always have around the house.
Almonds offer a lot of health benefits, and they have a flavor one would associate with royalty. You can eat them raw or use them in recipes. The only limitation on the uses for this superfood is your imagination.
BULK offers the America's best beef jerky, healthy bulk nuts, and delicious dried fruits.
]]>Based on that directive, we did our homework and studied hard – hoping in the end it would be enough to have the best grade possible.
Getting an A in a class was always a source of pride. Getting a B wasn’t the end of the world, and getting a C meant you were passing.
The ranchers who raise feeder cattle also try to set themselves up for getting good grades – that being the grade the beef is given after slaughter.
So, how exactly do sides of beef get graded?
Beef grading is a voluntary process. Meat packing companies pay the USDA to assess and grade their beef. The USDA has provided this service since 1927.
Beef doesn’t have to be graded in order to be sold. This happens when a meat packer suspects that if they submit their beef to the USDA, it won’t earn a prime rating. If a meatpacker submits meat for grading, they are then required to label it according to the grade the USDA assigns it.
However, there’s a trick that meat packers use. If they never submit the meat for grading, then they don’t have to identify it by grade. It can be sold as “ungraded”. This saves them from having to label their meat with a lesser grade moniker such as standard or commercial.
According to ModernFarmer.com, some unethical retailers will advertise their beef as “Prime Value” hoping that this meaningless generic label will be assumed to be the same as USDA Prime. In fact, it is fairly common for meat packers to sell ungraded meat.
In total, there are eight quality grades of beef:
Those shopping for their steaks and roasts at the grocery store are probably at least casually familiar with the quality grades of Prime, Choice, and Select. Here’s how the USDA defines those three primary consumer-preferred quality grades:
Less quality grades of meat such as standard or commercial find their way into shopping carts as store-brand meat. Utility, cutter, and canner cuts are used in making processed foods like soups, stews, and frozen dinner entrees.
The two primary attributes used to determine the grade of a side of beef are the age of the cow at the time of slaughter and the degree of marbling in the meat.
The age of the cow is derived by the inspection of the appearance of the vertebrae. The color and appearance of cartilage and bones help determine the cow’s age.
It is the marbling, however, that is the most important factor. The degree of marbling for the overall cow is gauged based on inspection of the ribeye.
Not only is the amount of fat considered, also the color of the fat can be a factor. White fat is preferable and is more commonly found in pasture-raised beef. Yellow fat is often indicative of a grain-fed feeder cow.
Marbling in prime beef reflects 8 to 13% fat. Choice beef typically has 4 to 10% fat. Select beef found at the store contains 2 to 4% fat. Interestingly, grass-fed beef typically has less marbling and therefore suffers in the grading process.
USDA grading only applied to meat in the US. By contrast, the highest quality beef in Japan has up to 40% fat. The factors the Japanese Meat Grading Association considers include marbling, brightness of the meat’s color, color of the fat, and overall meat tenderness.
In addition to the grade of beef such as prime or choice, the USDA also assigns a yield grade. Reflected by a rating system of 1 to 5, yield grade reflects the amount of consumable meat the carcass will translate to. A yield grade of 5 will produce the least amount of usable beef, whereas a grade of 1 will produce the most yield.
For determining the yield grade for a carcass, the USDA looks at:
BULK was founded with a mission of becoming one of the premier beef jerky companies in America. We have never faltered from that mission.
Living up to that standard means that BULK always uses the best cuts of meat possible for making premium quality beef jerky. We even offer exotic and elegant Wagyu Beef Jerky. Wagyu is considered the best meat in the world.
But using the best cuts of meat isn’t limited to Wagyu jerky. BULK uses the best brisket and round-cut meats for the ultimate jerky experience.
California Brisket Jerky, for instance, is available in 13 flavor varieties including Korean BBQ, Carolina Reaper, and Honey Pepper – there’s a taste to match every individual’s preference. Nevada Brisket Jerky clocks in with 16 scrumptious flavor options including Real Western, Teriyaki, Whiskey, and Everything Bagel.
If you’re looking for the best steaks and roasts, you now know what each USDA grade translates to in terms of quality. And when it comes to beef jerky, you know that BULK is the go-to source for the country’s best beef jerky and other healthy snacks. Visit www.BulkBeefJerky.com.]]>Take beef jerky for instance. If jerky makers were paying the same price for beef that you pay at the grocery store, the price they’d be charging customers to just break even would be cost prohibitive.
That doesn’t mean that hobbyists shouldn’t have fun making jerky at home. But if you want to get the best tasting jerky at the best prices, you have to go to a trusted source like BULK.
Of course, large companies in the food industry don’t pay retail prices for beef. They buy entire carcasses in mass.
But don’t sit around feeling jealous. Buying an entire side of beef is actually something that the average consumer could realistically pursue. And to do that, there’s nothing like buying a prize-winning cow at the state fair and having it butchered at the local meat processor of your choice.
The very first state fair in the US was the New York State Fair held in Syracuse in 1841. It has run continuously since then and still draws faithful crowds every year. The second state to roll the dice on a statewide agricultural show was Michigan. The Michigan State Fair was held in Detroit beginning in 1849.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that shuttered much of the country, some states held their fairs in recent years as virtual online events. The point being, that state fairs are a celebration of the community. Therefore, the community will figure out a way to make it happen. It’s civic pride.
By way of definition, a state fair is a gathering of people from around the state to engage in competitions and recreational events. Typically, the exhibits and competitions are geared heavily towards agriculture.
Over the years, entertainment has become a prime fixture at state and county fairs. Headlining recording artists are brought in for concerts, while carnival rides keep kids actively engaged in having a good time.
The highest attendance on record for a state fair was 2,514,637 visitors at the 2019 Texas State Fair. Meanwhile, the Minnesota State Fair has the largest average per day attendance of just a hair below 200,000 people per day.
One mainstay of the state fair is the livestock show. Here individual animals are judged based upon criteria specific to their particular breed.
Livestock shows typically include categories for:
In general, livestock judging at a state fair is the process of measuring different attributes of the animal and comparing them to a commonly accepted ideal standard.
The ideal standard for a market steer has a weight of 1,100 – 1,300 pounds. Heavy muscling is indicative of a prime animal that will result in high-priced cuts of beef.
For the Wisconsin State Fair, market cattle are judged on their readiness for immediate meat production, correctness of their body proportions relating to a set standard, and how closely their characteristics match the desirable traits for their particular breed.
In 2014, the Illinois State Fair saw the purchase of a 1,330-pound steer for $100,000. This ushered in an era of big money for premium beef.
In 2021, the state record was broken, with Governor JB Pritzker’s wife paying $105,000 for the Grand Champion Steer.
Wisconsin is known as the Dairy State thanks to its heavy population of cattle ranches and dairy farms. Every year, exhibitors at the Wisconsin State Fair show around 1,100 dairy cattle and 500 beef cattle. In fact, the Junior Dairy Cattle Show is the largest in the country.
In the 2021 Wisconsin State Fair, the Grand Champion Steer was purchased by Kenosha Beef for $47,500.
Texas is also known for its prized cattle. The 2021 Texas State Fair Grand Champion Market Steer captured a $126,000 winning bid.
According to information published by Montana State University, the five-year average for 4-H auction sales demonstrate a live weight price-per-pound of $3. This is based on a five-year live weight of 1,200 pounds translating to a live weight cost total of $3,600.
Now you might be wondering at some of the butcher terminology. To break it simply:
Utilizing data culled by the University of Maryland Extension, a 1,300-pound beef animal will translate into approximately 600 pounds of usable meat.
The breakdown of the cuts of beef from the Front Quarter:
The resulting meat from the Rear Quarter:
In the article “How Much Does It Cost to Butcher a Steer? Is It Worth It?” by BestFarmAnimals.com, we discover that butchering involves a series of charges.
Butchering a market steer comes with the following costs:
A family buying a side of beef is going to have to plan for how to store it.
Depending on how it’s wrapped, a side of beef will require freezer space that can accommodate 35-50 pounds per cubic foot.
According to HomeServe.com a designated chest freezer can run from $300 to over $1,000. On average the price for a mid-range model will run from $500-$700.
Back in the days before there was electricity and home freezers, meat was stored by salting and drying it. You guessed it – beef jerky.
Beef jerky has come a long way since it was being made by cowboys on the plains of the Old West.
Now you can get a wide variety of types of beef jerky ranging from Traditional Western Beef Jerky to Black Pepper Beef Jerky to All-Natural Teriyaki Brisket Beef Jerky.
All it takes is going to www.BulkBeefJerky.com, and with the click of a button or two, your shipment of the country’s best beef jerky will be on the way for you to enjoy.
Your love of steaks and burgers doesn’t have to be replaced by your affinity for beef jerky. If you’re a big-time beef consumer, consider celebrating the state fair season by purchasing a market steer. Add a chest freezer in the garage and you’ll be stocked with meat for the rest of the year.
]]>Gary Augustine, Kalsec’s executive director of marketing development from 2008-2019, states that not only is there a strong demand by consumers for hot and spicy foods, but there is an additional desire from these foodies to experience this heat craving in a variety of dishes, fueled by a wide array of peppers.
One way to enjoy the taste delights of mouth tingling hot spices is in the form of beef jerky. Premier beef jerky manufactures like BULK have embraced this demand for all things hot and spicy. This calls for an advanced understanding of the various types of peppers available for giving spicy dishes the bold flavor consumers want.
Pharmacist and scientist Wilbur Scoville devised a heat measurement system for ranking the degree of spiciness of peppers in 1912. Since then, peppers have been ranked according to Scoville Heat Units (SHUs).
The method for determining SHU ranking is done via the Scoville Organoleptic Test. This involves mixing small amounts of each ground pepper species with water and sugar. This solution is then tested by a panel of tasters. The solution can then be incrementally diluted until it no longer creates a burning sensation of the tongue. This then translates to an official SHU heat measurement number.
Measurements are reflected in multiples of 100. Specifically, 1 part per 1,000,000 dilutions of water ranks as 1.5 Scoville Heat Units. Capsaicin is the element in peppers that creates the heat taste sensation. Pure capsaicin is rated at up to 16,000,000 SHU.
The Scoville Scale can also be used to measure the heat index of foods made with spicy peppers. This easily applies to beef jerky that has been infused with capsaicin-rich peppers.
Are you a spicy food junkie or perhaps someone who favors a little heat now and then? Knowing the types of peppers that you may encounter in your taste travels will go a long way towards ensuring that you are ordering food that matches your preferred heat index.
Scoville Rating: 0
Scoville Rating: 100-600
Scoville Rating: 500
Scoville Rating: 500-1000
Scoville Rating: 1,000-2,000
Scoville Rating: 1,000-2,000
Scoville Rating: 2,500-8,000
Scoville Rating: 5,000-15,000
Scoville Rating: 6,000-23,000
Scoville Rating: 100,000-125,000
Scoville Rating: 100,000-350,000
Scoville Rating: 80,000-600,000
Scoville Rating: 855,000-1,000,000+
Scoville Rating: 1,000,000-2,000,000+
So, you see, there are truly peppers for all heat preferences. And this, in fact, is just a partial list highlighting the most common peppers. In total, there are over 4,000 varieties of chili peppers to choose from.
Knowing the different types of peppers will help you in your own personal quest to find just the right level of spiciness for meals and snacks. And when it comes to snacks, beef jerky is one of the most popular treats worldwide. In the US, over 70 million people eat some sort of beef jerky or meat snack each year.
BULK offers a wide variety of beef jerky flavors, including spicy ones. If you’re a beef jerky fan who craves a hint or more of heat, BULK likely has the ideal flavor for you. We’ve got spicy options from mild to extreme.
Just a few of the options include Sweet & Spicy All-Natural Brisket, Mango Habanero California Brisket, ghost pepper rich Carolina Reaper California Brisket, heavy hitter Jalapeno California Brisket, super-hot Devil’s Kiss Classic Jerky, and Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper Nevada Brisket.]]>In 2021, headlines in the months leading up to winter holiday warned of a potential turkey shortage. According to Jessica Evans of Evans Family Farm, concerns about a turkey shortage that year resulted in a big rush. The farm sold all its turkeys prior to Thanksgiving of that year, leaving no inventory for Christmas.
That concern for shortages resulting in rushed sales is not reserved for the poultry industry alone. Nor are such food shortages a thing of the past.
According to Keith Daniels of Carl Marks Advisors in a recent interview with Parade, the US should be bracing for a number of food shortages for the remainder of 2022.
Foods expected to be in short supply throughout the rest of 2022 include:
Chief among the 2022 food shortages is meat and poultry. This, of course, includes turkeys.
The five biggest turkey processors in the US are:
According to the Carolina Public Press article, “Are the Rumors of a Holiday Turkey Shortage True?” by Jodi Helmer, Americans consume 68 million turkeys each combined Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
Yet, there are a litany of products made from turkey that also need access to supply. Outside of whole turkeys for the holidays, other turkey products necessitating a large supply include:
In the June 2022 Bloomberg article, “Bird Flu Will Hit Turkey Supplies for Jennie-O This Summer,” journalist Eleanor Song details that companies like Hormel Food Corp. (parent company to turkey product seller Jennie-O) are expecting large supply gaps.
Three chief reasons that turkey shortages are expected include:
According to a PetKeen article by Nicole Cosgrove, “Which State Raises the Most Turkeys?”, the USDA is projecting that the total number of turkeys raised in the US in 2022 will be 214 million. That is down 4% since 2020.
So why are turkey shortages a bigger problem for smaller companies?
Like in most industries, supplier loyalty tends to be extended to the biggest customers first. Once Butterball, Jennie-O, and the gang have gobbled up the majority of available birds, small and mid-sized companies are left scrambling for supply.
If companies like turkey giant Butterball exercise their preferred buyer status to buy up all the turkey supply, where will smaller companies get the meat they need to produce their products?
This is a question currently facing scores of small and mid-sized food manufactures in need of turkey supply, and there doesn’t seem to be a good answer just yet.
BULK is most widely known as one of the country’s premier providers of premium quality beef jerky, but we offer a lot of other healthy snack foods as well – including Turkey Jerky.
In fact, consumers rave about the superior quality of BULK’s turkey jerky. Recent turkey jerky reviews on the BULK website include:
There’s just one problem. We are presently completely out of stock of turkey jerky.
Rest assured, we are leaving no stone unturned as we try to acquire the premium turkey meat we need to produce the high-grade turkey jerky for which so many loyal customers are patiently waiting. We value your loyalty and will have product available as soon as possible.
In the meantime, take a look at the other tasty treats BULK has to offer including Beef Jerky, Premium Nuts, and Delicious Dried Fruits.
For all your healthy snack needs visit BULK at: www.BulkBeefJerky.com.
]]>Unnecessary death is always heartbreaking. This is especially true when there is suffering involved. Worse yet is when such deaths could have been avoided.
Earlier this month, reports came out of Kansas that cattle ranchers had lost thousands of cattle in a matter of days, all due to heat stress. An initial report from National Public Radio (NPR) placed the number of deaths at over 2,000. However, subsequent reports, such as that by Progressive Farmer magazine, put the Kansas cattle death toll at over 10,000 head.
The discrepancy in the death tally has to do with how the data is reported. The early NPR figure was supplied by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. However, the agency prefaced that those numbers only reflect the losses at farms that have requested help disposing of the carcasses. Many ranchers deal with disposal themselves, thus their losses don’t get tallied.
At the time the department issued its early numbers, Matt Lara, communications director, fully expected the actual figures to end up being higher. By the following week, death toll figures from other media sources like Progressive Farmer put the count at over 10,000 head. The magazine is owned by DTN, a Minnesota-based company specializing in real-time analysis of weather, agriculture, energy, and commodity market information.
According to AJ Tarpoff, an expert interviewed by Progressive Farmer for the article “Thousands of Cattle Reported Dead”, cattle deaths attributed to heat stress is something that happens every June.
Tarpoff is a veterinarian who works with Kansas State University Extension. He observes that history shows a dramatic spike in heat-related deaths among both feedlot and grazing cattle every second week in June.
One reason cattle are more prone to heat-related deaths has to do with their winter coat. Tarpoff explains that while cattle have proven to have the ability to adapt to different climates, such adaptation isn’t instantaneous.
In the case of being susceptible to high heat marks in early June, it is partly because the cattle have not yet shed their winter hair coat. This causes them to retain heat. The fact that the majority of these cattle are black is also a factor. The color black attracts heat.
According to a statement from PETA, it is likely that the 10,000 head of cattle that died during the early June heatwave in Kansas did so while suffering horrifically. “Slow and painful” is how PETA describes the recent deaths.
The way heat affects cattle is different than the way it affects humans. Cattle absorb the sun’s heat during the day, then during the evening when temperatures have cooled, their body dissipates the heat over the course of four to six hours.
The key, though, is that the evening temperature has to be cool enough to allow the cows’ bodies to release the heat that has built up. If evening temperatures remain high and with little or no wind, the heat is never released from the cows’ bodies. Instead of entering the next day without any stores of heat in their bodies, these cattle begin the day with a heat load already at maximum capacity.
In the case of the recent Kansas deaths, the state began recording temperatures over 100°F on June 11. By June 13, temperatures were peaking at 104°F; humidity levels were registering at ranges up to 35%.
Temperatures remained high throughout the evenings as well. It was too hot for the heat to dissipate from the cows. Without human intervention to alleviate the situation, the cattle’s fate was sealed. Death was imminent.
The cause of death for these 10,000 head of cattle was heat stress caused by unabated exposure to 100°F heat over a multiple period of days. However, the deaths were avoidable. For one thing, the cows were without means of shelter from the blazing sun. Temperature readings from soil four inches below the surface still registered over 92 °F. This indicates how severe the temperatures above ground were. It’s no surprise the cattle died.
To prevent this kind of mass death again in subsequent years, ranchers will have to have a reaction plan in place. This may include erecting temporary shelters from the sun, or relocation of the animals to an area where the effects of the sun would be less severe. Providing additional water sources is also encouraged.
The cooling off period at night is the most important piece of the puzzle. One fairly easy, yet effective, solution is to use a sprinkler system to cool the floor of the feedlot throughout the evening. This will ensure that temperatures will drop low enough for the heat to be released from the cows.
Of course, a reaction plan is of little use if ranchers ignore the signs of heat stress in their herds. Protruding tongues and heavy breathing are two obvious signs that cattle are in distress.
In an interview with television station KAKE, Scarlett Hagins of the Kansas Livestock Association, estimated that each of the 10,000 cattle had a market value of around $2,000 each. That makes the recent loss for Kansas cattle ranchers at around $20,000,000. According to Hagins, there may be some federal disaster programs that could come into play.
The estimated price tag for the dead animals indicates that they were near ready for slaughter. The cows had been fattened up, as is typical in the final stages before going to be processed. That extra layer of fat may be good for the flavor of the beef, but it also contributes to the high number of June deaths that happen every year. It increases their chance of heat stress because they retain more heat.
Could this indirectly raise beef prices? Possibly... We won't know the severity of this tragedy until couple of months down the road. Stay updated with Bulk as we keep bringing you more meat related news.
]]>Nobody is going to argue that the peanut is a pretty food. In its in-shell state, it is obscure and rough – reminiscent of the dirt in which it grows. With the shell removed it is a mere blob of condensed protein. They are good for you, but not all that exciting to look at.
But the peanut has an inner beauty that far surpasses its outer ambiance. When considered for its health benefits, the peanut is actually very much a thing of beauty.
Would you believe that the peanut, perhaps the most widely known nut, is not actually a nut?
By definition, a nut is "a fruit whose ovary wall becomes hard at maturity". By this definition, a peanut is not a nut.
A peanut is actually a legume, which is cultivated for its nutritious, edible seed. However, having the word nut in its name is a pretty good indicator of how widely accepted it is to refer to this particular legume as a nut. So, we’ll refer to it here as a nut.
There is no questioning the popularity of peanuts in the United States. We buy them in the shell to crack open and eat at baseball games. We cherish them when they come shelled and salted -the perfect snacking alternative to high-calorie candy. We cook with peanut oil. And, as a nation we are heavily addicted to peanut butter.
According to the American Peanut Council, annual world peanut production was at 47 million metric tons in 2020. China ranks as the world’s largest peanut producer. The United States is fourth on the list at 3 million tons annually. The US exports about 25-35% of its annual yield.
The US produces four types of peanuts: Runner, Virginia, Spanish, and Valencia. In the US, the dominant peanut grown and utilized is the runner variety.
So, what makes the peanut so special?
A healthy human liver produces all the cholesterol a body needs. Any additional cholesterol comes from the foods we eat. Unlike fats, you can’t exercise it away.
Peanuts are naturally cholesterol-free. Anyone watching their cholesterol knows there are limited options for a good earthy flavor that doesn’t pack a devastating cholesterol punch. Peanuts are the delicious exception to the rule. You get great taste, and they are naturally cholesterol-free.
Just as there are fats to avoid when eating, there are also good fats called unsaturated fats. Peanuts contain 80% of this good plant fat that can help lower cholesterol.
Peanuts are an excellent source of protein. In fact, they are so packed with protein they can be an effective substitute for eating meat. Research also shows that a diet rich in peanuts can offer protection from developing diabetes.
Among the antioxidants found in peanuts is resveratrol, which protects against heart disease and several types of cancer. Similarly, the polyphenol P-coumaric acid found in peanuts has also shown potential for fending against cancer. And, peanuts have a high level of phytosterols (up to 43% more than olive oil) which have shown in studies to be associated with a lower risk of cancer and heart disease.
You may ask yourself, how popular are peanuts and their related products?
Peanuts are the nation’s #1 snack nut. In fact, peanuts are so popular as a snack nut, they account for a whopping 2/3 of the market. Almonds are the second most consumed nut, at 1.19 million metric tons per year.
One reason that peanuts are a great alternative to candy is that most candy lovers already exhibit a hankering for the legumes. Five out of the top ten selling candy bars in the US contain peanuts or peanut butter.
Snickers? Peanuts. Reece’s? Peanut butter. M&Ms? Your choice – peanut or peanut butter. The list of peanut and peanut butter candy is as infinite as the imagination.
Peanut butter is a staple in most homes growing up. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is always easy and satisfying. Peanut butter is also a favorite in ice cream. Moose tracks anyone? That world famous ice cream flavor is just one to prominently feature the allure of peanut butter cups or peanut butter ribbon.
In fact, peanut butter is more popular than just plain, salted peanuts. Roughly 56% of peanuts produced each year are earmarked for peanut butter. By law, peanut butter must contain at least 90% peanuts.
Peanut butter is also a useful staple to have on hand because it has a long life. It can be stored for months without refrigeration.
Another popular derivative of the peanut is peanut oil. Peanut oil is regarded as one of the most preferred cooking oils by chefs around the world. The reason is that unlike other oils, peanut oil does not transfer food flavors. It is simply tasteless and odorless – unless made with roasted peanuts.
Peanut oil is a premium selection for the preparation of many ethnic foods including Chinese, African, Indian, and American cuisine. It has a high smoke point, making it ideal for frying foods.
In the US, 1.5-3% of the population has a peanut allergy. Interestingly, the majority of highly refined peanut oils have been shown to be safe for a large percentage of those afflicted with a normal peanut allergy.
Because of their long shelf life, it can be beneficial to buy peanuts in bulk. You would be surprised how quickly you go through them once you make them a part of your normal snack routine. Plus, you save money when you buy in bulk.
BULK offers a wide variety of premium bulk nuts, including three types of peanuts: All Natural Peanuts with Extra Fine Sea Salt, Cajun Flavored Japanese Peanuts, and Sweet & Salty Chocolate Covered Peanuts.
As with all BULK products, we live by a commitment to delivering premium quality snack options. All three of our peanut offerings are all-natural, gluten-free, MSG-free, GMO-free, and made in the USA.
Peanuts may not be the prettiest food you’ve ever eaten, but they are both delicious and nutritious. A true “Super Food”, peanuts have an inner beatify and hearty taste that will have you instantly addicted. Try adding them to your daily routine. Your body will thank you!
]]>But in reality, Beefalo is a breed of bovine that crosses domestic cattle with the American buffalo. The new crossbreed is intended primarily for meat consumption.
You may wonder: where did the idea come from, and more importantly, is the meat any good?
Over the past few centuries, some unplanned crossbreeding occurred between domestic cattle and wild bison. This inspired some cattle ranchers to theorize about the benefits of a purposeful crossbreeding.
The first intentional efforts to crossbreed the two species occurred in 1880. In that case, Col. Samuel Bedson bought eight bison and bred them with Durham cattle. The result was an animal that was more docile than the wild buffalo. In terms of body composition, the new beasts had improved hindquarters.
In 1886, Charles “Buffalo” Jones embarked on his own mission to interbreed cattle and bison. Jones’ motivation was to create a breed of bovine that could better survive the harsh winters in Kansas. Jones named the resulting animal a “Catallo” – combining the words cattle and buffalo.
Along our Northern border, the Canadian government experimented with crossbreeding through 1964. However, the experiments had little success. One key problem to the early efforts to interbreed was that the calves produced were not fertile.
Mating a male bison with a female domestic cow did not often work, and even when it did, few offspring resulted. But it was discovered that mating a domestic bull with a female bison more consistently produced female offspring that were fertile. However, male offspring were not able to reproduce.
Finally in 1965, Montana rancher Jim Barnett successfully bred a hybrid bull that was in fact fertile. A California breeder, Cory Skowronek then formed the World Beefalo Association to market the new hybrid animals.
So, we know who created the Beefalo, but what exactly is it that the breeders created?
Beefalo are specifically bred to have more cattle traits than bison. Physically they appear more like cattle – without the trademark hump of the buffalo.
John Fowler is a board member of the American Beefalo Association. As a Missouri-based rancher who raises Beefalo, Fowler indicates that the animals are superior to regular domestic cattle.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, certified Beefalo is higher in protein and vitamins than cattle. Further comparison to domestic beef shows that Beefalo meat has 1/3 less cholesterol, 79% less fat, and 66% fewer calories.
As stated on the American Beefalo Association website, the USDA has recognized Beefalo as its own breed since the 1980s.
Beefalo are considered a superior breed in part because they have longer reproductive lifespans, with smaller birth size to make calving easy, yet fast growth and weight-gain after birth.
A Beefalo bovine is very adaptive to environment. They can flourish in extreme climates that would be either too hot or too cold for domestic cattle. They are also disease resistant, have high conception rates, and are great for milking.
According to the American Beefalo Association, breeding techniques have evolved considerably from Beefalo’s humble beginnings. To be considered Beefalo by the association, the bovine must be a mix of domestic cattle and animals that register as 37.5% American bison.
Beefalo herds registered with the ABA must have the genetic makeup of being 3/8 bison and 5/8 domestic cattle. An animal that contains more bison DNA than this target percentage is considered a Cattalo. They do not possess the same appearance or qualities as USDA recognized Beefalo.
But what about the taste of Beefalo. Is it any good?
In fact, the taste and texture of Beefalo is often regarded as being recognizably more appealing than conventional beef. Need proof? Consider that cuts of Beefalo have earned the Best Steak Award by the American Royal Steak Competition for several years running.
Further, Beefalo milk is very rich and creamy. It is ideal for drinking and also for making ice cream.
On average, the cost of raising Beefalo is 40% less than that of raising a conventional beef animal.
Typically, Beefalo are pasture fed, not grain fed. Like other grass-fed animals, this diet helps produce a leaner, tastier meat.
According to the Successful Farming article “Raising Beefalo”, the animals are easy to keep. Because of their buffalo DNA, Beefalo don’t require barns or man-made shelters during the winter, even during harsh winters. At most, they require a tree line to escape the wind.
Beefalo get big fast. An animal is usually ready for market in 18-24 months. By contrast, a cow isn’t ready for market until it is two to three years old.
Beefalo heifers sold for breeding command a price of around $1,300 each. Their cow counterparts bring in anywhere from $850 to $1,500 on average.
Beefalo is not a well-known breed on a global scale. As such, a jerky market has yet to develop. But that could change. The Beefalo industry on the whole is growing.
At BULK we listen to our customers. We are always looking for ways to meet your cravings.
In the matter of less than 20 years, BULK has become a national leader in the Beef Jerky and healthy meat snack industry. We also offer delicious Buffalo Jerky that comes from grass-fed, wild pasture raised animals. It has an amazing flavor and texture.
If the Beefalo movement continues to grow at its current rate, then it would only be prudent to explore offering a Beefalo jerky.
We’ll continue to watch the market and listen to your feedback on what products you want to see BULK offer next.
]]>Ribs are another main dish that are best smoked. Quite frankly, ribs just don’t taste the same without smoking them. And when we say smoking the meat, we mean properly smoked.
Food processing companies are equipped with large-scale smokehouses to cure high volumes of meat. As noted by New Braunfels Smokehouse in Texas, the person with ultimate control over how the meat is smoked is called the “Smoke Master.”
The term Smoke Master should not be confused with the title “Pitmaster”, which is a term for a different specialist. As documented in the article “What Should We Call the Barbeque Greats?” in Texas Monthly, Pitmaster refers to a master BBQ chef. Those who complete specialized classes can call themselves a “Certified Pitmaster.”
The two types of smokehouses typically used by meat processing companies are batch smokehouses and continuous smokehouses. In both cases, the systems circulate air at a specific temperature, humidity, and smoke density to influence the flavor of the meat while curing it.
In the case of batch smokehouses, workers place meat on stationary racks where it will remain for the entirely of the smoking procedure. Per ScienceDirect, in the case of continuous smokehouses, workers hang the meat on hangers or sticks which are then conveyed through the various smoking, heating, and chilling zones within the smokehouse.
In the case of these large processors, most batch meat processing ovens smoke meat via dry-sensor temperatures of 100 °C or less. As such, the meat-processing ovens are rated for a maximum temperature of approximately 110 °C.
According to the EPA, the most common way used to generate smoke for these large-scale ovens is through the use of a smoke generator fueled by pyrolyze hardwood chips or sawdust. The timbre of the smoke can be influenced by the species and age of the wood.
In a process called natural smoke, after the smoke is created, it is ducted via a smoke tube into the air recirculation system of the smokehouse. This is the most traditional way of adding smoke.
There is also a process for adding smoke flavor to meat that is called liquid smoke. The common way to administer liquid smoke is by introducing this concentrated smoke into the smokehouse air recirculation system via a fine aerosol.
With liquid smoke, alternatively the concentrated smoke can be injected into the meat. Liquid smoke can also be applied by dipping the meat in the smoke concentrate. Liquid smoke is also known as artificial smoke.
When compared to natural smoke, liquid smoke is far more economical. It dramatically decreases processing time. Additionally, it increases microbiological safety by reducing the possibility of contamination from toxic compounds. Such compounds include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
All in all, administering liquid smoke rather than going through a natural smoking process has the advantage of having a low carbon footprint as that it emits less pollution to the environment when compared to traditional smoking.
Ever since craft brewing took off, there have been many similar DIY craft hobbies to pop up. It should come as no surprise that there are numerous meat enthusiasts who have embraced the art of smoking beef, pork, poultry, cheeses, and even vegetables at home.
But where do these little guys fit into the puzzle? How does a regular joe go about properly smoking meat? These question might pertain to you if you’re interested in venturing down this road yourself.
Not surprisingly there are a lot of ways not to smoke meat at home. As outlined in the New Yorker article “Smoking is for Everyone” by Helen Rosner, there are many makeshift ways to smoke meats at home. These include trying a low-and-slow heating process in the oven, wrapping the meat in tin foil and placing it next to wood chips in an outdoor grill, or boiling the meat in water on the stove followed by broiling it in the oven to finish the process.
Each of these alternative means of smoking has their plusses. But, as Rosner points out in the New Yorker piece, they all ultimately come up short. A standard oven simply isn’t capable of the airflow needed to properly smoke meat. The “wood chips in the grill” method doesn’t allow enough smoke control to be effective.
So, what’s the solution? There must be a way to properly smoke meat at home, right?
It is possible to properly smoke meats at home. But it involves an investment, however not necessarily a big one. For a few hundred dollars you can go from amateur to semi-pro.
If you want your meat to taste as good as the big smokehouses produce, or perhaps even better, you need to invest in a proper smoker.
There are several types of home smoker units. They come in different sizes and feature different heating elements. Often described as “backyard smokers”, these devices include electric smokers, charcoal smokers, wood smokers, and propane smokers.
Propane cabinet smokers are a very simple-to-operate solution for smoking meat at home. Respected food writer Meathead Goldwyn explains in his book “Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling,” most barbeque competitions don’t allow propane cabinet smokers because they make the process too easy.
However, Goldwyn, who was elected to the Barbeque Hall of Fame in 2021, proclaim that he loves propane smokers. Once you have hooked up the propane and thrown in a few handfuls of hardwood chips, all you have to do is light the burner and you’re ready to smoke.
While some hobbyists soak the woodchips in water first to produce a higher volume of smoke, Goldwyn does not advise soaking the wood as that dry wood produces a better quality of smoke. It’s a matter of quality over quantity.
From the perspective of most dilettantes, the simplicity of operation and premium quality taste of propane cabinet smokers is actually a big selling point. There’s nothing wrong with making the process easy if it gets the same, or even better, results.
Propane smokers are not the cheapest option, but with the benefits of consistently delicious results and ease of operation, the cost is relatively modest. You can pick up a good quality propane smoker for $200 to $400.
Electric smokers are generally the least expensive, ranging from $40 to $100. Although easy to use, electric smokers don’t always get the best reviews for flavor.
Wood smokers are credited with having the potential to provide the best flavor, although they require the most attention and it’s easier to make mistakes. If you are smoking a sizable slab of meat, such errors could be costly.
Wood smokers and charcoal smokers typically run from $200 to $600. Of course, there are more expensive models in all varieties of home smokers. High end smokers can go for as much as $6,000 or more. Brand names that stand out in the industry include Weber, Big Green Egg, Masterbuilt, Camp Cher, Broil King, Char-Broil, and Traeger.
If you are considering joining the growing ranks of home meat smoking enthusiasts, more likely than not you are a fan of the divine flavor of all sorts of smoked meats.
BULK offers a line of delicious wood smoked meat sticks. Their melt-in-your-mouth flavor is enough to thrill any smoked meat enthusiast. We offer smoked meat sticks in Original Beef, Original Pork, Jalapeno Pork, and Cheese & Jalapeno Beef.
BULK also offers certain Game Sticks that add a whole new dimension to the deliciousness of smoked meat snacks. Our Elk Sticks, Venison Sticks, and Buffalo Sticks are locally smoked in the heart of Missouri for an absolutely amazing flavor experience.
]]>Some people will celebrate National Beef Month with glorious steaks served with their favorite garnishments and sides. Others take a more laid-back approach to paying tribute to beef by firing up the grill for some tasty burgers. BULK celebrates national beef month every month! We test each batch of jerky to make sure it meets our exacting standards.
]]>Many people celebrate their graduation in May. No matter whether it’s a high school graduation or a collegiate one, it marks the start of a new chapter of life.
For those carnivores around the country who love all the various flavors of BULK beef jerky, there’s another reason to celebrate: May is National Beef Month!
According to the Montana Beef Council, the United States is the world’s largest producer of beef. Further, the U.S. is also the largest consumer of beef products.
While you automatically will think of things like beef jerky and ribeye steaks as products of the beef industry, remember that foods that contain gelatin such as ice cream, gummy bears, and marshmallows are part of the industry as well. Gelatin is made from hides, boiled and crushed bones, and connective tissue from cattle and pigs.
Some states take National Beef Month more seriously than others. North Dakota governor Doug Burgum took the extra step of making a formal dedication of the month to the beef industry with an official proclamation.
Cattle farming is a long-held tradition in different states throughout the country. In fact, according to the Flying Pig Cattle Co., 35% of American farms identify themselves as a cattle operation. Those numbers make the beef industry the largest single segment of the agriculture industry.
When you think of raising cattle over the span of years, you might think of the cowboys tending the herds in the fields. After learning to make jerky from Native Americans, cowboys popularized the food as a convenient staple to travel with on cattle drives. It’s high in protein and has a long shelf life.
Over the years, jerky has evolved, and is now more popular than ever.
Today, BULK is recognized as one of the premier beef jerky companies in the country. We test each batch of jerky to make sure it meets our exacting standards. In fact, if you don’t love BULK beef jerky for any reason, we will issue you a refund and send you a return shipping label. That’s our commitment to you.
There’s no wrong way to celebrate National Beef Month (outside of stealing the meat you hope to consume).
Some people will celebrate National Beef Month with glorious steaks served with their favorite garnishments and sides. Others take a more laid-back approach to paying tribute to beef by firing up the grill for some tasty burgers.
Thanks to the availability of amazing flavors like All Natural Teriyaki Brisket Jerky, Devil’s Kiss Classic Beef Jerky, Mango Habanero California Brisket Jerky, and Autumn Rub Brittle Beef Jerky, Bulk has all the temptations you’ll need to make beef jerky a part of your ongoing celebration of National Beef Month.
Then again, if cooking on the barbeque is the way you want to pay tribute to the benefits of beef, make sure you add just the right seasoning for maximum enjoyment. BULK has five tantalizing BBQ Rubs that will flavor your beef to perfection. You can’t go wrong. We even have one rub specifically for non-beef eating seafood enthusiasts.
BULK is committed to providing the best beef jerky at the best prices. We’ll keep fueling your gas tank throughout National Beef Month with all your favorite beef jerky snacks.
]]>The term “superfood” originated with The United Food Company in the early part of the 20th century. The word was invented by their advertising department as a part of a strategy to market bananas as a daily source of nutrition.
Bananas, as it happens, are packed with vitamin C and vitamin B6. These vitamins are crucial to immune health and metabolism. Further, bananas are a good source of manganese, which is an essential mineral that helps in the formation of bones and connective tissue. Manganese also is involved in blood sugar regulation, calcium absorption, and the metabolism of fat and carbohydrates.
So, in truth, bananas really do meet the definition of “superfood.”
NUTRITIONAL DENSITY
Since its invention by The United Food Company, the term superfood has grown and evolved to refer to a family of foods that have an extremely high nutritional density. This means that they provide maximum nutritional value with a minimum of calories. Typically, these foods are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
You’ve probably heard the term antioxidant before, but what does it mean? Antioxidants are molecules that help neutralize free radicals in the body.
Free radicals are byproducts of the process the body goes through to produce energy. They are linked to such health conditions as heart disease, stroke, cancer, respiratory diseases, Parkinson’s disease, immune deficiency, emphysema, and arthritis. However, antioxidants can decrease and sometimes even reverse the effects of these free radicals.
Antioxidants occur naturally in certain foods. Examples of foods that are high in antioxidants include: dark chocolate, strawberries, blueberries, kale, beets, and spinach.
When it comes to superfoods that you may want to add to your regular diet, certain nuts lead the way
FIT FOR A KING
Almonds are often referred to as “The King of Superfoods.” Described as a particularly nutritionally dense food, almonds are packed full of magnesium, iron, vitamin E, and healthy fiber. In fact, a single serving of almonds contains 37% of the daily recommended dosage of vitamin E. Vitamin E can contribute to lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s.
In addition, when it comes to all nuts, almonds are the ones richest in calcium. One serving of almonds contains a whopping 23 mg. of calcium. They are also brimming with protein – making them an appealing option for anyone who doesn’t eat meat.
Walnuts are another healthy superfood. In particular, walnuts are recognized for their high content of omega-3 fatty acids. This includes the essential fatty acid linolenic acid, which the human body cannot produce itself and therefore must be acquired through a healthy diet.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Walnuts also are high in lecithin. This nutrient is converted into the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is linked to increasing brain performance and concentration. Important micronutrients including iron, zinc, magnesium, and potassium are also in abundance.
Cashews have one of the lowest fat contents of any nut. This translates into them being lower in calories than other nuts. While being low in unhealthy fat, cashews are also high in healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats which are important for lowering cholesterol and overall heart health.
In addition, cashews are rich in iron, phosphorus, and magnesium. These minerals aid in maintaining muscles, nerves, bones, and teeth. These tasty nuts are also plentiful in vitamin B, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Combined, these vitamins play a part in strong bones and healthy nervous and immune systems.
One more fun fact about cashews is that they can cheer you up. Cashews contain the amino acid L-tryptophan which is converted into serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is nicknamed “the happiness hormone.”
LET’S GET CRACKING
Pistachios are a relatively recent addition to the generally accepted list of superfoods. According to a study by Loma Linda University, a diet that includes pistachios on a regular basis can enhance brainwave frequencies associated with learning, memory, recall, and other key brain functions.
Pistachios are naturally cholesterol-free, and high in both fiber and protein. Pistachios can significantly reduce levels of LDL cholesterol and thus lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Also good to know is that a one-ounce serving of pistachios has as much potassium as a banana.
Peanuts are one of the most popular nuts. Peanuts and peanut butter account for 67% of all nuts that are consumed in the U.S.
According to the Peanut Institute, peanuts have joined the ranks of superfoods because they play a part in preventing disease and improving life expectancy – packing a significant punch from only a small serving. For example, one serving of 35 peanuts has six times as much protein and eight times as much niacin as one serving of raw kale.
PEANUT POWER
In total peanuts are filled with 19 important vitamins and minerals including vitamin E, vitamin B6, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, niacin, copper, and biotin. Studies have found that peanuts are linked to reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. The health benefits of peanuts can also be achieved by ingesting peanut butter or peanut flour.
Superfood may have started off as a made-up word to sell bananas, but it has come to have significant meaning referring to foods with great health benefits at a low-calorie load. Leading the way of the way as some of the most impactful superfoods are nuts.
At BULK we are dedicating to providing superior products at fair, affordable prices. We use only the best ingredients to offer healthy and delicious snack food delights.
]]>If you have never bought meat online, you might be skeptical of the whole process. Of course, you want to make sure that the jerky you buy is safe for you and your family to consume while also being delicious and fresh. For this reason, we’re here to provide you with the top reasons why you should buy your jerky online rather than from a retail store, and give you some tips for buying beef jerky online.
When you buy beef jerky from a reputable website, you get more value for money, along with some other benefits. If you are confused about buying jerky online, perhaps these reasons will persuade you:
The fact is- it can be much more expensive to buy jerky from a grocery store. The supply chain is large, and multiple parties are involved in the making of jerky up until it reaches the grocery store. This means that the jerky you get from the store is not just expensive, but will also likely not be that fresh either.
On the other hand, when you buy jerky directly from a seller online, there are no middlemen involved. Hence, the jerky also gets to you as soon as it’s prepared. Moreover, you are also saving the time it takes you to get to the store.
Not only is buying jerky online easier, cheaper, and less time-consuming, it is also quite convenient. With a click of a button, you can order your favorite jerky. It only takes a matter of a few seconds. When you buy jerky from an offline store, you have to go out of the house and drive to the store. This takes a lot of effort in today's world. However, if you buy your jerky online, you just sit back, relax and simply enter your details on the website, and you are done.
When you go to a store to buy your jerky, you will likely not receive that many options. However, online, you can find a plethora of choices of flavors and types of jerky. Moreover, they all come at different price ranges as well. Hence, depending on your affordability and flavor preferences, you can find exactly what you want. Not to mention the fact that if you buy them from a reputable website, you can find jerky at a high quality and freshness level. All in all, you will truly be spoiled for choice!
Most of the online jerky stores source their meats from farms in the United States. They guarantee high quality and taste, which is hard to find from offline stores. Hence, from the right seller, you get uncompromised, superior quality, and fresh jerky.
The main reason why online shopping is popular is that it is comfortable. With a few clicks, you can order your favorite jerky and get it delivered to your doorstep. Now you won't need to drive to the local store, compromise on quality, or carry heavy bags of jerky around. It can all reach your house in no time.
Online jerky shopping can be tricky, which is why it is important that you keep the following tips in mind when browsing through your options:
When you are online shopping, you need to be sure that you are ordering from a reputable brand and not wasting your money. Hence, you should thoroughly check customer reviews on their website to see what others are saying. You can also rely on word-of-mouth reviews to find the best online brand.
If you are wondering what the packaging process and delivery time are for jerky from a specific online store, or looking for a specific jerky texture or flavor, you can always get in touch with the online support staff on their website guidance.
Most reputable and trustworthy online jerky stores offer return policies if you are not satisfied. You can also browse your options based on your budget, whether you want to make individual or bulk orders. Before you order, make sure you check all of this out.
As you can tell, there are so many reasons why buying jerky online is a good idea. You get so many choices and convenience all in one place. We understand how confusing it can get to browse through online jerky stores, which is why we recommend you get your jerky from BULK. They use freshly sourced meat to create high-quality and flavorful jerky for the ultimate experience!
]]>While deer meat is popularly used for stews and steaks, it’s actually really tasty if you make wild jerky with it. And when you use freshly caught meat to make it, well, it just takes it to the next level. Not just that, but deer jerky is also considered the ultimate road food and is perfect for on the go or at your camping adventures.
This article will walk you through the top methods and marinades to make the best deer jerky for your family.
It takes hard work to hunt a whole deer and cut it and make jerky from it. However, when you bite into the chewy and flavorful meat, the effort is worthwhile. If this is your first time catching a deer, you should know about the different parts of its body that hold the most flavors and meat and what to do with them.
For example, the front shoulders provide meat that can be grounded and used for meatballs, sausages, or burger patties. You can even make use of the neck and ribs and roast them on a rack. The best areas to use for making jerky, however, are the following:
Bottom Round: This part of the deer is extremely flavorful and fatty, making it the perfect part to use for jerky.
Top Round: You can use this flavorful meat to make jerky and steaks.
Eye of Round: If you are looking to make the most flavorful and chewy jerky, then you should use this part of the deer.
Sirloin: Though normally used to make steaks, you can also use this lean meat to make flavorful jerky.
There are three main ways to make deer jerky, and we will teach you how to achieve the perfect flavors and chewy texture with all three of them.
This has to be one of the easiest and quickest ways to cook venison jerky. All you need to do is add your desired marinade to the meat and leave it for a couple of hours, or preferably overnight. Then, place the strips of meat in a baking tray and let it cook for six to eight hours. Preheat the oven and cook the meat for ten minutes on 300F and then drop the temperature down to 160F for the remaining hours.
This is another quick and super simple way to make jerky, but it requires a dehydrator. If you are looking to make extremely chewy jerky that you can carry with you on the go, then this is the perfect method for you. You can marinade your jerky and leave it overnight in a zip lock bag. Then, lay down your meat slices and dehydrate them in the machine for a couple of hours. Your dehydrator will likely give you instructions on how long to keep it for.
Compared to the two methods, this one requires a slight bit more technique. This method infuses the smoke inside the meat while enhancing the flavors of the marinade you use.
To smoke your venison jerky, you will first need to trim off the fat from the meat. Then marinade it overnight and store it in the smoker while lightly oiling the racks. You will likely need to smoke it at a temperature between 160F to 200F for a couple of hours until your jerky dries up.
Now that you have chosen your preferred cooking method, you can use any of the following marinades. Mix the ingredients in a zip lock bag and add the venison strips to it. Refrigerate the zip lock bag to let the meat soak in the marinade.
Chipotle Marinade
For a bit more spicy and flavorful venison, you can follow this recipe. You will need these ingredients:
Bourbon Deer Jerky Marinade
This is a unique marinade that will bring out the flavors of the meat and give you a kick of bourbon at the same time. You will need the following ingredients:
Some of the best cuts of beef are expensive for a reason–they’re sourced from the animal’s smaller, less active, and therefore most tender, muscles. Less expensive beef cuts usually come from the cow’s more frequently engaged muscles, and have a reputation for being tougher (read: great news for those looking to make or buy beef jerky). Fortunately, nearly every cut of beef, when prepared properly, can be the star of your barbecue.
When you’re feeding a larger group, however, or are just trying to grill on a budget, there are several beef cuts that provide plenty of flavor and mouthwatering texture without breaking the bank.
Derived from the fifth rib of the cow, chuck eye steaks are cut from meat between the chuck and ribeye, hence the seemingly familiar name. This cut is often referred to as the “poor man’s ribeye,” as a typical ribeye cut includes the meat from ribs six to twelve, but chuck eye steaks are a fraction of the price with all the flavor and tenderness of their more expensive neighboring cuts.
Chuck eye steaks are best prepared on the grill or pan seared. You won’t find chuck eye steaks used for meaty snacks like beef jerky sticks, as their tenderness and fat content are best suited for plated meals.
This cut is also known as the “seven bone steak” and is a close cousin to the pricier ribeye cut. Chuck steaks come from the cow’s shoulder, so they’re a little tougher and come with a few bones to eat around, but the flavor is superb–comparable to ribeye.
You’ve likely already had plenty of meals derived from chuck cuts, as much of the ground beef on supermarket shelves comes from chuck trimmings. Chuck steaks are leaner cuts, which can end up tougher and therefore a great option for wild beef jerky, so proper grilling is key to the perfect texture. These cuts are great in stews, grilled, braised, and thrown into the slow cooker.
This cut comes from the top of the shoulder, and is pulled from the animal as two separate muscles that are connected by a single section of solid gristle. Many butchers cut the gristle away and wrap flat iron cuts as two separate pieces. Flat iron steaks have been compared to the more expensive flank steaks, and are known to be very, very tender, well-marbled, and are perfect for the grill.
This versatile steak would make a great fajita meat, and can also be prepared in a pan, grilled, or broiled. Because this cut is already so tender, you won’t buy beef jerky made from flat iron cuts and you won’t even need to tenderize or marinate it prior to cooking.
If you like filet-mignon, this cut is for you. The teres major cut, also called a petit tender or faux filet cut, comes from the cow’s shoulder and is sold as an eight-inch strip of quality beef. It’s lean, tender and has a mild and pleasant flavor. Because it’s from a smaller part of the cow, it may not be on display at your local butcher’s shop, but you could be a single request away from enjoying this fine cut of beef.
Teres major resembles a pork tenderloin in shape, so it is a great option for kabobs or grilled medallions. These can be seared, roasted, or grilled, and, with the right recipe, your guests may even confuse these tasty cuts with pricier alternatives.
Perfect for slow-cooking, beef shank cuts come from the upper leg portion of the animal. Beef shanks are cross-cut, and are bound to be popular amongst the short rib lovers in your family.
Many would describe these cuts as very beefy in flavor, and they do best when braised or barbecue-braised. Unless you’re trying to mimic the texture of wild beef jerky, slow-cooking in a moist environment is the best way to avoid chewy, dry meat and bring out the flavor of this cut.
Merlot cuts come from the heel of the cow, right above the shank and just below the bottom round. Merlot cuts have been compared to flank steaks in shape, size, and thickness, but these cuts are far less grainy and are typically more tender than their more expensive counterparts.
Merlot cuts can be prepared with many of the same methods as flank steaks, but perform best on high heat and cooked to medium-rare or medium doneness. No beef jerky sticks here: this cut barely requires any tenderization prior to cooking.
To produce the best-tasting jerky, you need to start with the best ingredients. Lean cuts of beef and top-quality spices come together to create this low-carb, keto-friendly treat. The meat is sliced into thin strips, which are then marinated in a mixture of sugar, salt and spices to give each variety of jerky its special character. The meat is then dried or smoked to concentrate the flavor. Jerky can be made from whole cuts of beef, such as brisket beef jerky, or from ground beef, as in kippered beef jerky.
The cut of meat and the way it is handled affect the toughness of the jerky. Meat is muscle, and muscle fibers run the length of a cut of meat, forming what is known as grain. When you slice the meat against the grain, it makes it more tender, while slicing with the grain makes the jerky tougher.
Some people like their jerky tender and others like to give their mouth a workout, so our beef jerky company lets you choose your own level of toughness, from Super Soft to Rip 'n Chew. Choose your level of heat, too, with varieties ranging from the mild and sweet flavor of Honey BBQ to the extremely spicy, "smoke coming out of your ears" Devil's Kiss.
The most popular cuts of beef for making jerky come from the beef round. This is a large bundle of muscles at the top of the hind leg. Round makes excellent jerky because it is lean, long and economical. Leanness is important because too much fat in the meat can make the jerky fall apart instead of hold together in a strip. Round has very little interior fat — also called marbling — so it is a good choice for jerky. Also, the round is a large cut of meat and that makes it easier to slice thinly, which is important in the jerky-making process. Finally, meat from this section of the cow is less expensive than some other parts.
There are four cuts in the round, and each has its advantages for making top-quality jerky:
Although round is more popular for jerky, brisket makes for some very tasty products, too. The brisket is located in the chest area of the cow below the chuck and above the shank. Brisket is a very fatty cut of meat with a lot of interior marbling, so it needs special handling. You should remove all of the exterior fat from the brisket before slicing it. The interior fat makes for a very tender, easy-to-chew jerky that is full of flavor.
You can use ground beef to make jerky, too. Ground meat is used for kippered beef jerky, which is made with a jerky gun, a piece of equipment that compresses and extrudes the meat and spice mixture into flat, uniform pieces, which are then smoked to give them that special jerky flavor. Jerky made from ground beef is easier to chew than the strips cut from larger pieces of meat.
Whether you choose one of the lean and spicy varieties made with round, a tender and tasty brisket beef jerky or a kippered jerky made from ground beef, you can count on Bulk Beef Jerky for a delicious experience. Choose from seven different flavors made from cuts of round or one of three from brisket. Can't make up your mind? Try a sample pack of all of Bulk Beef Jerky's delectable offerings and find out which is your favorite.
Hey! Petey G here...
Have you seen what our 3 lb Classics look like? Well now you Have!
Classics are naturally smoked, chunk size pieces that make for a Rip N' Chew style. This beef jerky was the foundation for building B.U.L.K Beef Jerky.
Hopefully when you are ready this we still have them in stock.. they go quickly!
]]>America has a big issue with obesity which is also why gyms and weight loss programs, pills, etc. are incredibly successful. We are all looking for ways to loose weight as fast as possible with the least amount of energy but, that's just not how it works. There is one thing you can do today to loose weight faster than any plan you could sign up for.
Eating has the biggest impact on weight loss even more than exercise. I know so many people who do not change their eating habits and run miles every day and don't loose one single pound. On the other hand, there are people who eat very well and loose consistently even without exercise.
Eating healthy and focusing on lean meats ( like chicken, fish or B.U.L.K. beef jerky), fruits and vegetables and less carbs will lead to success. The more "real" foods and less snacks and sweets you eat the better off you will be. You will see the weight drop when you focus on what you are putting in your body.
Less calories you put into your body, the more weight you loose. This can be done through burning calories in exercise but, then they can't be packed on through foods. That is why food is so easy to change and, starving yourself will not help you or be beneficial to keeping the weight off long term.
Controlling your portions without over indulging in every meal but, just eating until satisfied, not full will make a big difference. Taking a moment in between eating and slowing down is a way to let your food settle rather than shoveling until full.
Taking control of your eating will make a big difference in your weight loss journey and is an easy thing you can change today. It doesn't take any extra time out of your day it's just making better choices during your meal times.
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I grew up camping very often. Mainly so that we could explore a lot of different places like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, without having to spend very much money. This was a way for us to go on many vacations without breaking the bank.
Now that I have my own family, we try to do some of the same things. Having 3 boys they love being outside and camping is a great way to do that, and can make the perfect vacation whether you go with friends or family.
This is one of the main reasons camping is so amazing. You can hop in your car and go anywhere you want, find a camp ground and enjoy the sites. All you need is a tent and a sleeping bag and your set. You can still do sightseeing the same and have a cheap place to sleep. You can drive as far as you want and, stay as long as you want and barely break the bank.
S'mores are one of the super fun foods to make over a camp fire. There is no experience like it! Food is just better over the fire. Everything from hotdogs to foil pack dinners. Bringing easy, portable food is really the best idea for camping. We bring easy things like : cheese sticks, pretzels, cookies, nuts and B.U.L.K. Beef Jerky. No stove or microwave is needed.
There is nothing like being in the outdoors and one with nature. You see the world through a different set of eyes and appreciate the beauty around you like never before. All the greenery and seeing nature and all the animals is simply amazing and, unless you live in the middle of no where is not something that is experienced for most in the day to day routine. There is a feeling of "unplugging" and, just enjoying life.
Camping is such an amazing experience. It is so easy to do without much planning ahead of time and, can be the perfect vacation for you alone, with friends or family. I hope you will venture out, explore and try it this year!
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Protein is an important part of our diets and helps our bodies in a variety of areas. Jerky contains a high amount of protein. One ounce contains 9 grams of protein. The amazing thing about beef jerky is that it does not raise your level of insulin (connected with storing fat in your body), like many other foods so, you can leave the guilt behind when snacking on this food.
Jerky is definitely a energy boosting snack that will give you a "pick me up" when your dragging during the day. Many people look to sweets or energy drinks to give them energy but, this is a great, healthy alternative that won't give your body a "energy crash" in a few hours. Beef Jerky is low carbs, low fat and is a great mid day snack when you are feeling like your on low.
Eating more jerky is definitely connected to loosing weight. Mainly because, it keeps you full for longer so you eat less unhealthy, snack like foods. Also, jerky is a low calorie snack so you will not be packing on the pounds from eating a handful of it. Any high protein snacks are great for weight loss and jerky is definitely at the top of that list.
These are just a few of the health benefits associated with eating more beef jerky. So check out B.U.L.K. Beef Jerky today and stock up on this amazing snack!
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