Gary West Meats: Steak Strip

In 1966, Gary West decided to open a retail butcher shop where people could buy different cuts of meat or bring an animal to be butchered a la minute.

Rather than the usual flat jerky, Gary West Meats hand cuts their strips into cube-like sizes, giving the beef a moist, slightly toothsome texture.

As the crew from Gary West Meats says, “jerky love transcends all age barriers.”

Gary West Meats even ships their jerky to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Soldiers love ‘em some jerky!

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The Gary West Story

Gary West Meats is a family business located in the Applegate Valley of Southern Oregon. The West family moved to the Valley in the late 1800s, bringing with them the family meat recipes which are still used today. It was Gary’s grandfather Fred who decided to resurrect and teach Gary the family recipes, who in turn opened a butcher shop in 1966. It was only when Gary Jr. won the DECA National High School Competition for an adapted jerky recipe and business model that the company began to focus on smoked meats. From the Oregon Trail to a mom-and-pop shop to the company we know today, Gary West Meats has and will continue to make some of the best jerky around.

How Gary West Jerky is Made

The process of making jerky is extensive. Each strip of meat is placed by hand onto screens before heading to the smokehouse. Top rounds are hand cut into strips which then macerate in spices and natural juices. Strips are placed onto curing racks and into the smokehouse where hickory infuses the meat with a robust aroma and flavor. Perhaps it’s because the beef is cut against the grain, making the strips tender rather than leathery. Or maybe it’s because everything—from cutting to sorting to packaging—is done by hand. Whatever it is, these meaty morsels are a must-have.

What We Love

Jerky Sampler Gift Box

Gary West Meats

Creative: Gary West Meats uses a whole muscle cut of meat so that the jerky is “cube-like” rather than the typical sheet style.

Local: The company works hard to source meat locally from a co-op of North West ranchers.

Texture: We love that this jerky is perfectly soft, moist, and not overly tough.

By the Numbers

Jerky Sampler Gift Box

Gary West Meats

4: Number of hours the meat stays in the smokehouse.

2: Number of days it takes to make the jerky from start to finish.

15: Pound slabs of top round are hand-trimmed and cut into strips to make the jerky.

Did You Know?

Jerky Sampler Gift Box

Gary West Meats

Smoking has been a form of food preservation used throughout the ages. Before the invention of the refrigerator, people used to preserve food through smoking, salting, jamming, or pickling.

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