Billy Franks beef jerky is made right here in London. Clerkenwell to be exact (although the Scottish beef commutes from farther afield). Born from the brain of Will Yates, a web-designer by day and ambitious home cook by night, Billy Franks is a small-batch, hand cut, premium beef jerky streets ahead of the competition. So much so that Will was recently asked to produce some extra-special jerky, from 40 day dry-aged Cornish Galloway beef, for the celebrated Cornish Grill roast dinner pop-up restaurant at Farringdon’s Redhook. Get your boots on, we’re off to see a man about a dog and get stuck into London’s pub snack revival.
Pub snacks at the Cornish Grill featuring Billy Franks beef jerky.
Billy Franks beef jerky comes in three flavours: Texan BBQ, Teriyaki and ‘Holy F–k’, which is made from The Rib Man‘s request only extra hot sauce. “That’s the addictive one”, chef Carl Clarke (The English Launderette, Rock Lobsta) warns me. He’s not wrong. This lethal jerky will make masochists of us all.
“I alway use the blade of beef. Mostly feather blade, sometimes the roll blade. I’ve tried rump joint, topside, brisket and many more but I keep coming back to blade. It’s harder to butcher and remove the tendons and hard fat content but I’ve found it’s best for flavour and texture”.
- Will Yates, creator of Billy Franks beef jerky
I started with the Texan BBQ flavour. The meat has a pleasingly authentic sweet, smoky smell and is slightly fiery on the tongue but the spiciness dies down quickly, giving way to a maple syrup finish. Cumin leads the barbecue flavours, followed up by a paprika punch and a lemony zing. One of the great things about Will’s jerky is that it’s juicier than its supermarket counterparts. The meat strips are vacuum packed, which means that they don’t have to carry a desiccant like silica gel to keep them dry (or to over-dry them as is often the case), resulting in a wonderful meaty chew and a ‘fresh’ taste.
Now recall the best Chinese spare ribs you’ve tasted. That’s where I am with the Teriyaki flavour. Brown sugar sweetness, saltiness from the soy sauce and spiciness from the ginger all share equal billing, with egos kept in check by a smack of lime juice and a pinch of black pepper.
Wisely enough I left the ‘Holy F–k’ flavour for last. This is one naughty creation. As soon as I opened the bag I could feel the contents goading me into its fiery depths. This jerky commands some serious respect. Scotch bonnet and naga jolokia chilli seeds are clearly visible on the prime beef cuts, which have been spread liberally with a blend of The Rib Man‘s signature sauce and Will’s house marinade. Ever the doting friend, I shared my bag with Jenny Cromey-Hawke, fresh food and deli manager at Fortnum & Mason.
“This ‘Holy F–k’ jerky has bite! It’s really hot, but at the heart of it there is a genuine ‘beefy’ flavour. In terms of beefiness, biltong doesn’t come close to Billy Franks jerky.”
- Jenny Cromey-Hawke
Billy Franks beef jerky is available in 40g packs priced at £2.99. Get yours here.
Cheers guys!
And in the words of Billy Ray Valentine:
“Beef jerky time…. You want some beef jerky? There’s plenty, you know!”
Oh boy oh boy, this is a real man’s snack! Although I fear the ‘Holy F–k’ style-Scotch bonnet and naga jolokia chilli seeds? Erm, me thinks not- I took on a naga jolokia once before, and it left me with my head under a tap, tears streaking from my eyes.
Bilton and jerky are so similar but have subtle differences, and the promise of a sweeter, chunkier snack from Billy Frank’s jerky simply has to be tried. Will be placing my order shortly, and getting the verdict from my South African (and therefore biltong-worshipping) colleague on his thoughts. Will report back the verdict soon!
Do it mate! Get all three flavours – you won’t be disappointed!
Richard – I’d love to hear yours & your SA friends thoughts!
Look out for monthly specials including Venison coming very soon!
Cheers,
Billy
All 3 versions of jerky are on their way to our office, we shall report back with taste testing results soon!
Okay, so the jerky arrived in the post and despite ruining my cup of coffee I couldn’t resist tearing the packets open and tucking in!
My SA colleague’s thoughts are as follows:
- BBQ: not salty enough compared to biltong, but still enjoyable
- Teriyaki: very tasty, nice chunks, a lot moister than biltong, which he was undecided about
- Holy F*ck!: nice heat to it, again, good chunky pieces, nice and chewy
My thoughts:
- BBQ: very dry and chewy, but lovely flavour, especially from the cumin
- Teriyaki: absolutely delicious, I’ve found my snacking achilles heel! Big, juicy pieces with a fantastic flavour, I’ve eaten these in under 5 minutes…. need more!
- Holy F*ck!: addictively moreish in a masochistic kind of way! Not the level of heat to make them unedible, but just right to leave your chops tingling and wanting to try some more!
Top effort Billy, I look forward to the venison special and trying these with a pint!
Great stuff Rich!
Thanks for all the feedback – always helps!
Testing Bambi for teh 1st time tonight – so fingers crossed (and licked) it will be online very soon!
Peace, Billy
Gonna bring some to Burritos Bros tomorrow Will?
Swapsies!