Lea este artículo en español aquí.
BR Beef, already known for its many varieties of beef jerky, has added four seasoned beef sticks to its offerings, which can be found at the weekly Hollister Farmer’s Market. Working out of a refrigerated truck, marketing partner Julianna “Juli” Figone carries almost all BR Beef products, from steaks and roasts to ground beef and stew meat.
Though its packaging says “Gilroy,” all the cows used in BR Beef’s products start life at the Bianchi Ranch in the rocky hills outside Pinnacles National Park. Once the calves are weaned, they are brought to the grassy hills outside of Gilroy, where they are grass-fed and grain-finished.
This is BR’s third year at the Farmers’ Market. Founded in 2021, Figone said that the market has helped the business to grow exponentially.
“It’s always exciting to meet all the new faces out here,” she said. “And this year has been a pretty good one for us. The Downtown Business Association has been doing a lot to improve the market, and we’ve definitely seen a lot of improvements.”
Though she lives in Gilroy, Figone spent her youth in Hollister, where she was an All-Star for two years in the San Benito County 4-H and showed at the County Fair. She said that she enjoys reconnecting with the community and providing her former home with a quality product.
“The cows never leave our care except for harvest time,” she said. “Our butcher is USDA certified, and there is an inspector on site every step of the way. Our animals are treated right and the meat is treated safely as well. I have faith that our customers are getting a product they will like.”
Hollister is only one of the BR Beef’s markets. The company makes seven-day-a-week appearances at markets in Alameda, Fremont and throughout the San Jose area.
“I think there’s a huge push right now and demand for local businesses,” Figone said. “So I think having a certified Farmers’ Market, along with all the food trucks and other kinds of booths, allows community members to support some of the smaller businesses out there.”
Figone said that BR Beef has been evolving to meet customer demand. Their beef jerky, the subject of an Eat, Drink, Savor article last year, is now made by It’s Jerky, a company out of Redding that specializes in minimally processed products with no artificial ingredients or additives.
BR Beef’s newest product is also made by It’s Jerky: four varieties of beef sticks, which Figone described as “walking-around food.”
“We have seen a huge demand for them,” She said. “I like to tell our customers that they are a better version of Slim Jims because they’re made with local beef and never leave the state of California, so they always stay very fresh.”
The new manufacturer already made honey-pepper, teriyaki and pepper flavors, but Figone also wanted garlic as a nod to their northern ranch’s location.
“When we first started working with them,” she said, “they told us, ‘These are the only flavors we have—don’t ask us to make any more. We convinced them that garlic would be in huge demand since we were from the garlic capital of the world.”
Figone’s refrigerated truck carries BR Beef’s entire line of frozen meats, including four types of sausages, steaks, briskets, chuck and rump roasts, carne asada, and Osso Bucco. She even has organ meats and bones for dogs.
BR Beef will also soon add a few new beef cuts. Figone said that she strives to have a wide variety, and if customers ask for certain cuts, she will try to incorporate them into our menu as well.
“We’re going to have a porterhouse steak that we’ve never had before,” Figone said. “And we will sacrifice some of our ribeyes to make prime ribs for the holidays. Our customers always want something new, so we want to be able to provide options for them.”
Figone has also started a monthly “bundle box” deal, in which a selection of meats is offered at a discount.
“This month, we have two New York steaks, two pounds of carne asada, two of our jalapeño cheddar sausages and a pack of honey pepper sticks,” she said. “We usually try to keep a pretty good variety in them so that families can mix it up and not have the same kind of beef cut every night.”
When the Farmers’ Market ends on Oct. 16, Figone said, BR Beef will return to the Hollister area weekly, allowing on-site choices and delivery of online orders.
I had a chance to try the new beef sticks, which are available in 4-oz.
resealable packages.
Beef Sticks From BR Beef
Teriyaki Beef Sticks – “I recommend these just because they are still on the sweeter side,” Figone said, “but it’s not anything to the extreme, like our honey pepper. They have a bit of savory to it that balances it out.” These sticks are more chewy than soft. Very lightly seasoned, a rich salt-caramel flavor comes through clearly but does not overwhelm or seem cloying, letting the meat taste shine through.
Pepper Beef Sticks – “I tell our customers that it is the closest to a regular Slim Jim,” Figone said. “It has just regular black pepper in it, so it’s not spicy, but it does have a really nice beefy flavor.” These sticks are drier than the other flavors, with an almost crumbly texture. To me, this has the best beef flavor, and pepper comes through loud and clear from the start, with a roof-of-the-mouth tingle and a lingering heat at the back of the throat—definitely a must-try.
Honey Pepper Beef Sticks – “The honey pepper has been my favorite,” Figone said. “It is sweetened with natural raw honey, so I recommend it to anybody who has a sweet tooth.” The sticks are very soft, to the point where the meat squeezed out of the casing as I bit into one. They are very sticky but not overly sweet and have a mild, peppery flavor. Figone suggests freezing them and then thawing them to allow the honey to crystalize for a little crunch.
Garlic Beef Stick – “You’ll definitely be keeping the vampires away with this one,” Figone said. “We are the only people on the market with this specific garlic beef stick recipe, and we’re really, really excited about it.” While I liked the heat of the pepper sticks, I enjoyed the balanced flavor of the garlic ones better. Neither the pepper nor the garlic is overblown; there is almost a subtlety to the combination. The texture is also perfect; they made me think of the bite of a medium New York steak. These are my favorites overall; I can see why they are becoming customer favorites.
BR Beef can be found at the following locations:
Mondays: Gilroy – Tractor Supply Parking Lot, 6811 Cameron Blvd., 5 – 6 p.m.
Tuesdays: Alameda – Farmers’ Market, 710 Haight Ave., 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Wednesdays: Hollister – Farmers’ Market at 6th St., 3 – 7 p.m.
Thursdays: Livermore – Farmers’ Market at Carnegie Park, 4 – 8 p.m.
Fridays: Los Gatos – Farmers’ Market at 23845 Summit Road, 3 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturdays: Fremont – Farmers’ Market at 37592 Niles Blvd, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Sundays: San Jose – Farmers’ Market at 4055 Evergreen Village Square, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Orders can also be placed online for pickup or delivery.
Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
You must be logged in to post a comment.