Staff Photo by Allison Carter
Buffalo Brad's, a business in the Eastgate Town Center, starts with raw meat to make its steak jerky. The business recently moved to this location.• What: Steak jerky
• Company: Buffalo Brad's
• Address: Eastgate Town Center, 5600 Brainerd Road
• Website: www.buffalobrad.com
• Telephone: 299-9307
• Owner: Brad Smrcina
• What's special: Unlike some jerky makers who use a pressed grind of meats, Buffalo Brad's uses only top round cuts, said owner Brad Smrcina. "That sets us apart from everyone else," he said. "When you bite into it and start chewing it, you can actually taste steak instead of ground ... something."
• The origin story: About 15 years ago, Smrcina's mother bought him a dehydrator for Christmas. After seeing a recipe for jerky in a book, he went to a gas station near his home, where he bought buffalo roast. Using his own recipe, Smrcina made buffalo meat jerky, which his friends loved so much they started calling him Buffalo Brad. With only one minor modification, Smrcina said he still uses the same recipe today.
• How long does it take to make? The meat is marinated for 24 hours before spending six hours in a dehydrator.
• Where it's sold: Smrcina is in the process of being licensed to sell jerky at a storefront in Eastgate Town Center.
• How long has he been making it? Smrcina began selling jerky at area farmers markets in spring. By summer, sales were high enough he said he began looking for a retail space.
• Expansions planned: The meat used in Buffalo Brad's jerky works so well as sandwich meat that Smrcina said he eventually would like to buy a restaurant/bar, from which he would make and sell both sandwiches and jerky.
• Lessons of the trade: "What I like about this job is the instant, positive feedback," Smrcina said. "We give samples away, and even the people who don't buy the jerky will talk to you and tell you how good it is. I've also learned how many times we have to touch the product. It's surprising how long it takes to make jerky."
-- Compiled by staff writer Casey Phillips, cphillips@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6205.