Side Project Jerky Does Pho

The broth’s flavor intensity is what does it for me, but to others, it could be another component. Maybe it’s the crunch from the Moyashi that contrasts so soundly with the delicate beef and supple noodles. Maybe it’s the thai chili’s heat cut by its tart lime counterpart. But most likely, it’s all of it. There’s a reason pho has the following it does — it’s a perfect mixture of ingredients, and its balance is unparalleled.

So when Marcos Espinoza (Side Project Jerky) and Chef Sean Magee (Executive chef at Time) ran into each other at a thrash metal concert, they threw a few back between sets, and parted ways when it was over. It wasn’t until Sean Magee saw that Espinoza had an interest in chef collaborations that he emailed Side Project with his idea. As a self-styled pho addict, he decided to create pho flavored jerky.

So Side Project Jerky is pleased to announce that Magee did it, and he did it really well. With star anise, Thai basil, and fish sauce being just a few of its ingredients, it really shows that he didn’t skimp on legitimacy.  The jerky is the portable version of the soup, so no more slurping, and no more speckled shirts. Just awesome flavor and beef.

This is one of the many chef collaborated limited releases Side Project Jerky has in mind, and each release will also donate a portion of the proceeds to the charity of the chef’s choice. For Magee, it’ll be the American Red Cross to support the Hurricane Sandy disaster relief.

They’re only making 150 packages of this limited release flavor.  The pho jerky is available online, and locally at COOK, Green Aisle Grocery, Trove General Store in Paoli, and in Brooklyn, NY’s Hickoree’s Floor Two.

Side Project Jerky [Official Site]

Photo by Mike Persico