I usually keep snacks such as almonds and beef jerky–instead of chips and candy–in my office. When snack foods company El Norteño invited me to try its Mexican-recipe meat snacks, I accepted happily.

El Norteño launched on Jan. 1, 2016 right here in Madison after spending 12 months crafting its recipe. According to a spokesperson, it’s the only company selling authentic recipe cecina (meat that has been salted and dried) as a packaged snack in the country.

The product line features the aforementioned cecina ($45 for 12 bags), tira de carne (meat sticks; $25 for 24) in both habanero and habenero-lime flavors.

You’ll hopefully like that the meat sticks have a strong, beefy flavor, and the heat from the habanero peppers actually comes through. Even better, there’s a good snap to each bite, and you don’t have to worry about the casing getting stuck in your teeth like with other meat sticks.

Interestingly, the dried meat comes with a packet of hot sauce (I didn’t use it). The cecina is well-seasoned, to the point I would call it spicy (NOT spicy-hot). Compared to Jacks Link’s beef jerky, the cecina’s texture is slightly softer, and it carries more protein (16 grams vs. 12 grams) and has fewer carbs (1 gram vs. 5 grams).

Overall, El Norteño’s introductory products make for satisfying snacks, worthy of adding to your lineup.

You can order all the products online or buy them at stores such as Woodman’s and Kelley’s Market. A good place to try them in person would be at the Sept. 29 Bodega at Breese Stevens Field.