Minong, Wisconsin: Where 548 People Live and One Jerky Empire Reigns

If you've ever stood in a gas station at 11 p.m. holding a bag of beef jerky and thinking, "I wonder where this came from," the answer is Minong, Wisconsin. It's a tiny village in the northwoods of Washburn County, and RoastMyTown.com recently gave it the full treatment. We took a look at the facts, and it turns out Minong is a lot more interesting than the roast lets on, though the roast still has a few points.

What Does "Minong" Even Mean (and How Do You Say It)?

Start with pronunciation: it's MY-nong, not "Mih-nong," and not whatever your GPS just said.

The name is better than you'd expect for a town that gets roasted. It comes from the Ojibwe language and is generally translated as "blueberry place" or "good place." That's a sweeter origin story than most villages manage. It's also the Ojibwe name for Isle Royale, so Minong has some big-name namesake energy going on.

The village itself is a product of railroad ambition. The village was laid out when the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway built a line through the area. That's a long way from the lumber-and-logging days, when one early settler recalled hauling shingles and siding on their backs or on a wheelbarrow. Today's residents complain when the Wi-Fi buffers.

The Jerky Capital: Messin' With Sasquatch Since 1986

The roast cards are right about one thing: Jack Link's is the main event. Founded by John "Jack" Link, the company used the recipes of his great-grandfather Chris Link, a master sausage maker from Germany. Minong is still the headquarters, and Link Snacks is "born and still rooted in Minong", even as it sells jerky around the globe.

The company is known for its "Messin' with Sasquatch" ads, and it keeps making headlines. In 2025 it announced a co-branded meat snack line with MrBeast. Just last week, a Minong-datelined press release announced new Grass-Fed & Finished Beef Stick Multipacks. That's a lot of press-release energy for a village with one main drag.

Now for a fact check on the roast. The card claims the jerky company's payroll "dwarfs" the village, but that compares worldwide headcount to Minong's population. In reality, a past local report put about 300 in production and 100 in the corporate office in Minong itself. That's still a big share of a village this small, and the Link family hasn't just taken from the town. Jack and his wife, Mary Jo, opened the Jack Link's Aquatic and Activity Center. It has a pool, fitness center, and gymnasium. Few small towns can say their beef jerky magnate built them a pool.

Dining in Minong: Fish Fry, Burgers, and Zero Pretension

The roast calls the food scene "the holy trinity of Midwest culinary ambition: fried fish, processed meat, and a cafe named after someone's mom." We'd argue that's a menu, not an insult. Club Northern handles the Friday night fish fry, The Longbranch Saloon & Eatery serves a tasty burger, and Wendy's Place Cafe covers the cafe side. Nobody here is going to put foam on your plate.

In Wisconsin, a Friday fish fry is practically a civic duty. If you skip it, a neighbor will ask why. Plan your visit around it, and plan to leave your calorie counter in the car.

ATVs, Snowmobiles, and Other Ways to Enjoy 1,056 Feet of Elevation

The roast's final card mocks Minong's trail systems, but the county tourism page leans in. It notes the village is surrounded by thousands of acres of County land and has multiple-use trails running through the Village. Yes, that means ATVs and snowmobiles can roll right through town, which is either a tourism masterpiece or a noise complaint, depending on who you ask.

The setting is simple. The village covers just 1.54 square miles at an elevation of 1,056 feet. The surrounding Town of Minong is much bigger. The main roads are U.S. Highway 53 and Wisconsin Highway 77, so getting here is easy and leaving is optional.

The county's own tagline for the place is "Where days are laid back and the people are friendly." It's a line that fits a village where the biggest rush-hour hazard is a four-wheeler waiting politely for you to cross.

The Verdict

Minong is a blueberry-named railroad village that grew into the home of a global jerky brand, a pool, a fish fry, and miles of trail. It has 548 residents, one famous snack, and a Sasquatch problem. That's not nothing.

Think we were too nice? See the full roast on RoastMyTown.com.