What is Jerky?
Jerky is any type of meat, which has been cured with a salt solution and has had the moisture reduced to less than 50% of the total.

It is typically brown colored and has a rough texture.

Compared to unprocessed meat, it is tougher and has a more powerful flavor. This is primarily due to the flavor concentrating effect of the moisture removal process.

Jerky is promoted as a nutritious, low calorie product, which is low in cholesterol and fat and high in protein and energy.

To increase the consumer acceptance of the product, there are many different flavors of jerky that are produced. One of the most common is the pepper flavored Beef jerky. Other types include teriyaki jerky, hot styles, and barbecue styles. Hickory smoked and maple spice flavors are also produced.

In addition to these flavors, other meats are used in jerky making. Currently, the most popular jerky meat after beef is turkey.

Preparation
Beef is by far the most common meat used for jerky, but meat from other animals, such as wild game, venison and elk is also commonly used.

Recently, other meats have become more common, such as turkey, ostrich, salmon, alligator, and tuna.

The meat must be dried quickly, to limit bacterial growth during the critical period where the meat is not yet dry.

To do this, the meat is thinly sliced, or pressed thinly, in the case of ground meat.

Drying is performed at low temperatures, to avoid cooking or overdrying the meat and making it brittle, with good jerky being flexible and somewhat tough.

In present-day factories jerky ovens are made of insulated panels. Inside these large ovens are many heater elements and fans with exhaust ports to remove moisture-laden air.

The combination of fast moving air and low heat quickly dries the meat to the desired moisture content usually within a few hours. The raw marinated jerky strips are placed on racks of nylon screens which have been sprayed with a light vegetable oil for separation. The screen trays are placed closely in layers on rolling carts which are then put in the drying oven.

In addition to dehydration, usually some other form of preservative is used in the preparation of jerky.

Smoking was the traditional method, as it preserved, flavored, and dried the meat simultaneously.

Salting is the most common method used today, as it both provides seasoning to improve the flavor as well as preserve the meat.

While some methods involve applying the seasonings with a marinade, this can increase the drying time by adding moisture to the meat, so methods that use a dry rub are generally faster.

Some jerky products are made naturally or organically.

Natural and organic jerky makers use meat from animals which are raised on organic feed and minimally processed.

These animals are not treated with hormone enhancement and are not fed animal by-products.

Additionally, these jerky products do not contain MSG, preservatives, artificial flavors, or erythorbate and are gluten free.

Because these jerky products are preservative free, and contain less salt than traditional jerky, they must be refrigerated after opening the package, or be eaten within three days to avoid spoilage.

The History of Jerky
Drying meat and fruit is one of the oldest methods of preservation known to humankind.

What was probably an accidental discovery allowed humans to both store food for long periods of time, as well as having an easily carried nutritionally dense source of nutrition to take with them on journeys.

Jerky is both flavorful and compact and almost any meat (and many other foods) can be made into jerky.

The Beginning:
No one knows the true origins of dried meat (jerky) however it is assumed that early humans found that dried meat lasted a great deal longer than fresh meat, and was not subject to the decay and insect infestation that plagued the storage of fresh meat.

While the dawn of jerky is mysterious we have evidence that it was being produced en masse thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt and notably in the mid part of the last millennia.

The word 'jerky' comes from the Native (South) American Quechua term "ch'arki" (which means "dried meat"), and was well received in Europe by the Spanish in the 1500's when it was introduced during the early conquest of the Americas. Pemmican, a food made of dried meat, berries, and fat, is a variation of jerky made by Native (North) Americans as well, and was also greatly valued by explorers of the New World.

Jerky's popularity was rekindled during the expansion into North America where it was prized as a valuable source of nutrition by traders and explorers as they traveled areas without ready access to fresh supplies.

Its light weight and longevity made it a superior food source as the world was tamed and settled.

Today:
Jerky making is now done in carefully controlled environments with strict attention to the process due to modern sanitary requirements.

Jerky is both mass produced and crafted by artisans who create jerky products that exploit the creative process.

It is no longer hanging a slab of meat on a line. High quality jerky products are readily available to consumers, as well as the simple ingredients required to make jerky at home.

Making jerky is a surprisingly simple process, however more sophisticated procedures will produce more dramatic results, as well as highlighting the inherent complexities of the source meat, the flavorings (the marinade), and the curing process.