Modern jerky is essentially beef (or another type of meat) that has been cut into strips with the fat trimmed off, then marinated in a spiced, salty or sweet liquid for a desired flavor, then dried with low heat (usually under 160°F or 70°C). The result is a strip of a salty, semi-sweet beef snack that can be stored for long periods of time without refrigeration, similarly to pemmican and biltong.

Characteristics and variations

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Although beef is by far the most common meat used in jerky, other meats such as wild game, venison, elk, etc. are also used. Recently, more unorthodox selections such as turkey, ostrich, salmon, ahi tuna, and even tofu are also being made into jerky. With any cut of meat, most of the fat must be trimmed off in the process because it does not dry, potentially making the fat rancid (modern vacuum packing and chemical preservatives have served to help prevent these risks). As a result, jerky typically has less than 3% fat content.

Jerky is low in fat and moisture content. It is very high in protein. In some low moisture varieties, a 30 gram serving will contain 21 grams of protein, and only one gram of fat. Since traditional jerky is salt-cured, sodium can be a concern. A 30 gram serving may contain 515 milligrams of sodium, 21% of the USRDA. Less expensive varieties utilizing chemical preservatives have a higher fat and water content and generally have around 15 grams of protein per 30 gram serving.

More on [ Jerky (food) ]

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