Jerky

Jerky is a type of food made from thin strips of lean meat that are dried to prevent spoilage. This drying process usually includes adding salt to keep the meat safe to eat. The word "jerky" comes from the Quechua language word ch'arki, meaning "dried, salted meat".

Today, many kinds of jerky are made by marinating the meat in special seasonings or smoking it with low heat. Store-bought jerky is often ready to eat and can stay good for many months without needing to be kept in a fridge.

People all over the world make their own versions of jerky. For example, in South Africa it is called biltong, in Turkey it is called pastirma, and in Nigeria and Cameroon it is called kilishi. Different places have their own unique ways of making this tasty dried meat.

Preparation

Jerky can be made from many different kinds of animals, both farm animals and wild animals. Farm animals used for jerky include llama, beef, pork, goat, and mutton or lamb. Wild animals such as guanaco, deer, kudu, springbok, kangaroo, and bison are also used. Other animals like turkey, ostrich, salmon, chicken, and even shrimps can be found in jerky too.

Before drying, most of the fat is removed from the meat to help keep it from spoiling. The meat is then sliced very thin so it can dry quickly without getting cooked. Salt is often added to improve the taste and help keep the jerky fresh. Other ingredients like black pepper, garlic, soy sauce, and sugar can also be added for extra flavor.

At factories, special ovens are used to dry the jerky quickly. At home, people can use dehydrators that blow warm air over the meat to dry it out. Different methods, like smoking or salting, are also used to preserve and flavor the meat.

Packaging

After drying, jerky is cooled and placed in special plastic bags that can be sealed again. These bags are either filled with nitrogen gas or vacuum-packed to keep the jerky fresh. Small packets inside the bags contain iron that removes oxygen, helping to keep the jerky tasty longer. Because jerky has very little fat and moisture, it is rich in protein. For example, a small piece of jerky, about the size of a snack, can have a lot of protein. Unpackaged jerky made from whole muscle meat has been sold in specialty stores in places like Hong Kong since the 1970s. In the United States, this type of jerky is often sold in clear plastic containers and called "slab" jerky.

Regulation

Most countries have rules to make sure jerky is made safely and fairly. Factories need to follow special cleaning plans and have inspectors to check the food. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations helps create these rules around the world.

In the European Union, there are extra rules for bringing jerky into the area. The EU makes sure that only certain countries can send jerky, and it must be treated in special ways before it can be sold there. The rules focus on keeping both animals and people healthy.

In the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture makes sure jerky is made safely. For poultry jerky, it must be heated to a certain temperature to stay safe to eat. This means uncured poultry jerky needs to reach 71 °C (160 °F), while cured poultry jerky needs to reach 68 °C (155 °F).

Nutrition

A typical 30 g portion of fresh jerky has about 10–15 g of protein, 1 g of fat, and 0–3 g of carbohydrates. Some beef jerky can have even more protein, up to 65%. Because jerky often uses salt to keep it fresh, it can have a lot of sodium. A 30 g serving might have more than 600 mg of sodium, which is about 30% of what is usually recommended.

Market size and popularity

The market for jerky snacks around the world was worth $5.66 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to $8.81 billion by 2033. North America, especially the United States, leads this market.

In the United States, sales of jerky snacks grew by 10.4% in 2024, reaching $3.29 billion. This increase is because more people are enjoying salty and spicy snacks and are interested in snacks that have protein.

Largest companies in the industry

Europe

The biggest maker of beef jerky in Europe is The Meatsnacks Group (Valeo Foods). They also make a lot of biltong, which is another kind of dried meat snack. This company has added salmon jerky to its products too.

North America

The biggest beef jerky maker in North America is Link Snacks, Inc. (Jack Link's). They sell a lot of jerky in the United States.

As a military combat ration

Jerky, especially beef jerky, is often used in military combat rations. It is a good choice because it is easy to carry, stays fresh without refrigeration, and gives soldiers protein and energy. Soldiers have used jerky for a long time, even in the old days when fresh food was hard to find. Modern military meals, like the Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE), also include jerky. It is light, easy to store, and helps give energy when food is not prepared. Besides beef, military rations sometimes have turkey jerky or other kinds of dried meat. Some special rations even have caffeinated jerky to help keep energy up.

Ch'arki

Ch'arki (Quechua for dried, salted meat; Hispanicized spellings: charque, charqui, charquí ) is a type of dried, salted meat. In places like Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, this meat comes from alpacas, llamas, or their mixes. Peru makes the most of this meat in the world, about 450 tons each year. In Brazil, the meat used is beef.

To make this special meat, people add salt and let it dry in the sun. In some areas, like Puno, they cut the meat into slices before drying. In other places, such as Cusco, they dry the whole pieces of meat with bones still in them.

When the Spanish met the Inca Empire, they found that the Inca people used llama ch'arki to feed travelers staying in tampu (inns) along the Inca road system. The Inca used a special way to dry the meat by freezing it, using the cold, dry mountain air and strong sun.