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The term Jerky is used to describe meat (typically beef) that has been thinly sliced, cured and dried rapidly for purposes of preservation. The result is one of America’s favorite snack foods. The word itself is derived from the Spanish “charqui” which was in turn borrowed from the sixteenth century Incan word “ch’arki.” Ch’ark idescribed a certain form of dried meat that endured some sort of curing process. While ancient Egyptian artifacts and writings suggest that the benefits of drying and curing meat were widely known at the time of the pyramids, modern Jerky as we now know it and enjoy it was born in South America and the credit must be given to the Spanish Conquistadors. Pemmican is a similar dried meat product, but it was invented by the Native Americans and contains pulverized meat as well berries and other natural flavors. For all its similarities, Pemmican sounds more like big league chew than anything else.
There are many popular flavors ranging from hot and spicy to tart and tangy. You’ve got pepper flavor, sweet and sour teriyaki, honey bar-b-q and the list goes on. No matter your taste buds, there is something for everyone. The few people that do not enjoy Jerky simply have not had the right experience. It is not supposed to be painfully hard and frustratingly tough, leaving your jaws overworked and your belly unsatisfied. Also it does not always cost five bucks for a stale, paper thin slice at the gas station. Because fat contains moisture and could possible grow mold or bacteria, the good majority is always removed before the drying process. Because of this fact, Jerky is necessarily high in protein.
Do not be fooled by processed, chopped and formed meat products being passed off as jerky. You should have single, thin slices of meat muscle (the grain should be visible) instead of little uniform nuggets that some avid pet owners would refuse to feed their animals, let alone approve for human consumption. A good rule of thumb is the smell test. When you first open that bag take a big whiff. If it smells like dog food then it probably is.
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