Meat, especially beef, that has been cut in strips and dried; meat that has been jerked; see first jerk, v.; as, beef jerky
Dried meat made by cutting meat into strips about one inch wide, 1/4 inch thick, and as long as possible. This was then sun-dried on racks often with a small hardwood fire under the meat to smoke it and to keep insects off it. In good, hot weather the meat would be dry and ready to use in 3 to 4 days.
highly seasoned dried meat in strips.
Also called jerked meat, jerky is meat (usually beef) that is cut into long, thin strips and dried (traditionally by the sun). Jerky was a popular staple with early trappers, just as it is with today`s backpackers because it keeps almost indefinitely and is light and easy to transport. It`s quite tough and salty but is very flavorful and high in protein.
strips of dried meat that could be stored for long periods.
meat cut in strips and dried in the sun
vary greatly. Typically prepared from strips of lean muscle cut with the muscle fiber grain. Seasoned with marinade or rubbed with salt & pepper mixture. Shelf-stable, ready-to-eat. USDA regulated moisture protein ratio max. of 0.75 : 1.
Jerky is meat which has been cut into strips with the fat trimmed off, marinated in a spiced, salty or sweet liquid for a desired flavor, then dried with low heat (usually under 160°F or 70°C) or occasionally salted and sun-dried. The result is a strip of a salty, semi-sweet snack which can be stored for long periods of time without refrigeration. Jerky is one of humankind's earliest applications of food preservation.