The Quecha Indians, a native South American tribe that descended from the legendary Inca empire, used jerky as a method of meat preservation as early as 1550. They called it charqui, which literally translates into “dried meat”. The Spanish Conquistadors discovered this to be a fantastic method of meat preservation. They called it Char’qui. When they arrived in North America, they discovered that the locals had also been preserving meat by drying it. The name char’qui eventually became “jerky”. When food was scarce, jerky allowed people to preserve meat and use it as a high-protein food source. Jerky became a mainstay of the diets of early settlers and cowboys. Soon, various spices were added to enhance the flavors. One of the most popular snacks in the world is jerky, which is now produced in a variety of flavors, meats, and styles.
The original fast food was jerky, which is slow-cooked and hickory-smoked for a delicious treat. Jerky is a popular dried snack that is enjoyed by campers, hunters, and people who simply want a savory, high-protein snack. Excellent for shipping across town or to distant locations Consume between meals or as a snack; also makes a wonderful present for dad or kids.
Four fantastic flavors are produced by The Hermann Wurst Haus and come vacuum-packed in 3 oz. packages. $4. 99 plus shipping:
Try our variety pack which includes 3 packages (3 oz. each) of 3 flavors; $14. 97 plus shipping:
Long road trips, camping, hunting, after-school activities, winery hopping, and any time you need a filling savory snack are all great occasions to enjoy jerky. Purchase one package of each flavor and keep it in your desk drawer, pantry, and car.
Who invented beef jerky?
The first iterations of modern beef jerky were created by native people living in the Andes mountains in present-day Peru. The ancient jerky production was made possible by the distinctive climatic conditions of this high altitude region. The Quechua, a South American tribe, called it Ch’arki. You can see where the word jerky comes from. The Quechuan word translates into “to burn meat. ”.
Ch’arki was made by freezing the meat during the cold nights after drying it in the hot sun during the day. The earliest form of beef jerky was prepared with bones present, as opposed to thin strips of boneless meat, in contrast to modern beef jerky. This early jerky was made with camelidae animals such as llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuas as the protein source.
There were distinct benefits to air-drying meat by alternating between warm, sunny days and chilly, arctic nights. First, it allowed for food preservation at scale. As much as 15% of herds were slaughtered every year for consumption For ch’arki, a sizable portion of the meat was used to ensure a year-round supply of food.
The Spanish conquistadors changed the word ch’arki to charqui once they arrived in the New World. From there, it changed over time to become the beef jerky we know today.
When was beef jerky invented?
The ancestor of modern beef jerky, ch’arki, has been documented since the early 1550s.
Even earlier archeological evidence shows that the Ancient Egyptians dried different types of meat and produce out in the sun to preserve them. The abundance of preserved foods discovered in the excavated tombs, some of which were remarkably intact, is evidence of the significance of preserved foods to Ancient Egyptian culture.
Is beef jerky Native American?
Beef jerky was produced by early Native American tribes, albeit in a slightly different form. They created concentrated little cakes known as Pemmican by mixing fat, ground meat, and mixed berries. Adding fat to dry meat resulted in a snack that is packed with nutrients and has a long shelf life.
Learn how to Make Your Own Pemmican
The native tribes were able to survive the winter with the help of this preserved food. Early settlers adopted the preservation method after learning how to make jerky from Native Americans.
Did American Indians smoke meat?
For many North American tribes, smoking was a common method of preservation.
Tribes used a variety of smoking techniques, from small enclosures to large open fires. Smoke sheds and tipis—traditional smoking structures—were big enough to smoke lots of game.
Jerky was sometimes made with wild game in addition to the popular protein source of bison (or buffalo). Fish was a major source of food for Northwest tribes, and smoking the annual catch during the peak season provided sustenance all year. To answer the question, “Did Native Americans invent jerky?,” the answer is no, but their use of smoking to preserve meat has had a significant influence on the creation of contemporary beef jerky.
The phrase “jerky” was first used in print in 1612 on a map of Virginia by John Smith, who wrote, “as drie as their jerkin beefe in the West Indies.” ”.
How did cowboys make jerky?
When moving cattle, cowboys carried jerky or salted beef, which they referred to as “cow hunters” in the 1820s. The cowboys used a variety of methods to prepare the beef jerky, including salting, smoking, and sun-drying.
They would kill the animal, whether it was a cow, a bison, a deer, an elk, or an antelope, and strip or jerk the meat. The traditional beef jerky known as “cowboy style” is now tougher, drier, and takes longer to chew. It’s also delicious.
Is beef jerky an American thing?
Despite having global roots, beef jerky is now a distinctly American product. It has reached a critical mass of popularity. Some even contend that we are experiencing a Jerky Renaissance.
A few fads, like the increase in snacking and the demand for high-protein snacks, have increased consumer demand, stimulating flavor and texture innovation. The increasing variety of jerky products has drawn non-traditional customers who now value jerky. In today’s market, there is a jerky product for everyone.
People’s Choice Beef Jerky celebrates the lengthy history of beef jerky by concentrating on what we’ve been doing for more than 85 years: handcrafting straightforward and truthful renditions of the finest beef jerky. We look forward to this history’s bright future and are proud to be a part of its rich and varied past.
A food fanatic and lover of all things beef. Sara has an unhealthy obsession with all things beautiful, so you can usually find her playing with her dog Pearl, checking out new wine bars, or experimenting with makeup.
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FAQ
What animal does beef jerky come from?
Beef jerky is made from beef. The term “beef” in culinary terms refers to meat from cows or other bovines. While beef jerky is made from cow meat, jerky can also be made from other animals and sources of protein. There’s pork jerky, chicken jerky, and turkey jerky.
What part of the cow is beef jerky from?
Commercial beef jerky typically uses the top and bottom rounds of the short loin rather than a particular flavor. Numerous steak cuts, including porterhouse and NY strip steak, are made from the short loin of the cow. Therefore, the short loin is where the steak jerky that you purchase is from.
Where does most beef jerky come from?
The majority of mass-produced big brand jerky uses beef from other countries, including South America and as far away as Australia, because it is less expensive, despite the fact that most people think of beef jerky as such an American snack that they assume the meat is sourced in America.
What meat is jerky made from?
Whole muscles or ground meats can be used to make jerky, but for home processing, whole muscle cuts are advised because they produce a more traditional, secure jerky product. Though practically any type of meat can be used to make jerky, lean cuts like beef round roasts or pork loin are most frequently used.