Jerky is lean trimmed meat strips which are
dehydrated to prevent
spoilage and seasoned to varying degrees. Normally, this drying includes the addition of
salt
In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...
to prevent
microbial growth through
osmosis
Osmosis (, ) is the spontaneous net movement or diffusion of solvent molecules through a selectively permeable membrane, selectively-permeable membrane from a region of high water potential (region of lower solute concentration) to a region of ...
. The word "jerky" derives from the
Quechua word ''
ch'arki'' which means "dried, salted meat".
Modern manufactured jerky is often
marinated, prepared with a seasoned
spice rub or liquid, or
smoked with low heat (usually under ). Store-bought jerky commonly includes sweeteners such as brown sugar.
Jerky is ready to eat, needs no additional preparation, and can be stored for months without
refrigeration
Refrigeration is any of various types of cooling of a space, substance, or system to lower and/or maintain its temperature below the ambient one (while the removed heat is ejected to a place of higher temperature).IIR International Dictionary of ...
. A proper protein-to-moisture content is required in the final cured product to ensure maximum shelf-life.
Many products that are sold as jerky consist of highly processed, chopped, and formed meat rather than traditional sliced whole-muscle meat. These products may contain more fat, but moisture content, as in the whole-muscle product, must meet a 0.75 to 1 moisture-to protein ratio in the US.
Jerky-like products can be found around the world, such as
biltong in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
,
pastirma in
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, ch'arki (Quechua for dried, salted meat whose
hispanicized spellings include ''charque'', ''charqui'' or ''charquí'') in
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
and
cecina in
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. The main processing districts of beef jerky in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
are
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia, officially the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of China. Its border includes two-thirds of the length of China's China–Mongolia border, border with the country of Mongolia. ...
,
Xinjiang
Xinjiang,; , SASM/GNC romanization, SASM/GNC: Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Sinkiang, officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People' ...
and
Yunnan
Yunnan; is an inland Provinces of China, province in Southwestern China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 47.2 million (as of 2020). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the Chinese provinces ...
. Beef jerky from Inner Mongolia is the most popular product in all of China and is classified into traditional and modern beef jerky by air drying outdoors (hand-made) or thermal drying (large-scale industrial production), respectively.
Preparation

Jerky is made from domesticated animals as well as game animals. Jerky from domesticated animals includes
beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). Beef can be prepared in various ways; Cut of beef, cuts are often used for steak, which can be cooked to varying degrees of doneness, while trimmings are often Ground beef, grou ...
,
pork
Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry, husbandry dating back to 8000–9000 BCE.
Pork is eaten both freshly cooke ...
,
goat
The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope that is mostly kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the ...
and
mutton or lamb and game animals such as
deer,
kudu,
springbok,
kangaroo, and
bison
A bison (: bison) is a large bovine in the genus ''Bison'' (from Greek, meaning 'wild ox') within the tribe Bovini. Two extant taxon, extant and numerous extinction, extinct species are recognised.
Of the two surviving species, the American ...
are also used. Other animals such as
turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
,
ostrich,
salmon
Salmon (; : salmon) are any of several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera ''Salmo'' and ''Oncorhynchus'' of the family (biology), family Salmonidae, native ...
,
chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...
,
duck
Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...
,
goose,
shrimps,
oxen,
squids,
octopuses
An octopus (: octopuses or octopodes) is a soft-bodied, eight-limbed Mollusca, mollusc of the order (biology), order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttlefish, ...
,
alligator,
pigeon,
crocodile
Crocodiles (family (biology), family Crocodylidae) or true crocodiles are large, semiaquatic reptiles that live throughout the tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. The term "crocodile" is sometimes used more loosely to include ...
,
tuna,
emu
The emu (; ''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is a species of flightless bird endemism, endemic to Australia, where it is the Tallest extant birds, tallest native bird. It is the only extant taxon, extant member of the genus ''Dromaius'' and the ...
,
horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 mi ...
,
camel
A camel (from and () from Ancient Semitic: ''gāmāl'') is an even-toed ungulate in the genus ''Camelus'' that bears distinctive fatty deposits known as "humps" on its back. Camels have long been domesticated and, as livestock, they provid ...
,
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...
,
bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family (biology), family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats ...
,
snake
Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...
and
earthworm
An earthworm is a soil-dwelling terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. The term is the common name for the largest members of the class (or subclass, depending on the author) Oligochaeta. In classical systems, they we ...
have entered the global, national, regional or local market with varying degrees of success.
Most
fat must be trimmed from the meat prior to drying, as fat increases the chances of spoilage (modern
vacuum packing and chemical
preservative
A preservative is a substance or a chemical that is added to products such as food products, beverages, pharmaceutical drugs, paints, biological samples, cosmetics, wood, and many other products to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or ...
s have served to help prevent these risks). The meat must be dried quickly to limit
bacterial growth during the critical period when the meat is not yet dry. To dry quickly without high temperature, which would cook the meat, the meat must be sliced or pressed thin.
Salt
In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...
is the most commonly added ingredient and is used to improve flavor, enhance the storage life and remove moisture from the product. Spices such as
black pepper
Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit (the peppercorn), which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diameter ...
or
garlic are other common ingredients. Ingredients such as
soy sauce
Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...
,
Worcestershire sauce,
sugar
Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose
Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...
,
teriyaki or barbecue spice can be added to change the flavor and are usually employed in homemade beef jerky recipes.
In industrial settings, large low-temperature drying ovens with many heater elements and fans use exhaust ports to remove moisture-laden air. The combination of fast-moving air and low heat dries the meat to the desired moisture content within a few hours. The raw, marinated jerky strips are placed on racks of nylon-coated metal screens sprayed with light vegetable oil to allow the meat to be removed easily. The screen trays are placed closely in layers on rolling carts and then put in the drying oven.
A plethora of suitable dehydrators for use at home with the aim of producing homemade jerky, are widely available. These dehydrators work by passing heated air over the meat to remove moisture in order to dry it. The air evaporates moisture in the meat drying it out.
Chemical preservatives, such as
sodium nitrite, are often used to prepare jerky with the historical salted drying procedure.
Smoking
Smoking is a practice in which a substance is combusted, and the resulting smoke is typically inhaled to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream of a person. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, whi ...
is the most traditional method, as it preserves, flavors, and dries the meat simultaneously.
Salting is the most common method used today, as it provides seasoning to improve the flavor as well as preserve the meat. While some methods involve applying the seasonings with a
marinade, adding moisture to the meat can increase the drying time.
Packaging

After the jerky is dried to the proper moisture content to prevent spoilage, it is cooled and then packaged in (often resealable) plastic bags, either nitrogen gas flushed or vacuumed packed. The sealed packages usually contain small pouches of
oxygen absorber to avoid fat oxidation. These small packets are filled with iron particles, which react with oxygen, removing the oxygen from the sealed jerky package and from an opened and resealed unfinished packet. Because of the necessary low fat and moisture content, jerky is high in protein. For example, a 30 g (about 1 oz) portion of lean meat contains about 7 g of protein. By removing 15 g of water from the meat, the protein ratio is doubled to nearly 15 g of protein per 30 g portion. In some low moisture varieties, a 30 g serving will contain 21 g of protein, and only one g of fat. The price per unit weight of this type of jerky is higher than less-dried forms, as it takes 90 g of 99% lean meat to generate 30 g of jerky. Unpackaged fresh jerky made from sliced, whole-muscle meat has been available in specialty stores in such places as
Hong Kong
Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
at least since the 1970s. The products are purchased in kilograms, and customers choose from 10 to 20 types of meat used to make the product. Some are sold in strands instead of slices. Compared to the sealed packaged versions, unpackaged jerky has a relatively short shelf life. This type of jerky has also become very popular in convenience stores in the United States, where it is usually sold in clear plastic containers under the name "slab" jerky.
Regulation
Most nations have regulations pertaining to the production of dried meat products. There are strict requirements to ensure safe and ethical production of jerky products. Factories are required to have inspectors and sanitation plans. The
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) promote policies and establish measures and procedures to regulate dried meat products internationally.
European Union
The
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
(EU) prohibit the importation of meat products, including jerky, without additional and extensive customs documentation, and further inspections. European Union regulations on jerky, specifically
biltong/jerky, focus on ensuring
animal health and
food safety
Food safety (or food hygiene) is used as a scientific method/discipline describing handling, food processing, preparation, and food storage, storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. The occurrence of two or more cases of a simi ...
. Imports are only allowed from countries or regions authorized for such imports, and these products must undergo specific treatments before entering the EU. Decision 2007/777/EC outlines the specific authorization requirements and treatments.
United States
In the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (
USDA
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...
) is responsible for that oversight. To comply with USDA regulations, poultry jerky must be heated to an internal temperature of for uncured poultry or for cured poultry to be considered safe.
Nutrition
A typical 30 g portion of fresh jerky contains 10–15 g of protein, 1 g of fat, and 0–3 g of carbohydrates, although some beef jerky can have a protein content above 65%. Since traditional jerky recipes use a basic salt cure,
sodium
Sodium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Na (from Neo-Latin ) and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 element, group 1 of the peri ...
can be a concern for some people. A 30 g serving of jerky could contain more than 600 mg of sodium, which would be about 30% of the recommended
USRDA.
Market size and popularity
Global market
The global jerky snacks market size was valued at $5.66 billion in 2024. It is expected to reach $8.81 billion by 2033, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.79% from 2025-2033. North America dominates the market, holding a market share of over 50.0% in 2024.
US market
In the United States, sales of jerky snacks increased significantly, rising by 10.4% in 2024 to reach $3.29 billion. This growth can be attributed to the rising popularity of salty and spicy snacks and a growing interest in snackable protein sources. As a result, dried meat snacks have emerged as the fastest-growing category within the United States snack food market.
Largest companies in the industry
Europe
The largest producer of beef jerky in Europe is
The Meatsnacks Group (Valeo Foods). They are also a major producer of biltong, another type of dried meat snack. The company has expanded its product line to include salmon jerky.
North America
The largest beef jerky producer in North America is
Link Snacks, Inc. (Jack Link's). It holds a significant market share in the US meat jerky production industry.
As a military combat ration
Jerky, particularly beef jerky, is a common component of military
combat rations, both historical and modern. It is included because it is a convenient, shelf-stable, and nutritious protein source that soldiers can easily carry and consume in the field. Jerky has been a staple in military rations for centuries due to its durability and ability to stay fresh without refrigeration. The
Continental Army
The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...
in the Revolutionary War era, for example, included salted meat, and jerky as part of their rations when fresh food was scarce. It is also a common component of modern military rations, such as the
Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE). Some variations of jerky are found in rations like the "
First Strike Ration
The First Strike Ration (FSR) is a compact assault United States military ration. It is designed to be consumed on the move during the first 72 hours of conflict. It was created by the United States Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massa ...
," specifically designed for initial deployment periods, providing an "eat on the move" option. Jerky is lightweight, easy to store, and provides a concentrated source of protein and energy. It is also a great option for survival rations when fresh or prepared food is unavailable. While traditional beef jerky is common, military rations also include other variations, such as turkey jerky and osmotically dried meat. Some experimental rations even include
caffeinated jerky.
Ch'arki

Ch'arki (
Quechua for dried, salted meat,
Hispanicized spellings ''charque, charqui, charquí'') is a dried, salted meat product. Andean charqui, made in Peru, Bolivia, and Chile, is from alpaca, llama, or alpaca-llama cross-breeds. Peru is the world's largest producer, producing approximately 450 tons annually. Brazilian charque is made from beef.
The manufacture of charqui principally consists of salting and sun-drying. In some regions, such as in Puno, the meat is sliced before drying. In others, like Cusco, the meat is dried from whole bone-in carcass pieces, known as 'charqui completo'.
It was industrialized in ''charqueadas'' (in Brazil) or ''saladeros'' (in Argentina and Uruguay). In the United States ''ch'arki'' was Anglicised as ''jerky''.
When encountered by the
Spanish, the
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...
supplied ''
tampu'' (
inns
Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway. Before the advent of motorized transportation, they also provided accomm ...
) along the
Inca road system with llama ch'arki for travelers. The Inca used a
freeze drying process that took advantage of their cold dry mountain air and strong sun.
See also
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Jerky gun
References
External links
Commercial Item Description (CID): Cured Meat Snacks U.S. Dept. of Agriculture specification
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture: Jerky and food safety fact sheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jerky (Food)
Dried meat
Snack foods
Convenience foods
Quechua words and phrases
Fur trade