What is Jerky?
A: Jerky is lean trimmed meat that has been cut into strips and dried.
Normally, this drying includes the addition of what to
prevent bacteria growth before the meat has finished the dehydrating
process?
A: Salt.
Where does the word "jerky" derive from?
A: The Quechua word ch'arki which means "dried, salted meat".
All that is needed to produce basic "jerky" is a
low-temperature drying method, and what?
A: Salt to inhibit bacterial growth.
Modern manufactured jerky is often what?
A: Marinated, prepared with a seasoned spice rub or liquid, or smoked with
low heat.
Store-bought jerky commonly includes what?
A: Sweeteners such as brown sugar.
Jerky is ready-to-eat, needs no additional preparation
and can be stored for how long without refrigeration?
A: Months.
To ensure maximum shelf-life, a proper what is required
in the final cured product?
A: Protein-to-moisture content.
Many products which are sold as jerky consist of what?
A: 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 what?
A: A 0.75 to 1 moisture-to protein ratio in the US.
Chemical preservatives can prevent oxidative spoilage,
but the moisture-to-protein ratio prevents what?
A: Microbial spoilage by low water activity.
Some jerky products are very high in sugar and
therefore taste very sweet unlike what?
A: Biltong, which rarely contains added sugars.
Jerky is made from domesticated
animals as well as
what?
A: Game animals.
When must most fat be trimmed from the meat?
A: Prior to drying, as fat increases the chances of spoilage.
The meat must be dried quickly to limit what?
A: Bacterial growth during the critical period where the meat is not yet
dry.
To accomplish drying quickly without the use of high
temperature, which would cook the meat, the meat must be what?
A: Sliced or pressed thin.
Chemical preservatives, such as sodium nitrite, are
often used how?
A: In conjunction with the historical salted drying procedure to prepare
jerky.
Smoking is the most traditional method, as it what?
A: Preserves, flavors, and dries the meat simultaneously.
While some methods involve applying the seasonings with
a marinade, this can increase what?
A: The drying time by adding moisture to the meat.
Jerky (or products closely related to it) is commonly
included in military what?
A: Field rations.
It is particularly attractive to militaries because of
what?
A: Its light weight, high level of nutrition, long shelf life and edibility
without further preparation.
Since 1996, jerky has been selected by astronauts as
space food several times for space flight due to its what?
A: Light weight and high level of nutrition.
