Wednesday’s Helping: What is Jerky?

An old-fashioned meaty cure

A jerky consists of a meat – usually sliced beef -- product that has been seasoned then dehydrated using a heat source, such as a smoky fire, dehydrator, or conventional oven. We dried our tinala’ katne at 200 degrees, but a constant temperature of at least 165 degrees works well, too. Beef jerky is great for long camping trips when refrigeration is a luxury. Removing moisture and eliminating bacteria are the two main goals when safely preparing any jerky. The addition of salt, although not required, helps kill microorganisms. The results are a preserved and tasty meat product that has a longer shelf-life when kept properly. Many consumers like buying vacuum packed beef jerky at most major supermarkets. Meanwhile, look for select varieties of chicken, turkey, venison, at some specialty food markets or butchers.