Earlier than the arrival of Europeans within the Americas, Inca charqui, or ch’arki, referred to the therapy of meat from domesticated llamas and alpacas, explains Thought Co. However with conquistadors got here the livestock they had been aware of, introducing cattle to the “new world” (by way of Live Science.) Quick ahead to the current and beef is probably the most prevalent kind of meat used for jerky, in accordance with Allied Marketing Research.
The tactic of preparation for beef jerky has modified little over the centuries. Take, for instance, Alton Brown’s recipe, which requires closely salting and seasoning the meat, albeit with soy and Worcestershire sauces for an added umami increase, earlier than drying the meat for 8-12 hours utilizing an creative DIY dehydrator usual from HVAC air filters and a standard field fan.
As Food Fire Friends factors out, selecting a bit of meat for jerky runs counter to the way in which we select most different cuts of meat. Reasonably than reaching for a lower marbled with flavorful fats, jerky cuts should be as lean as attainable. This aids with preservation — fats can flip rancid — and renders a properly dry and chewy ultimate product.
They suggest cuts from the spherical, a primal consisting of a great portion of the hind leg and rump of a cow (by way of The Spruce Eats.) This well-worked space yields cuts reminiscent of the attention of spherical, prime spherical, and outdoors spherical, all worthy cuts for jerky.
