Jerky is a salty, dried meat product made by trimming meat, cutting into strips, mixing with seasonings (wet or dry), marinating for a period and then drying or smoking at a low temperature (70°C/160°F). Some jerky is made from minced (ground) meat instead that is pressed flat before drying. Jerky is traditionally savoury (salty) but may have sugar added into the marinade. Commercial jerky is often high in sugar and also highly processed – the meat is cut into small pieces and formed into straps/strips – instead of the traditional sliced whole muscle meat.
Once dried, jerky is ready to eat and can be stored for many months if dried correctly. It is low in fat (3-4%), high in protein (50-65%), low in carbohydrates (10%) but high in salt – a 30g serving of jerky can contain around 600mg of sodium (an adult’s recommended daily intake is around 2,300mg in Australia).