How do you make beef jerky Jerky is dried meat or fish. Drying food isn t something new to our day. It is possibly the oldest way of preserving food.
Jerky dates back to the earliest civilizations.
Explorers, trappers, hunters, Indian tribes, and settlers in this country used jerky in the early years of our country. It is still used today by people from all walks of life from country hikers to city bikers. It was given its name by mountain men because it had to be jerked from the teeth as they chewed it. In early days, it was usually dried over a small fire after being soaked in brine, which is a mixture of salt and water. Hickory wood was preferred to help keep insects away and for flavoring of the meat.