Smoking provides a more natural flavored jerky.
It also tends to be tender. Meat is slowly cooked and dried at around 150 degrees for approximately 10 hours in a lightly vented enclosure that is filled with smoke and a heat source. The heat to cook the meat is provided by the use of either an electric heating element or charcoal. Because of the difficulties is keeping charcoal at a consistent burning rate for the 10 hours required, it makes sense to standardize on electric. The result is a slow smoldering smoke and more consistent heat that provides for a superior smoked jerky.