All jerky gets past its prime at some point, but it doesn’t immediately spoil like you’d expect meat too. Lean meat, as opposed to fatty meat, can be dried and preserved. The high salt content and a minimal level of water mean it won’t quickly spoil. Of course, there is a timeframe in which you should consume jerky. Normally that’s capped at around a year for store-bought and two or so months for handmade. For optimal freshness, store-bought jerky should be eaten within 6 months, and homemade jerky within a week or so.