Tag: Jerky making

According to the USDA, meat for jerky must be heated to at least 160°F for beef or 165°F for poultry to kill harmful bacteria before or during the drying process. This critical step directly answers the question: Is jerky just dehydrated raw meat? No, because it is a processed and cooked product, not simply dried raw meat.

With a 1-ounce serving often containing over 10 grams of protein and minimal fat, beef jerky is a surprisingly lean snack. The key to understanding how is beef jerky so lean lies in the traditional preparation methods and the specific cuts of meat used for production.