Probably discovered by accident, noticing that scraps of meat not eaten fresh had dried out and were still edible, even long after the best big bits had rotted, it didn't take long for them to work out they could cut some of the best bits of meat into strips and dry it in the sun or over a smoky fire and save them for when they'd no fresh meat to hand.
Its a process used the world over by different races. Different meats and different methods but the end process is the same.
In Africa it's called Biltong, to the Native American it was called Pemmican and in Italy it's known as Bresaola. Whatever it's name, jerky is a dried meat snack that is high in protein, healthy, versatile and long lasting. It is easy to carry in bag ,pouch or pocket when hunting, hiking, camping, dieting, or in fact any time you don't want a chocolate bar or a burger.
I personally enjoy jerky as a very handy snack whilst doing medieval battle re-enactment. I found it easy to carry in my pouch, always ready when I was hungry. I used to buy it from a supermarket until I glanced at the ingredients and was so appalled at the number of additives that I started to make my own. It was such a hit in re-enactment and festival circles that I decided to start my own business making and selling quality beef and venison jerky with out any added preservatives, e-numbers, colourings or any extraneous ingredients what so ever, and today we take great pride in bringing you a wide selection of high quality jerky made with taste in mind.
Click here to buy Martins Jerked Meats
