Glossary of Jerky Terms

Curious about the terms you see on jerky labels or wondering what makes one cut different from another? This glossary is your go-to guide for understanding everything that goes into high-quality jerky and cured meat products.

In this glossary, you’ll discover:

• The difference between jerky cuts, textures, and drying methods

• Various meat types used in jerky, including beef, turkey, and wild game

• Key terms on labels, from shelf life to seasoning types to protein content

Jerky has multiple flavors and the table below highlights key differences in popular flavors, including taste profile, spice level, and texture. It also suggests ideal pairings, making it a useful guide for shoppers, retailers, and jerky enthusiasts alike:

Air-Dried

A food preservation method wherein moisture is removed from meat or other perishable products through exposure to natural or controlled airflows without the use of external heat sources such as ovens or dehydrators. Air-drying allows for gradual dehydration at ambient or low temperatures, which can help preserve the texture, flavor, and nutritional value of the meat.

All-Natural

A labeling term regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicating that a product contains no artificial ingredients or added color and is only minimally processed. The USDA allows the use of the "natural" claim when the product’s processing methods do not involve synthetic preservatives, artificial flavors, or components not found in nature.

Products labeled "all-natural" must be accompanied by a descriptive statement such as "no artificial ingredients" or "minimally processed" to clarify the meaning of the claim.

Artisanal Jerky

A dried meat product produced in small batches using traditional, non-industrial methods that emphasize quality, natural ingredients, and craftsmanship. The production process usually involves the manual selection of premium meat cuts, marination in small-batch crafted recipes, and low-temperature drying. Flavors tend to be more diverse and innovative, often influenced by regional tastes or chef-driven culinary techniques.

Biltong

A cured and air-dried meat product that originated in Southern Africa and is traditionally made from beef, game meats, or ostrich.

A biltong is prepared by cutting meat into strips or flat pieces, marinating it in vinegar and spices, and then drying it in a cool, ventilated environment over several days. The term “biltong” is derived from the Dutch words “bil” (hindquarter) and “tong” (strip or tongue), referencing the original cuts used for production.

Brined

The technique of soaking food, typically meat, in a solution of water, salt, and sometimes additional curing agents for a designated period. The process facilitates moisture retention, flavor penetration, and in some cases, microbial inhibition.

Brining operates through osmosis and diffusion, where salt and water move into muscle fibers while some proteins become soluble, enhancing the water-holding capacity of the meat. This results in increased juiciness and improved texture post-processing.

Casing

The material used to enclose and shape ground or emulsified meat products during the stuffing, cooking, curing, and/or drying phases.

Casings serve both structural and functional purposes, including maintaining product integrity, aiding in moisture retention, and facilitating uniform drying or smoking. They are essential in the production of products such as sausages, snack sticks, and some forms of jerky.

Cure Time

The specific duration required for curing agents to adequately interact with and diffuse into muscle tissue for the purposes of preservation, flavor development, color stabilization, and microbial control.

Cure time is a critical factor in ensuring the safety, shelf life, and sensory attributes of cured meat products, including jerky, sausages, and other ready-to-eat meats.

Dehydration

The controlled removal of water from raw or processed food products to extend shelf life, reduce weight and volume, and inhibit microbial spoilage. Dehydration is a critical step in the production of jerky and other dried meat products, serving both a preservation and texture-modification function.

Dehydrator

A mechanical or electric device designed to remove moisture from food products, including meats, fruits, and vegetables, using controlled heat, airflow, and time. A dehydrator creates a consistent environment that facilitates drying, reduces water activity, and helps inhibit the growth of spoilage microorganisms and pathogens.

Double-Smoked

A meat processing technique in which a product undergoes two separate smoking cycles to intensify flavor, enhance color, and improve microbial stability.

This method is commonly applied to cured or dried meat products such as jerky, sausages, ham, and bacon, where smoke exposure is both a flavoring and preservative step.

Drip Loss

The amount of liquid that is released from meat during storage, handling, or thawing. It is a key indicator of water-holding capacity (WHC) and is typically measured as a percentage of the meat’s original weight lost in fluid over time under standardized conditions. Drip loss significantly affects meat quality characteristics such as appearance, texture, juiciness, and consumer appeal.

Dry Rub

A mixture of dry ingredients applied to the surface of raw meat to impart flavor, affect surface moisture, and enhance browning during cooking or dehydration. Unlike marinades, dry rubs contain no added liquids and adhere to the meat via moisture drawn from the meat’s surface or through manual pressing.

Drying Chamber

A controlled-environment enclosure used in food and meat processing to facilitate the uniform and safe removal of moisture from products such as jerky, sausages, and other dried meats. The chamber provides precisely regulated conditions for temperature, relative humidity (RH), and airflow to optimize moisture loss while ensuring product safety, shelf stability, and quality consistency.

Drying Rack

A drying rack is a structural component used in food and meat processing facilities to hold, support, and expose products to controlled airflow and temperature for the purpose of dehydration. Drying racks are designed to allow maximum surface area exposure to facilitate uniform moisture removal and prevent microbial growth associated with uneven drying. They are commonly used in conjunction with dehydration equipment such as drying chambers, smokehouses, or commercial ovens.

Exotic Jerky

A category of dried meat snacks made from animal species that fall outside the conventional livestock sources of beef, pork, chicken, or turkey. This includes, but is not limited to, meats derived from bison, deer, elk, ostrich, alligator, wild boar, kangaroo, and duck.

These products are processed into jerky using standard dehydration methods after pre-treatment with salt, curing agents, and marinades to ensure microbial safety and sensory quality.

Fermentation

A controlled biochemical process in which carbohydrates are metabolized by selected microorganisms to produce lactic acid and other metabolites.

This process lowers the pH of the meat product, enhancing preservation, improving safety by inhibiting spoilage and pathogenic organisms, and developing desirable sensory characteristics such as tangy flavor and firm texture.

Flank Steak

A boneless, flat, and relatively long cut of beef derived from the abdominal muscles of the cow, specifically the rectus abdominis, located within the primal plate section beneath the loin and sirloin. It is often used in making flank steak beef jerky.

Due to its coarse grain structure, flank steak is well-suited to marination, which can improve tenderness by enzymatic or acidic action prior to high-heat cooking methods such as grilling, broiling, or pan-searing.

Gluten-Free

Refers to meat snacks that do not contain a mixture of storage proteins primarily found in wheat, barley, rye, and their derivatives. Gluten can be introduced into jerky through ingredients such as soy sauce, marinades, spice blends, or via cross-contamination during processing.

For jerky to be legally labeled as gluten-free in the United States, it must comply with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) gluten-free labeling rule, which requires that gluten levels do not exceed 20 parts per million (ppm).

Grass-Fed

A livestock production method in which ruminant animals derive the majority or entirety of their nutrients from forage-based diets, such as grasses and legumes, rather than grain-based feed. Grass-fed meat, particularly beef, differs nutritionally from grain-fed counterparts. It is typically leaner, with lower total fat content and altered fatty acid composition.

Hickory-Smoked

A flavoring and preservation process in which food is exposed to smoke derived specifically from the combustion or thermal decomposition of hickory wood, a hardwood species commonly used in traditional American barbecue, like in hickory-smoked jerky and commercial smoking applications.

Handcrafted

A descriptive marketing and production term used to indicate that a food or beverage product is made with significant manual labor or oversight rather than exclusively by automated or industrialized processes.

Handcrafted typically refers to small-batch manufacturing methods that involve human involvement in trimming, seasoning, marinating, drying, or packaging to achieve artisanal quality and attention to detail.

Heat-Treated

The application of controlled thermal processing to food products to achieve specific functional or safety objectives, such as microbial reduction, protein denaturation, texture modification, or shelf-life extension. In meat products like jerky, sausages, or cooked hams, heat treatment is a critical step for ensuring food safety by inactivating pathogenic microorganisms.

Jalapeño

A cultivar of the species Capsicum annuum, widely recognized as a medium-heat chili pepper used in culinary, industrial, and processed food applications. Jalapeños are used fresh, pickled, dried (as chipotle), or incorporated into food products such as sauces, salsas, breads, and meat snacks.

Jerky Rack

A food-grade, multi-tiered framework or tray system used in meat processing to support and expose sliced or extruded meat evenly during the dehydration or smoking phase of jerky production.

Designed to optimize airflow, heat transfer, and moisture evaporation, jerky racks are integral to maintaining consistent drying rates, preventing microbial growth, and achieving uniform texture and appearance in the final product.

Kosher Jerky

A type of dried meat snack that has been prepared, processed, and certified in accordance with kashrut, the set of Jewish dietary laws derived from the Torah.

For a jerky product to be deemed kosher, all aspects of its ingredient sourcing, slaughtering, processing, and packaging must comply with rabbinical supervision and certification standards defined by recognized kosher-certifying authorities, such as the Orthodox Union, OK Kosher, or Kof-K (Kashrut Division).

Lean Cuts

Lean cuts refer to specific portions of meat that contain a relatively low amount of total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, typically trimmed from subprimal or retail cuts of beef, pork, poultry, or other species..

Lean cuts are widely used in processed meat products such as jerky, deli meats, and low-fat formulations due to their favorable nutrient profile and high lean muscle content, which contributes to higher protein density and lower caloric intake from fat.

Marbled Meat

Cuts of meat that contain visible intramuscular fat deposited between muscle fibers in thin streaks or flecks, giving the appearance of marble-like patterns.

This fat is distinct from subcutaneous or intermuscular fat and is a key indicator of meat quality, particularly in beef. Marbling directly affects eating attributes such as flavor, juiciness, and tenderness, and is a critical grading criterion in many meat quality assessment systems.

Marinade Time

The duration during which meat or poultry is exposed to a marinade, a liquid solution composed of components such as water, acid (e.g., vinegar, citric acid), salt, enzymes, and flavoring agents, to enhance flavor, tenderness, water-holding capacity, and in some cases, antimicrobial characteristics.

The effectiveness of marination is determined both by the composition of the marinade and the amount of time the meat remains in contact with the solution under controlled conditions.

Meat Slicer

A commercial food processing device engineered for the uniform cutting of meat products into consistent slices of pre-defined thickness. It utilizes a circular, rotating blade in conjunction with an adjustable carriage tray to deliver precision slicing while minimizing manual labor and product waste.

Mesquite

A group of deciduous hardwood trees and shrubs belonging to the genus Prosopis, primarily native to arid regions of North and Central America. Mesquite is widely used as a wood fuel for grilling and smoking meats due to its intensely aromatic, earthy, and slightly sweet smoke flavor, popular with mesquite beef jerky.

Meat Stick

A type of processed, ready-to-eat meat snack made from comminuted (ground or chopped) meat that has been seasoned, cured, and formed into a cylindrical shape, typically using a collagen or natural casing.

Meat sticks are thermally processed and often dehydrated or smoked to achieve microbial safety, shelf stability, and extended shelf life.

Oxidation

A set of chemical reactions in which oxygen interacts with lipids, pigments, or proteins in muscle tissue, leading to undesirable changes in color, flavor, odor, nutritional value, and shelf life.

It is one of the principal mechanisms of quality deterioration in fresh and processed meat products, particularly those exposed to air, heat, or light during processing and storage.

Prime Cuts

Prime cuts refer to premium portions of meat derived from specific anatomical locations of a carcass that are known for their tenderness, marbling, flavor, and overall eating quality. Prime cuts are typically sourced from high-value primal sections, such as the loin, rib, and sirloin, which undergo less mechanical stress and have finer muscle fibers.

Quality Grade

An official classification assigned to carcasses and cuts of meat based on factors that predict palatability, such as tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. The two principal criteria used to determine a quality grade are physiological maturity of the animal and the degree of intramuscular fat, or marbling, within the ribeye muscle.

Prime grade beef has abundant marbling and is typically sourced from younger animals, making it most suitable for high-end foodservice and retail, while lower grades have less marbling and may be tougher or used in processed meat products.

Shelf Life

The scientifically determined period of time during which a food product remains safe to consume, retains acceptable sensory characteristics, and maintains its declared nutritional quality under specified storage conditions.

Shelf life is influenced by factors such as microbial stability, moisture content, lipid oxidation, packaging barrier properties, and storage temperature.

Tenderized

The condition of meat that has undergone mechanical, enzymatic, or chemical processing to improve its tenderness by modifying muscle structure or enhancing the breakdown of connective tissue and myofibrillar proteins.

Tenderization is commonly applied to tougher cuts of meat to enhance palatability, reduce chewiness, and improve consumer acceptance, particularly in foodservice and processed meat applications such as jerky, steaks, and marinated products.

Umami

Umami is recognized as one of the five basic taste modalities, alongside sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, and is characterized by a savory, meaty, and broth-like flavor that results from the activation of specific taste receptors by glutamates and nucleotides. The term "umami" is derived from Japanese, meaning "pleasant savory taste," and was first scientifically identified by Kikunae Ikeda in 1908 after isolating glutamic acid from kombu broth.

USDA Certified

A regulatory designation indicating that a food product, facility, or agricultural process has met defined standards established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through inspection, verification, or certification programs.The term specifically refers to compliance with federal safety, labeling, processing, and quality regulations enforced by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) or other USDA-authorized agencies.

Vacuum Sealing

A packaging process that involves the removal of air from a package prior to sealing it, typically using specialized vacuum packaging equipment. Vacuum sealing is used to extend shelf life, maintain product quality, and inhibit oxidation and microbial growth by creating a low-oxygen environment around the product.