Food - Drink
The Best Cuts Of Meat For Jerky
By JOHN TOLLEY
Jerky comes from the word charqui or ch’arki, from the Quechua language of the Inca, which means "dried" and "thin." It refers to the treatment of meat that has been preserved with salt and dried in the sun and high-altitude Andean air.
The Incas first used the meat from domesticated llamas and alpacas until the Europeans arrived and introduced meat from other livestock. Fast forward to the present, and beef is the most prevalent type of meat used for jerky.
Rather than reaching for a cut marbled with flavorful fat, jerky cuts need to be as lean as possible. The round, a primal consisting of a good portion of a cow's hind leg and rump, leads to the best cuts of jerky, such as the eye of round, top round, and outside round.
Those looking to add more fish to their diet might try salmon jerky, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and packs bold flavors. For hunters, jerky is a great option to preserve lean game meats, and recipes include venison, duck, goose, and wild boar.
