What’s the Driest, Toughest Jerky? Old-Fashioned Beef Jerky

Compared to other meat snacks, beef jerky is the toughest and chewiest, but that’s not a bad thing. Chewy jerky is full of flavor that pours into your mouth as you chew on it. The toughness of the meat also means you can chew and enjoy it longer.

If you want the toughest and driest beef jerky, you can’t go wrong with old-fashioned beef jerky. Have you never heard of old-fashioned beef jerky? Keep reading to discover what the beloved snack is.

What Is Old-Fashioned Beef Jerky?

Beef jerky is strips of seasoned and dried beef. Compared to other types of beef jerky, old-fashioned jerky is the driest and chewiest. Some people refer to old-fashioned jerky as cowboy-style jerky because cowboys dried cuts of beef to preserve them. The cowboys then traveled with these dried beef strips and relied on them for sustenance while on the prairie.

Beef jerky made the perfect meal for cowboys who spent weeks on the prairies because the meat was lightweight and portable. Also, the dried meat didn’t need cooking before consumption and had a long lifespan due to its low moisture content.

Historians believe that the cowboy-style jerky recipe came from the early settlers who learned it from the Native Americans who originally inhabited the Americas. According to foodpreserving.org, beef jerky was introduced to North America by the Quechua peoples who lived in the Andes Mountains of Peru.

While most old-fashioned beef jerky makers have individual recipes, preparing the meat usually follows a similar process. The process typically involves cutting the meat into thin strips and salting the strips. The meat then undergoes smoking to dry and flavor it. The drying process could be dehydrating the meat under the sun or in an oven, wood smoker, or dehydrator.

Why Try It?

Besides being the toughest beef jerky, the unique texture, nutrient and flavor profile make old-fashioned jerky the go-to snack for the following individuals:

Old Timers

If you’ve had trouble finding jerky that tastes as good as the ones you remember from your childhood, you should try old-fashioned beef jerky. Our old-fashioned jerky relies on simple seasonings, quality meat, and proven drying processes to deliver tasty beef strips.

The clean ingredients of our old-fashioned jerky also ensure that people of all ages can savor the product without worries.

Adventurers

Old-fashioned beef jerky makes an energy-rich snack for hikers, campers, anglers, mountain climbers, and other outdoorsy folks. That’s because our old-fashioned jerky offers 80 calories per serving to help energize you as you conquer the wilderness.

Old-fashioned jerky is also excellent for road trip adventures. You can enjoy the dry beef strips on the road, and they’re a great snack for passengers to enjoy. You also don’t have to worry about leaving crumbs or food stains in your car when feasting on the driest beef jerky.

Snack Lovers

Old-fashioned jerky is a favorite among individuals who love snacking in between meals. Thanks to the toughness of the meat, you can enjoy snacking without overeating. Even better, snacking on old-fashioned jerky won’t fill you with empty calories. Instead, you will get valuable nutrients like protein, iron, and calcium.

Fitness Enthusiasts

Old-fashioned beef jerky is ideal for fitness enthusiasts because its sodium content can help regulate hydration. Working out with low sodium levels can lead to dehydration, muscle cramps, and other problems. Old-fashioned jerky’s protein content can also help muscle repair and growth.

Characteristics of Authentic Old-Fashioned Beef Jerky

Several old-fashioned jerky products are available, but only a handful of brands offer beef jerky that you can call old-fashioned or cowboy style. If you want authentic old-fashioned beef jerky, go for a product that has a:

Longer, Tougher Chew

Old-fashioned jerky should be the toughest beef jerky you’ve ever had. The toughness should not make the meat unpleasant. Instead, the dried meat should be pleasantly chewy. Depending on the old-fashioned jerky and your chew strength, you may need at least 15 chews to soften a bite of old-fashioned jerky. Each chew should release a burst of delicious concentrated jerky flavor in your mouth.

Dry Texture

It’s not old-fashioned beef jerky if your jerky has a moist exterior or crumbly texture. Authentic old-fashioned jerky has a dry and leathery exterior. The dried strip of meat should subtly crunch when you bite into it. Also, instead of breaking, it should tear when you pull it. Even though the surface of the meat is dry, the interior should be soft enough to chew.

100% Real Beef

Premium old-fashioned beef jerky should contain 100% real beef and no fillers. At Wild River, we only serve old-fashioned beef jerky made with premium cuts of 100% beef.

Find Your Flavor with Wild River

If you want flavor-packed beef jerky that you can chew and savor for long periods, you can’t do better than old-fashioned beef jerky. At Wild River, our old-fashioned jerky is among the toughest and driest beef jerky you can find, and it’s pleasantly chewy and delicious.

We offer several tasty and nutritious old-fashioned beef jerky flavors so that you can pick the one that best fits your palate. If you love jerky with a kick to it, try our Hot Old-Fashioned Beef Jerky or Green Chile Old-Fashioned Beef Jerky.

Do you prefer less spice? If so, you can’t go wrong with our Black Pepper Old-Fashioned Beef Jerky or Mild Old-Fashioned Beef Jerky. Contact us today to order or get your favorite old-fashioned jerky at one of these retail outlets.