Looking for a tasty and easy snack? If you have tried beef jerky already, you know how easy it is to enjoy it. However, you know how pricey it is too. The fact that all types of beef jerky are expensive is what might lead lots of people to refrain from trying it. Nevertheless, as a beef jerky lover, you should know that the reasons why it is so expensive are justified. In case you do not know this, this article will help you out!
No matter the brand, beef jerky is expensive. The truth is that both the ingredients and preparation method are to blame for beef jerky’s cost. Keep reading to discover how these aspects affect the price of this amazing snack.
What Is Beef Jerky?
Beef Jerky, as suggested, is meat, but it needs to be trimmed, dehydrated, and cut into stripes to be considered jerky. Likewise, just whole-muscle meat can become beef jerky. The name, in Quechua, literally means “salted, dried meat”. Although it might sound simple to prepare, beef jerky is commonly expensive.
Nowadays, there are many types of beef jerky that include seasoning, marinara, and even brown sugar. The advantage of beef jerky is that it is always ready to eat (with no need for extra preparations), so these modern variations allow customers to enjoy a more customized flavor.
Beef jerky does not need refrigeration either. This is a reason why many people love carrying beef jerky with them when they travel or make any sports outdoors because it is so easy to eat.
Price Comparison
There are two major categories when speaking of beef jerky: High-end and low-end. On average, an ounce of high-end beef jerky costs $2.90, while the same quantity of low-end beef jerky costs $1.31. The difference might look insignificant, but in the long-term, consuming beef jerky as a habit ends up costing a lot.
Some of the most famous brands that sell beef jerky (and their prices) are:
- Jack Links’s – An 8-pack of original beef jerky (where the unit size is 3.25 oz) costs $36.99.
- Cattleman’s Cut – A 10 oz pack of original beef jerky costs approximately $17.
- Tillamook Country Smoker – A 6.5 oz pack of zero-sugar beef jerky costs $12.99.
- Hardtimes Real Beef Jerky – An 8 oz jar of original beef jerky costs $20.
Why Is Beef Jerky So Expensive?
As shown, most brands sell beef jerky for a high price in consideration of the quantity that comes with each package. There may be many reasons why this product costs a lot more than other snacks, but some of the most reasonable are beef jerky’s preparation method, which is very intense; the quality of the ingredients; and the complexity of the dehydration or smoking process. This being said, let’s review each of them carefully.
High-Quality Ingredients
The place from which every brand sources its beef is important to establish the final product’s price. Not only that, but the beef used to make beef jerky is also especially lean, with the less fat content as possible. The lesser fat a beef jerky possesses, the more expensive it is because it means it is of better quality. Be aware that most beef jerky has only between 3% and 6% of fat.
Likewise, other ingredients and their quality affect the price and taste of beef jerky. For example, spices sourced from high-quality suppliers produce more tasty beef jerky. Since the brand must pay every source the equivalent to its work, it is normal to think that the producer of beef jerky spends more than those who buy cheaper ingredients, but for less cost.
Some beef jerky makers add preservatives to their products. Although this is not ideal, ends up incrementing the price of low-quality beef jerky, which uses not as premium ingredients as high-quality beef jerky. In the end, both types of products cost more:
- Low-quality beef jerky because using additives increases the cost of production.
- High-quality beef jerky because even though it does not employ preservatives requires a more precise preparation method.
Preparation Method
The process to make beef jerky is particularly intensive, especially if automatic machinery is avoided. The preparation of even a small batch can take up to three days. Besides, twice or more of the final weight of the beef must be used to end up with a small batch of beef jerky (this is because most of the initial weight evaporates after cooking the beef).
According to this, producing a pound of beef jerky requires more than three pounds of raw meat. The final price of the beef jerky makes up for the cost of twice/thrice the raw material used.
Dehydration Or Smoking Process
Although dehydration was the method followed by original beef jerky makers, many people prefer smoking the beef nowadays, so let’s review both processes and their implications on the cost of the final product.
Dehydration
Two things are primarily important when speaking of dehydrating beef jerky: energy and time. Dehydrating beef takes a large amount of time, approximately 2 to 6 hours depending on the oven and beef’s thickness. The more time beef spend dehydrating, the more expensive it will be.
- Benefits of dehydrating: Dehydrating beef jerky lasts longer. This method is faster than smoking.
Smoking
As the name suggests, the smoking method uses smoke to cook the meat on a grill. As a result, smoking takes longer than if the fire was used instead. This method also requires a continuous increment of the grill’s heat, so it has to be watched most of the time to review the process.
- Benefits of smoking: Smoked beef jerky has a richer and more intense flavor. This method does not waste as much energy as dehydration.
Conclusion
Beef jerky is expensive because it requires twice the meat to make and the process to make it is very long, plus it can waste a lot of energy. Do not let the simplicity of the product distract you from the fact that many factors influenced its preparation so you could enjoy this ready-to-eat snack at any time. On the good side, when you buy from a high-quality beef jerky maker, you can be sure of getting a premium product that is worth your money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you add salt to the beef jerky?
Salt is added to the meat while it is dehydrating to avoid the growth of bacteria.
How do I know if the beef jerky I buy has additives?
This information usually appears on the nutritional content of the product.
Also, Read
