Storing
October 2nd, 2008Although it might be the most important step in making homemade jerky, the storing process is one that is often neglected and misunderstood. The following information are excellent guidelines in helping you to properly store jerky after the cooking process to ensure a quality snack for the longest time possible.
MEAT
Before you store your jerky, always make sure that it has completely cooled. If you do not do this it will sweat and mold will set in.
The following are ways you may preserve your jerky:
* Shrink wrap – a material made up of plastic film. When heat is applied to this material it shrinks tightly over whatever it was covering.
* Skin Pack – a type of carded packaging where a product is placed on a piece of paperboard, and a thin sheet of transparent plastic is placed over the product and paperboard.
* Plastic wrap – a thin plastic film typically used for sealing food items in containers to keep them fresh. Plastic wrap, typically sold on rolls in boxes with a cutting edge, clings to many smooth surfaces and can thus remain tight over the opening of a container with no adhesive or other device.
* Vacuum packing – a method of storing food and presenting it for sale. Appropriate types of food are stored in an airless environment, usually in an airtight pack or bottle to prevent the growth of microorganisms. The vacuum environment removes atmospheric oxygen, protecting the food from spoiling. Vacuum packaging products using plastic bags, canisters, bottles, or mason jars are available for home use.
* Vacuum pouches are used in conjunction with vacuum packaging equipment to reduce the atmosphere in a package to protect and preserve the freshness of food products, such as meat and poultry, seafood, produce and cheese. Vacuum pouches are also used to keep other non-food products (e.g. medical and pharmaceutical items) sterile and to prevent oxidation.
The benefits of vacuum packaging in vacuum pouches include:
* Increased shelf-life of food products:
* Prevention of product degradation and protection from oxidation:
* Protection against contact and contamination:
* Various types of vacuum pouches include:
* Side-seal Vacuum Pouches
* Zipper/Resealable Vacuum Pouches
* Metalized Vacuum Pouches
* Stand-up Vacuum Pouches
* (Boil-in-Bags) Vacuum Pouches
* Safe Handling Vacuum Pouches
If you know you are not going to eat your jerky for several months up to a year or plus, you will want to package it very tightly and place in the freezer.
Commercially packaged jerky can be kept 12 months out of freezer.
Home-dried jerky can be stored 1 to 2 months out of freezer.
Unsalted jerky should be refrigerated and used within two weeks.
FRUIT
Roll it up in its plastic wrap, put it in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
18 Responses »
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I was wondering what method of storage would allow the longest shelf life (without freezing).
Thanks for the response Ken. To answer your question, you must keep the beef jerky in a cool and dry place (away from any UV lights) to be most effective and get the longest shelf life possible. A kitchen cupboard will do just fine, it also depends on the nature of the beef jerky and what kind of preservatives were used when making it. Hopefully this was of help to you. Visit us again soon.
It seems to me that most of the recipes call for items that contain plenty of salt without adding extra salt. Items such as soy sauce, tenderizer, etc.
After reading this, it appears the extra salt is a preservative. Is there anything else that can be considered a preservative? I just don’t really like salty jerky.
PLMK
Thank you
Terri, thanks for visiting the site and leaving a comment. While most all jerky consists of some form of preservative such as the ones you mentioned, it isn’t completely necessary to add them. You can help preserve and prolong the life of the jerky by doing other things like storing it in a cool and dry place. You should also remove any air from the container or bag you’re are placing it in, some people have even had success by refrigerating it, but I don’t do that. A side note is not to use salt of any kind, but to use some low sodium soy sauce sparingly.
Hopefully this has answered your question.
Have a great day.
website – — http://www.wedlinydomowe.com – - – says you should store jerky in a container where the tops have holes punched in them to prevent mold ??? versus airtight as you reccommend ????????????
Thanks for the question Skip, airtight is always the way to go when storing jerky. That’s why most beef jerky bags have either an oxidation packet in them or they are vacuum sealed. Oxygen is the enemy of beef jerky, along with moisture. Your absolute easiest and best bet is to store it in a sealable baggy that has had the air removed from it and put it in a cooler dark place, somewhere around 70 degrees or so.
Hope this answered your question and cleared up any confusion.
Thanks again for visiting BeefJerkyRecipes.com
I just need clarification, are you storing your jerky in airtight containers in a cupboard at 70 degrees for serveral months? a year? and not in the refrigerator or freezer? A friend of mine was told by a home extension agent to refrigerate only but that could be because they can’t be sure of the processing techniques.
D Johnson,
Yes, we recommend storing your jerky in a moisture and oxygen free sealed baggy or container at a room temperature of about 70 degrees or so. A year would be pushing it, however, a couple of months should be just fine. Especially if the jerky has a natural preservative in it like salt. Refrigeration can be done, but it isn’t going to keep the jerky any longer. It does alter the taste quite frequently however. Remember that jerky is a meat and that cooking it and then freezing it and thawing it again for consumption will have similar effects as any other meat.
Hope this answered your question.
Thanks for visiting and we hope to see you again soon.
When storing your jerky in an air tight container , lets say in a pantry, is it beneficial to get the oxidation packets? Or is the air tight container enough?
Thanks for the question,
An air tight container would be enough, however, any additional help such as an oxidation would better.
Thanks for visiting BeefJerkyRecipes.com
Hi, would rock salt be a fine replacement for curing salt?
also, am i able to vacuum seal the bag my jerky is in and keep it for say a year?
what about putting some dry ice into the bag and letting it melt, removing all the oxygine, and then vacume sealing the bag?
I use sodium nitrate when making beef jerky and now I make Chicken Jerky and its outselling beef jerky. I worry about bacteria since I dont use any nitrates. I marinate in a soy sauce/hickory salt combo and dry to 155 over 3-4 hours. Why dont I see any chicken jerky in stores and is chicken jerky safe?
Patrick,
We’ve never heard of that approach to vacuum sealing a bag so we can’t say whether or not it will work. I can say on the other hand that our current storage techniques are proven to work.
regarding vacuum sealing …… would the oxidation pack and vacuum make for a longer shelf life , i.e. a year or so?
I MAKE DEER JERKY WITH STORE BOUGHT SEASONING/CURING AND LIKE TO KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL LAST AND WOULD LIKKE TO KNOW WAY TO SHIP IN MAIL AND WERE I COULD BUY THE OXIDATION PACKS.tHANK yOU WE LOVE YOUR SITE
I put my beef jerky in plastic baggies after it has cooled. The next morning when I get up it has sweated in the bag so it is all wet and sticky. What can I do to prevent that?
If it’s sweating in the bag it isn’t cooked long enough. It still has too much moisture in it.