Should I Refrigerate Ground Beef Jerky

Unopened beefiness hasty does non crave refrigeration.

One time a package has been opened, however, the moisture level of the jerky determines if refrigeration is required. Hasty with a high wet level is not shelf-stable when exposed to oxygen and requires refrigeration.

This jerky will have a "Refrigerate After Opening" statement on the packet. Any jerky without this statement is 100% shelf-stable after opening and does not require refrigeration.

How to Store Beef Jerky

The ideal way to store beefiness hasty is an air-tight container saved in a cool, dry place such as a pantry or kitchen cabinet.

Beefiness jerky, as a fully-cooked, shelf-stable food, is very durable and can withstand virtually conditions. Merely to maintain top flavor and freshness, it'southward important to store beefiness jerky properly. The optimal atmospheric condition to store beef jerky are dry, cool, and free from straight sunlight.

Hither are a few things to keep in mind to make beef jerky last.

1. Store your beefiness jerky in an air-tight container.

Oxygen is the enemy of fresh beef jerky.

Minimizing contact with air volition meliorate the shelf life and freshness of the jerky. Information technology will likewise remove any variables in the environs that the hasty might come into contact with such as humidity, heat, and other gases.

For Unopened Packages

The original packaging is your all-time bet when it comes to commercial beef jerky. During the packaging process in a commercial facility, nearly all of the oxygen is removed from the inside of the package. That petty white packet in the bag? That's an oxygen absorber which scavenges and removes all free oxygen from the bag.

One of the main differences between commercial jerky and homemade hasty is the packaging quality. Commercial jerky lasts longer because of the quality of packaging. Commercial jerky is also fabricated to specific dryness parameters that volition ensure shelf life.

For Opened Packages

Once a bundle is open, it'south even more important to go on the jerky away from air. Most jerky bags volition come with a resealable enclosure. This makes things easy.  If the bundle does non come with a zipper, we recommend transferring the jerky to a ziplock bag. Don't forget to remove every bit much air as possible.

PRO TIP

Use the zip lock closing trick to remove every bit much oxygen equally possible. Hither's how: seal the purse except for a small corporeality in the middle. Suck every bit much air as possible with your mouth and seal the bag quickly. You lot'll be amazed with how much air you lot can remove.

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2. Go on your air-tight container of beefiness jerky at ambient temperature.

Temperature can as well negatively affect beef jerky. High heat can cause condensation within the bag of jerky, both opened and unopened, which can cause mold. It'south not just rut, though. Fluctuations in temperature, from hot to common cold and common cold to hot, can as well negatively touch on the jerky. These rapid changes tin negatively touch the gustatory modality, texture, and color.

Are you worried nearly mold? Read ourGuide to Mold on Beefiness Jerky.

Platonic temperature conditions for beef jerky storage are between 40°F and 75°F. Sustained fourth dimension above or beneath these temperatures can have negative furnishings on the texture and freshness of the jerky. The ideal storage location, when it comes to temperature, is a pantry or kitchen drawer.

If yous're trying to store your beef jerky for longer, you can freeze your beefiness jerky. Freezing is a slap-up option to keep hasty longer than i year, simply keep in mind, the hasty will lose texture, flavor, and freshness one time frozen.

Learn more than nearlyFreezing Beef Jerky.

iii. Keep your beefiness jerky out of the dominicus.

Beef jerky does not similar direct sunlight, peculiarly for a long catamenia of time.

Beginning, sunlight causes heat damage. The increased temperature of existence in the sun can cause mold on a beef jerky. Secondly, the sunlight can denature the hasty causing information technology to lose color and freshness. A footling exposure to the sunday is not a problem, but extended time in directly sunlight volition damage the jerky.

Why doesn't unopened beefiness jerky need to be refrigerated?

The hush-hush is in the dehydration.

During the cooking and drying process, moisture is removed from the meat. This makes beefiness jerky lightweight, food dense, and shelf stable. The term shelf stable means that the production does not crave refrigeration and can be safely stored at room temperature in a sealed container.

From a scientific perspective. Different types of enzymes—bacterial, fungal, or naturally occurring in the meat—require h2o to survive and replicate on food. Through the removal of moisture, these enzymes are unable to grow and contaminate the food, thus preserving the food.

So why does some jerky require refrigeration after opening?

The advent of modern food packaging—specifically, vacuum sealing, nitrogen flushing, and oxygen absorber—allows jerky makers to create a manner of jerky that contains more moisture. The oxygen free environment of the packaging prevents any potential bug that come along with additional h2o activity. This changes, even so, when the package has been opened and exposed to the ambient air. At this indicate, due to the level of wet, it must be refrigerated.

The good news is that whatever packaging that requires refrigeration volition exist conspicuously labelled. If the hasty package does not accept whatsoever linguistic communication around refrigeration, it does not require cool storage and can be stored in the ambience temperature.

What about homemade jerky?

Our discussion has focused primarily on shop-bought jerky.

Homemade jerky is different from commercial hasty in both the processing and the packaging. Information technology is recommended to store homemade jerky in the fridge from the beginning.

Unless you are able to measure the water activity of the jerky and determine information technology to be at an adequate level of under 0.85, then it is best to keep homemade hasty in the fridge.

Every bit a general rule of thumb, homemade jerky will last between ane-2 months in the refrigerator.

Storing Beef Jerky in Bricklayer Jars

Bricklayer jars are a great way to preserve a diversity of foods from pickles, jams, jellies, and grains. Information technology's not ideal, however, for beef hasty. It's difficult to remove all of the oxygen from a mason jar. The air that occupies the space around the jerky tin cause the jerky to lose freshness and flavor.

Bricklayer jars are a artistic and fun manner to serve beefiness jerky. When it comes to storing beef hasty, stick to plastic numberless and other containers that can remove more than oxygen.

Bottom Line

Dehydration is i of the world'due south oldest and near common methods of preserving food. Drying was a method to keep food for future consumption in pre-refrigeration days. From the aboriginal Egyptians to Native Americans, jerky has been enjoyed for centuries. Traditional jerky is dried to such a level that it does not crave refrigeration or special packaging.

The shelf stability of beefiness jerky has made information technology a favorite snack of backpackers, campers, and outdoor sports enthusiasts akin. Unopened jerky requires no refrigeration, lasts a long time, and boasts nutritional density.

Once a package has been opened, make certain to check for any statements that bespeak "air-condition later opening." If y'all run into this argument, and the package has been left without refrigeration for more than three days, nosotros recommend throwing information technology out.

If y'all're unsure if your beef jerky is still prophylactic to eat, check out our guide Does Beef Jerky Go Bad.

Looking for a new beefiness jerky?

We bring the one-time school to the new school. Our jerky is handcrafted in a family tradition that spans four generations and 90+ years in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. A tradition built on quality ingredients and a handmade process that delivers a better-quality, amend-tasting, meliorate-for-you hasty. This is non gas station junk food. This is not a trendy snack concocted for product benefits instead of flavor. This is real food, fabricated by real people. Small batch, artisan-quality beefiness hasty delivered directly to your door.

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Source: https://peopleschoicebeefjerky.com/blogs/news/does-beef-jerky-need-to-be-refrigerated

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