Exactly how long does beef jerky last in the fridge? Today, beef jerky is a popular food item amongst outdoor adventurers. It’s inherently designed to remain edible for a long time. It’s important to find out how long it is actually edible when stored under certain conditions, so let’s discover how long it takes before your favorite beef jerky goes bad!
How Long Does Beef Jerky Last In The Fridge?
There is no definitive answer to this question, as it depends on a variety of factors including the type of jerky, how it was stored, and what other foods are present. If stored in a dark pantry, jerky in ziplock type bags will last about one week. In a refrigerator, jerky will last about 1-2 weeks.
How to Make Beef Jerky Last Longer
There are a few things you can do to help lengthen the shelf life of beef jerky while maintaining the best flavor.
Lean Meat
For best results, use lean meat and trim all visible fat before drying. This will help to keep the jerky fresh and free from spoilage.
Cure
Commercial producers use a cure consisting of sodium nitrite to keep their jerky from spoiling for 1 year. This prevents bacteria that could survive in meat that is only dried, not cooked. It is not necessary to use a cure when making homemade recipes, and most do not include one.
This is why you should heat homemade jerky to 160 degrees F, which will help keep the jerky bacteria-free. To include a cure in your recipe, you can purchase a popular cure at your local supermarket such as Prague Powder #1. Nitrite is a common additive in cures for making jerky. It gives the product that characteristic red color and alters the taste to make it more like beef jerky.
Drying
To make the most of your jerky’s shelf life, follow these storage tips: dry it until it is slightly crispy on the outside but still moist inside, and store in an air-tight container. The National Center for Home Food Preservation recommends that dehydrated meat in a sealed container can last at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Storage
Commercial beef jerky manufacturers make sure there is no oxygen in their finished product packaging in order to keep the meat fresh and delicious.
The process of packaging meat with nitrogen to remove oxygen is normally used before inserting the meat into a package and sealing it. To keep your jerky fresh for a longer time, it’s a good idea to follow these best practices: you don’t need nitrogen to make it, and it’s important to store it in a cool and dry place.
Allow the jerky to cool for several hours before storing in airtight containers. You can also store it for a day or two in a paper bag to help expel any existing moisture, which will help it last longer. This can be done before storing in an airtight container.
Add an oxygen absorber to your plastic bag or canning jar to help prevent bacterial growth. This will extend the shelf life of your jerky. To prevent spoilage, vacuum pack your homemade jerky using a vacuum packaging device. These devices are relatively inexpensive and can be found at most stores.
The best way to store jerky is to put it in a dark, cool place like a pantry. Do not leave it in direct sunlight as this can cause condensation within the bag and mold may form.
Making a big batch of jerky is not the best practice because it can be difficult to eat it all within a month or two. It is better to make smaller batches and have more control over how much jerky each person gets.
If water droplets appear inside your jerky bag, it means that the jerky was not dried long enough. Remove the jerky and dehydrate for a longer time. To keep jerky for a longer period of time (1 to 2 months), you can freeze it. Freezing does not change the taste of jerky, but it is still possible to enjoy the original flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions About How Long Does Beef Jerky Last In The Fridge
How Long Does Beef Jerky Last After Opening?
If you open an airtight bag of jerky, it will need to be consumed within 1 week. Unopened beef jerky often lasts two months in vacuum-sealed containers, but after opening it is recommended that you eat it within three days.
If you have purchased beef jerky in the past, always check the expiration date on the package. The expiration date is usually located on the bottom seal of the bag. Even though the beef jerky is past its best-by date, it’s still safe to eat. The best-by date simply indicates when the jerky is at its freshest. If you find any tears or rips in the jerky package, this can be an indicator that the jerky has gone bad, as moisture has entered the bag.
Does beef jerky go bad in the fridge?
How long does beef jerky last in the fridge? If you vacuum-seal your jerky, it will last about 1 to 2 months in the pantry and even more in the fridge. If the jerky has not been exposed to extreme temperatures, 1-2 weeks at room temperature is realistic, but about a month in the fridge is also possible.
Can you get sick from eating old beef jerky?
One of the worst things to eat is spoiled meat, and such bad meat can lead to food poisoning. Some of the symptoms of this type of food poisoning are nausea, abdominal pain, headaches, and gastrointestinal problems. If you’ve eaten bad jerky recently then you may also experience a rise in your body temperature or an infection due to bacteria that has grown on the jerky.
Can you eat beef jerky after 3 days?
For unopened jerky, it should retain its quality for at least a couple of months past the best-by date on the label. After opening, it is recommended that you eat it within three days.
How do you make jerky last years?
Making high quality jerky is important for storing it for a long time. Seal the beef jerky in an airtight container to prevent air from spoiling it. To remove as much oxygen as possible, use the zip lock closing trick. Seal the bag with a small hole in the center, leaving a small opening to allow air to escape. Suck the air out of the bag as quickly as possible. You’ll be surprised at how much air you can remove this way.
Once the airtight and insulated package is ready, the last step is to put the beef jerky into the freezer. Place the vacuum-sealed, wrapped jerky in a freezer bag and store it in the freezer. Freezing foods slows the movement of molecules, which inhibits the growth of microorganisms.
What happens if I eat moldy beef jerky?
For most people, consuming a small amount of moldy beef jerky will not cause any symptoms. However, if you are in doubt or if symptoms occur, contact a medical professional immediately.
Should you refrigerate homemade jerky?
Dried meat products, such as beef jerky, are high in protein and can be stored without refrigeration. Usually, homemade jerky lasts about two weeks when stored at normal room temperature in a sealed container.
Can jerky grow mold?
If jerky is not properly dried, the moisture level of the jerky will cause mold spores to grow. Jerky should have around 90% to 95% of the moisture removed during drying in order to avoid this problem.
How do you store jerky long term?
To increase the shelf life of jerky, it can be stored in a sealed container in either the refrigerator or freezer.
What does beef jerky smell like?
If any of the following smells are detected, the jerky should be discarded: fermentation, mold or rancid fat.
Why is there white stuff on my beef jerky?
If you see any white spots on your beef jerky, make sure to identify the source of the spot. Mold can be a sign that the jerky should be discarded, while fat and salt particles on the outside of beef jerky are safe to eat.
How long does deer jerky last?
Storing jerky in a cool, dry place will keep it for up to a month. Storing it in the refrigerator will keep it for up to 6 months and freezing will keep it for up to a year.
How do you make a jerky shelf stable?
Choose lean cuts of meat when making your jerky. These cuts have little connective tissue, which means they will not spoil as quickly and will have a long shelf life. To make thin slices of meat, cut it into 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices. You can partially freeze the meat for easier slicing (about an hour in the freezer), or have your butcher slice it for you.
Heat the jerky to 160 degrees F. Jerky must be dried at a low temperature in order to prevent it from becoming too dry. If the environment is too hot, the meat will form a crust that prevents moisture from evaporating. Too much heat can ruin the jerky making process.
Electric smokers are great for making jerky because they maintain a consistent low temperature very well. Store jerky in a sealed ziplock bag to keep it fresh. Package the jerky while it is still warm, to prevent condensation from forming and softening the meat.
Why does homemade beef jerky mold?
The main culprits for mold growth in jerky are moisture and oxygen. If not enough moisture is removed from the meat during the drying process, then mold will most likely form. Jerky should have around 90% to 95% of its original moisture removed during drying in order to prevent this from happening.
Can you wash mold off meat?
The USDA says that it is perfectly normal for food products stored at room temperature to sometimes have signs of mold on the surface. As such, it is safe to scrape off the mold from the surface and consume the meat underneath.
Do you need to cure smoked jerky?
For safety, jerky recipes do not need to be cured if the beef is heated to 160°F. However, it is another line of defense against bacterial growth and allows your jerky to last longer on store shelves.
About Beef Jerky
The jerky recipe has its roots in North America, long before the settlers first arrived with their English recipes. Naturally existing tribes that lived off the land had to sometimes spend weeks without any supplies traveling across vast distances, so long-lasting nutrition was a must. These Native Americans would marinate meat in salt and seasonings while it was still fresh.
After this they would place the strips of raw meat onto frames made using sticks and green wood, then hang them out to dry in large baskets above ground where smoke from a fire would cure them even further. It is believed that these methods have been passed down from generation to generation over 150 years.
Wrap Up
Native Americans have long used preservation techniques to keep meat edible. This process has evolved into a snack food that many people enjoy.
Beef jerky is a type of food that does not go bad easily. Unlike other perishable food products, the best-by date on beef jerky refers to the period of peak freshness. After the best-by date, it usually begins to lose flavor, texture and freshness.
Take care and stay healthy. Thanks for reading.
