Making Primitive Jerky
Making primitive jerky was an essential skill on the American frontier.
“we Sent out Drewyer, Shannon Colter & Collins to hunt with derections to return if the Wind Should lul, if not to Continue the hunt all day except they killed Elk or bear Sooner &c. we had the dried meat which was cured at our last encampment below exposed to the Sun.” -Capitan William Clark - April, 1806
This excerpt from the Lewis and Clark journal is just one of many primary sources that reveal the widespread practice of drying meat in order to preserve it on the American frontier. Since there was no refrigeration, meat had to be dried to prevent it from spoiling. During that time period this dried meat was often referred to as jerky, jerk, or simply dried meat. Common meats used to make jerk included deer, elk, and bison. Meats like bear and raccoon contained too much fat for making good jerk, and as a result were often only eaten fresh. Primary sources indicate dried meat was widely consumed by mountain men, long hunters, Native Americans, and many others on the American frontier. If you are reading my new book Shinin’ Times, you might be wondering how Jemmey actually made the jerk while in camp.
Thanks to modern technology there is abundant information on the subject of making primitive jerky today. Rather than reinvent the wheel, I’ve collected a few different resources to show the process.
Here is a good video that was released by Outdoor Life. It features renowned bushcrafter Tim MacWelch and covers the basics of the process.
Another good video was created and released by Ray Mears. It contains much of the same information as the Tim MacWelch video, but does offer some different advice.
Yet another video on the subject was put on Youtube by the popular Townsends channel. It does an excellent job talking about history and showing the process in great detail. Definitely worth a watch to see how making primitive jerky would have been done on the American frontier.
Having dried meat in a similar way myself, I can personally attest to the practicality of jerking meat primitively. In fact, I would say that the jerky I have made primitively is the best jerky I have ever eaten. It has a great natural flavor, good texture, and is a real treat.
It is important to note that properly drying the meat is important, and there are some risks to making primitive jerky. I once came across a source claiming improperly dried meat can produce botulism (a deadly bacteria). Also, meat that is improperly dried can spoil and become a host to other bacteria. As always, if you want to try practicing this primitive skill you do so at your own risk.
If you are interested in learning more about the American frontier, or just looking for a good entertaining book, you might enjoy the second book in my History of the West series Shinin’ Times. If you are already reading it, hopefully now you’ll have a better idea of how the events in the story actually unfolded.
