One of the reasons people came up with jerky was that they were trying to develop a good source of protein that’ll last longer than a few days. Hence the idea of freezing jerky may seem strange.
And yes, it indeed makes more sense to make a badge small enough that you’ll be able to eat it in the month or so jerky usually lasts. But estimating the right amount while making your homemade jerky is a hard task, and having made far more than you wanted isn’t anything to be ashamed of.
So can beef jerky be frozen? Yes, beef jerky can be frozen just like basically all meat products. There are obviously some downsides to doing that, though, and this topic is overall more complex.
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Is it ok to freeze beef jerky?
Firstly, we’d like to address the elephant in the room in case somebody missed it – freezing jerky usually doesn’t make sense because it is made to last long periods in the first place.
That being said, there are situations why it is reasonable, like when you make too much homemade jerky while trying to prepare it for the first time, and yes, you can freeze beef jerky then.
What happens if you freeze beef jerky?
But as it goes with frozen food, you must expect it to lose some of its delicious flavor and texture, although that change should be nearly unnoticeable.
Beef jerky simply freezes very well, and the only “problem” regarding freezing is just the fact that there aren’t many situations in which it makes sense to do that.
Does beef jerky expire in the freezer?
Of course, it does, but it’s hard when it will happen, just because it depends on many factors, including the quality of meat or the amount of salt used.
It can be surely said that your frozen beef jerky won’t expire sooner than after six months, provided you hadn’t made any crucial mistake while making/storing it, though.
How long does beef jerky last in the freezer?
As we’ve touched in the answer above, beef jerky will last a long, long time in the freezer, but it is a challenging task to point precisely to the day after which it shouldn’t be touched.
With that in mind, you should remember that it is unlikely your jerky will last longer than a year even while frozen and even a year is probably too much. Therefore, it is better to thoroughly check your beef jerky before eating it after having it in the freezer for, let’s say, 6, 7 months.
How to renew beef jerky from the freezer?
Renewing your beef jerky after taking it out from the freezer isn’t anything complicated because there aren’t any special tricks needed to be done. Just put the frozen jerky into a warm environment for a while, and you’re ready to eat it again.
Can you freeze dry beef jerky?
Yeah, you can freeze dry beef jerky; just remember that you don’t need to do that if you’re not looking after ways to store your jerky for many months.
Summary
There isn’t absolutely anything stopping you from freezing your beef jerky. It freezes well, without any severe consequences on its taste.
That being said, you should ask yourself whether you need to freeze your jerky since it can be stored for a long time, even without that.
Related:
- Does Beef Jerky Need to Be Refrigerated?
- Can Beef Jerky Mold?
- Can Beef Jerky Go Bad in Heat?
- Can You Dehydrate Jerky Twice?
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Image credits – Canva
