What Happens if You Dont Refrigerate Beef Jerky

Unopened beefiness jerky does non crave refrigeration.

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

This jerky will accept a "Refrigerate Afterward Opening" statement on the bundle. Any jerky without this argument is 100% shelf-stable subsequently opening and does not require refrigeration.

How to Shop Beefiness Jerky

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

Beef jerky, as a fully-cooked, shelf-stable food, is very durable and tin can withstand almost conditions. Only to maintain peak flavor and freshness, it's important to store beef jerky properly. The optimal conditions to store beefiness jerky are dry, cool, and free from direct 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 will better the shelf life and freshness of the jerky. It volition also remove any variables in the surroundings that the jerky might come into contact with such as humidity, estrus, and other gases.

For Unopened Packages

The original packaging is your best bet when it comes to commercial beef jerky. During the packaging procedure in a commercial facility, nearly all of the oxygen is removed from the inside of the package. That little white package 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 jerky is the packaging quality. Commercial jerky lasts longer because of the quality of packaging. Commercial jerky is likewise made to specific dryness parameters that will ensure shelf life.

For Opened Packages

Once a package is open, it'southward even more important to go on the jerky away from air. Most jerky bags will come with a resealable enclosure. This makes things easy.  If the parcel does not come up with a attachment, we recommend transferring the hasty to a ziplock bag. Don't forget to remove equally much air as possible.

PRO TIP

Utilize the zip lock closing trick to remove as much oxygen every bit possible. Here'due south how: seal the purse except for a small amount in the eye. Suck every bit much air as possible with your mouth and seal the bag quickly. You'll be amazed with how much air you can remove.

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2. Keep your air-tight container of beef jerky at ambient temperature.

Temperature can as well negatively touch beef jerky. High heat can cause condensation within the bag of jerky, both opened and unopened, which can cause mold. It's not just heat, though. Fluctuations in temperature, from hot to cold and cold to hot, tin besides negatively touch the jerky. These rapid changes can negatively impact the gustation, texture, and colour.

Are y'all worried about mold? Read ourGuide to Mold on Beef Jerky.

Ideal temperature conditions for beefiness jerky storage are betwixt forty°F and 75°F. Sustained time higher up or below these temperatures tin accept 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 beefiness jerky for longer, you can freeze your beefiness jerky. Freezing is a swell option to go along hasty longer than one year, but keep in mind, the jerky volition lose texture, flavor, and freshness once frozen.

Learn more nighFreezing Beef Jerky.

3. Keep your beef jerky out of the sunday.

Beef hasty does not like direct sunlight, especially for a long menstruum of time.

Offset, sunlight causes heat damage. The increased temperature of being in the sun tin can cause mold on a beef jerky. Secondly, the sunlight can denature the jerky causing it to lose color and freshness. A trivial exposure to the dominicus is not a problem, but extended time in direct sunlight will damage the jerky.

Why doesn't unopened beef jerky demand to be refrigerated?

The surreptitious is in the dehydration.

During the cooking and drying procedure, wet is removed from the meat. This makes beef jerky lightweight, nutrient dense, and shelf stable. The term shelf stable means that the product does not require refrigeration and tin 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 water to survive and replicate on food. Through the removal of moisture, these enzymes are unable to abound and contaminate the food, thus preserving the food.

So why does some jerky crave refrigeration afterwards opening?

The advent of mod food packaging—specifically, vacuum sealing, nitrogen flushing, and oxygen absorber—allows jerky makers to create a style of jerky that contains more than moisture. The oxygen gratuitous surroundings of the packaging prevents any potential issues that come up along with additional water action. This changes, however, when the package has been opened and exposed to the ambience air. At this betoken, due to the level of moisture, it must be refrigerated.

The good news is that whatsoever packaging that requires refrigeration will be clearly labelled. If the jerky package does non have any language around refrigeration, it does not require absurd storage and can exist stored in the ambient temperature.

What about homemade hasty?

Our give-and-take has focused primarily on store-bought hasty.

Homemade jerky is different from commercial hasty in both the processing and the packaging. It is recommended to shop homemade jerky in the refrigerator from the beginning.

Unless you lot are able to measure the water activity of the jerky and decide information technology to be at an acceptable level of under 0.85, and so information technology is best to keep bootleg jerky in the refrigerator.

Equally a general rule of thumb, homemade hasty will last betwixt i-2 months in the refrigerator.

Storing Beefiness Hasty in Stonemason Jars

Stonemason jars are a great way to preserve a diversity of foods from pickles, jams, jellies, and grains. It's not ideal, nonetheless, for beefiness hasty. It's difficult to remove all of the oxygen from a stonemason jar. The air that occupies the space around the jerky tin can cause the jerky to lose freshness and flavor.

Mason jars are a creative and fun manner to serve beef jerky. When it comes to storing beefiness jerky, stick to plastic bags and other containers that can remove more oxygen.

Lesser Line

Dehydration is one of the world's oldest and near mutual methods of preserving food. Drying was a method to keep nutrient for future consumption in pre-refrigeration days. From the ancient Egyptians to Native Americans, jerky has been enjoyed for centuries. Traditional jerky is dried to such a level that it does non require refrigeration or special packaging.

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

Once a package has been opened, brand sure to cheque for any statements that signal "air-condition afterwards opening." If you lot encounter this statement, and the package has been left without refrigeration for more 3 days, we recommend throwing information technology out.

If yous're unsure if your beefiness jerky is withal safe to eat, check out our guide Does Beef Hasty Become Bad.

Looking for a new beefiness jerky?

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

Store Beef Jerky

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