Discover the Real Reason Beef Jerky Is So Expensive

Beef jerky is one of the most popular snack foods on the market but also one of the most expensive. 

Jerky comes from the Spanish word “charqui,” used to describe dried meat strips. Before we had all these fancy machines, jerky makers would make the jerky by smoking it and using the sun and wind to dry it out.

Jerky costs so much more than potato chips or pretzels because beef is expensive. It also takes a lot of meat to make a little bit of jerky. Production is also costly and time-consuming, driving up the cost even more. 

Still, most beef jerky lovers are happy to pay the cost for their favorite snack. 

You can even snack on exotic jerky flavors if you’re tired of beef. These types of jerky will cost more, but you can try meats like ostrich, wild boar, and kangaroo.

It takes a lot of Meat to Make Jerky 

The main reason beef jerky is so pricey is because it takes a lot of meat to create. 

Beef is quite expensive to begin with, and it goes through a drying process to become jerky. Beef contains up to 60-70% water and fat, which is lost in the drying process. 

Drying makes beef smaller and more dense. Producers must use more meat to get a decently-sized product. 

One jerky brand says they may begin with a 6 oz cut of meat, but the jerky only weighs about 4 oz after drying. Another brand says they start with 50 pounds of meat but only have 23 pounds after drying. 

The Quality of the Meat Matters 

Beef jerky companies may use varying qualities of meat. Those who want to use the highest-quality meat go for leaner cuts, which are more costly than other cuts of meat. 

Plus, many of these companies care about the cows the meat is coming from. Beef from humanely raised, grass-fed cows tastes better. Yet, cows raised in pastures cost more to care for because they need more space. 

All these things contribute to beef jerky being more costly than most snacks.

Cheap beef jerky typically comes from cows pumped full of hormones, raised on commercial farms, who were fed grain diets.  

Production is Costly 

Making beef jerky is more labor-intensive and time-consuming than other snacks. 

Employees must first cut the meat by hand and trim the fat off of it. Then, they marinate the meat for a time, soaking it in spices and other ingredients to draw the best flavor out of it. 

Next, employees lay the beef strips out by hand to ensure they cook evenly. Cooking takes a long time because the meat must be cooked at low heat and with constant humidity. Smoking often takes three days, and someone has to watch the jerky at all times to ensure nothing goes wrong. 

Even packaging the meat can take a long time. It needs to go into air-tight plastic packaging to keep it fresh. 

Plus, the equipment needed to make beef jerky is expensive. Because making jerky takes so much work, it takes a lot of space, equipment, and employees. 

Outsourced Meat Costs More

Many beef jerky companies buy their beef from outside companies, which can drive up the cost. They must increase their prices to compensate for the meat they are buying. 

Some companies manage to keep their prices down, not by using lesser-quality beef, but by raising their own cows. 

Spices are Expensive 

Plain beef jerky won’t taste the same as jerky seasoned with spices or other flavorings. The highest quality companies use spices and other natural flavors to make their beef jerky. Those natural flavors come with a higher cost. 

You can buy lower-priced beef jerky flavored with artificial powders or extracts. Still, these won’t taste as good.

Is the Cost Worth It?

Most beef jerky lovers say the price is worth it. The snack tastes excellent and is healthy compared to many other popular snacks. You only need to eat 1 oz of beef jerky to get about 7 grams of protein. 

Higher-priced jerky is worth it to most because it tastes better and is better for our health. Companies that create the highest-quality jerky use beef from humanely raised, healthy cows. They use natural ingredients to flavor and preserve the meat. They also choose the best cuts that give you the most protein content and lowest fat content. 

You can buy lower-cost jerky, but the quality won’t be as good, and the jerky is often unhealthy. 

These jerkies are often filled with artificial preservatives. They keep the meat fresher longer but can harm our health. They’re also more likely to contain lots of sugar or artificial sweeteners that spike blood sugar. 

Consider buying these popular jerky treats for your dog. 

What are the Most Expensive Kinds of Jerky?

Beef isn’t the only kind of jerky you can buy, though it is the most popular. Many companies also sell chicken, turkey, or fish jerky. Some companies even sell exotic jerky, like alligator, kangaroo, and ostrich. 

Below, we’ve compared the prices of jerky per ounce from Mountain America Jerky. They have a wide selection of meats. 

Their cheapest jerky is turkey at only $2.75 an ounce. Their most expensive jerky is ostrich at $9.30 an ounce.