This new book lists the 100 most popular Beef Jerky Recipes according to chef's recommendations and traditional recipes. What is Jerky? Jerky is lean meat that has been trimmed of fat, cut into strips, and then dried to prevent spoilage. Normally, this drying includes the addition of salt, to prevent bacteria from developing on the meat before sufficient moisture has been removed. The word "jerky" derived from the Quechua word ch'arki which means "dried, salted meat." All that is needed to produce basic "jerky" is a low-temperature drying method, and salt to inhibit bacterial growth.