The salt. The smokiness. The chew. Jerky has always been about flavor and fuel, long before it was about what it was made from.

Today, jerky is evolving. What started as a way to preserve meat has become a category driven by taste, convenience, and performance. And now, there’s a new way to enjoy it-one that delivers the same experience, built from plant protein instead of animals.

The future of jerky isn’t about replacing tradition-it’s about improving it.

Jerky is traditionally made from beef cut into thin strips, which are then dried to remove all the liquid. Drying the meat prevents spoilage, and it’s also salted to help keep bacteria at bay. Meat would be heavily salted and hung up, and as it dried, the fats, blood, and all other liquids would drip off. As meat is about 75% water, it shrinks by up to 2/3 its regular size. But even though the physical amount of jerky you got out of a piece of meat was small, it was packed with protein.

In its most basic form, jerky is salted meat, but you can now find jerky in almost any flavor. In Texas, you’d be hard-pressed to find any gas station that doesn’t have a stock of jerky on its shelves.
But jerky doesn’t have to be made of meat. There are so many delicious plant protein jerky options available made from plant-based ingredients like mushrooms, watermelon, eggplant, coconut, and soy! The one thing jerky has in common is that it is dehydrated and usually has a smoky taste. Jerky makes an easy, versatile snack because it requires no prep and won’t go bad. 

Jerky itself dates back thousands of years. Before there were refrigerators, drying meat was the only way to preserve it. It was an essential source of sustenance to get people through unfertile times of years and especially important during the wintertime. 

Though the concept of jerky itself has been around forever, the name “jerky” originally comes from South America (heck, even the Egyptians were making jerky). The Quechua people, indigenous to Peru, Columbia, Chile, Bolivia, and Ecuador, called the dried meat “ch’arki.” Back then, they’d make jerky from elk, deer, and buffalo. When it finally made its way to the United States, the concept stayed the same, but people started to make it with different bases. 

In the United States, jerky has been primarily made with beef. It was an efficient protein source for soldiers who would be on the move for long periods. When food supplies were low, jerky would always provide the protein needed to keep people going.

Jerky has since gone from being a food essential for survival to a tasty snack for road trips, camping, and hiking. The ease, flavor, and chewiness of jerky makes it one of Texas’s favorite treats.

The only flavor of traditional jerky was salt and meat. People weren’t so much concerned with the flavor profile of their food as with actually eating. But as food became more readily available year-round, people began experimenting with jerky, adding different herbs and spices.
The flavoring of jerky took it to a whole new level, enabling jerky manufacturers to stand out from the competition. 

Roadside stands started popping up with people selling different types of jerkies. This strategy was very effective because who doesn’t want some jerky to snack on during a long drive? Habanero, honey, BBQ, sweet cherry; you name the flavor, you could find it. 

Jerky could soon be found on the shelves of grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations, department stores, and more. But the jerky market is continuing to evolve. 

As consumer preferences change, manufacturers and brands must adapt. The far healthier and more ethical snack options have risen substantially over the last few years. While jerky is delicious, the traditional meat jerky industry isn’t without its faults. Beef farming isn’t great for the environment, and although jerky has a high protein count, it also has tons of salt and not many other nutrients. 

Thus began the search for an alternative way to produce delicious jerky, and boy, there have been some winners. Jerky started being produced from fruits like apples and pears, and from vegetables like carrots and eggplant. Although there was some original skepticism around altering this classic southern treat recipe, it has gained massive traction in the last few years. Now, meat-eaters and vegans alike enjoy digging into plant protein jerky
options. 

The future is bright for the jerky industry in Texas. There are plant protein jerky options, like It’s Jerky Y’all, that are nearly indistinguishable from traditional beef jerky. Using non-GMO soy as the base, plant protein beef jerky can take on just about any flavor that you want it to. Prickly Pear Chipotle? Sure! Teriyaki? Absolutely!

Walk into any specialty market, and you’ll be in plant protein, jerky heaven. As more of the population transitions to more conscious consumerism, the jerky industry will undoubtedly continue to change and adapt. We can likely expect more unique flavors and innovative options available to satisfy anyone’s palate.

Choosing plant protein jerky takes some pressure off the meat industry, especially here in Texas, where we have more cattle than any other state. Shopping local is also super important for supporting the local economy, and it is becoming increasingly easy to find plant-based jerky in Texas that rivals the meaty snacks you can find at 7/11..

Jerky is a $3 billion industry and is very popular throughout Texas. From the time the first Texan took a bite until today, jerky is a Texas favorite. The versatility and flavor of this salty snack mean that the foundation of jerky isn’t going away any time soon. That said, the jerky industry looks different today than it used to, and it will continue to change. Plant-based jerky is here to stay, and since you don’t have to sacrifice that smoky, meaty flavor, it’s a great option to take on your next adventure.