Does Beef Jerky have gluten? Knowing if beef jerky is gluten-free or not is super helpful when you first go gluten-free! It's not a straight answer about beef jerky but gluten can be avoided when you eat dried and seasoned beef, aka beef jerky. Avoid the mistakes I did when starting a gluten-free lifestyle and know where gluten could be hiding!
🍞What is gluten?
First things first: what's gluten?
Gluten is a mixture of proteins found in wheat, barley, rye. It's what gives dough its elasticity and helps bread and other baked goods maintain their shape.
For people with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or wheat allergy, consuming gluten can cause a whole bunch of symptoms.
Reactions to gluten can involve the immune system (celiac disease) and cause damage to the lining of the small intestine.
Symptoms of gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity can range from digestive issues to skin rash to fatigue or "brain fog".
Jump to:
If you think you might be gluten intolerant, check out this post for more on the signs and symptoms of gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity.
So, naturally, if you think you're sensitive to gluten, you're gonna want to:
- One, follow a gluten-free diet and
- Two, have a pretty good idea on which foods and ingredients are safe to consume - and which ones aren't
And unfortunately, beef jerky may or MAY not be gluten-free.
But don't worry!
You can have your beef jerky and eat it too😄 There is a way to enjoy dried meat, in the form of beef jerky when you go gluten free!
🙋♀️What is beef jerky?
Beef jerky is basically strips of lean beef that have been seasoned and dried to perfection.
Imagine a tender and flavorful piece of beef that has been transformed into a chewy, savory treat: that's beef jerky! It's dehydrated meat😄
The process involves marinating the beef in a blend of spices and seasonings to give it that irresistible taste.
Then, it's slowly dried or smoked, which takes out the moisture and intensifies the flavors.
The result?
A portable, protein-packed snack that's perfect for on-the-go adventures or satisfying those sudden hunger pangs.
✅The (short) history of beef jerky
Ok this is pretty cool: Beef jerky has a fascinating history that dates back thousands of years!
Its roots can be traced to ancient civilizations and their search for how to preserve food.
Historically, beef jerky was created as a means to preserve meat for long periods, especially in regions with limited access to refrigeration.
By drying and salting meat, early civilizations found a way to extend its shelf life and make meat safe to eat when there wasn't a lot of food or when they were traveling for a long time.
Native American tribes, such as the Sioux, Cherokee, and Apache, were known to prepare and consume dried meat. They would slice the meat into thin strips, season it with salt and various herbs, and then dry it in the sun or over a fire.
This process basically removed the moisture from the meat, which stops the meat from going bad and concentrates the flavors.
As time went on, beef jerky became a popular staple for travellers, soldiers, and pioneers, because it was a lightweight, nutritious, and long-lasting source of energy.
Fast-forward a couple hundred years, and today, beef jerky is enjoyed all over the world as a flavorful and super convenient snack.
And even though the exact way of making beef jerky has changed over time, the essence of beef jerky remains the same: thinly sliced meat seasoned and dried to create a salty, satisfying and portable snack. Not only that, it's truly a testament to our ancestors in how they preserved food!
🙅♀️Is beef jerky gluten-free?
Not all beef jerky is gluten-free, no.
Although it might be surprising, beef jerky is not necessarily gluten-free.
You might think it would be - I mean, it's dried meat - where's the gluten?! But this isn't our ancestors dried meat!
These days, when beef jerky is dried, some manufactures will add flavourings, binders or other ingredients that introduce gluten into the final product.
For beef jerky, the use of soy sauce is probably the most likely way that gluten is introduced into the product. The best gluten-free jerky brands still use soy sauce, but they'll use the more expensive glute-free soy sauce instead.
To make sure the beef jerky you choose is actually gluten-free, check the label on packaging. Some brands are labeled gluten-free (certified). For other brands, you can check the ingredient list for any gluten-containing ingredients. Remember the sneaky ones like soy sauce, teriyaki, chicken broth and vinegar! These all can introduce gluten into a product.
📝Ingredients in beef jerky
So, what's the magic behind beef jerky that makes it so darn tasty? Let's look at some of the most common ingredients in beef jerky.
Well, first and foremost, we've got the star of the show: lean beef!
You've got prime cuts of beef, trimmed of excess fat, and sliced into thin, flavorful strips. And it's not just beef that can be "jerkied". Chicken venison, bison and turkey can all be made into a dried meat snack too😄
Next up, we've got the marinade. This is where all that intense flavors happens!
Some go-to ingredients for flavoring the marinade include: gluten-free soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, a dash of teriyaki or barbecue sauce, and some secret spices.
The marinade not only adds a blast of deliciousness but also helps tenderize the beef for that melt-in-your-mouth experience. Liquid smoke is also sometimes used in the making of jerky to bring another depth of smoky flavor.
Then we've got the seasonings! Go-to seasonings include garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, a hint of chili or paprika for a kick, and maybe even a pinch of brown sugar to balance it all out. It's this balance of seasoning that help to create the craveable-ness of beef jerky.
And we can't forget one of the most important seasonings at all: salt. Salt in beef jerky is used as a preservative. Salt helps keep the jerky fresh and shelf-stable.
Last but not least, there's the slow and steady drying process. This is where the magic really happens. The strips of lean meat get cozy in a low-temperature oven or a dehydrator, for hours and hours.
The dehydrating process removes all the moisture while locking in those incredible flavors, resulting in that chewy, jerky perfection we all know and love.
✅Gluten free beef jerky brands
So not ALL beef jerky is gluten-free, as you now know.
But the good news is, there's a lot of gluten-free beef jerky brands available on the market.
Here's a few popular ones:
- Krave Jerky: Krave brand beef jerky has a number of gluten-free beef jerky options. They clearly label their products as gluten-free on the packaging, making it easy see which one is actually gluten-free. They also have a bunch of yummy sounding flavors like Sweet Chipotle, Chili Lime and Black Cherry (really!)
- Country Archer: Country Archer boasts 100% gluten-free beef jerky that is free from artificial ingredients and preservatives. All the beef they use is grass-fed beef and high in protein with a ton of fun flavors combos.
- Perky Jerky: Perky Jerky is another brand that offers gluten-free beef jerky and other meats, like turkey, wagyu beef, and even plant-based jerky. Their jerky is made from all-natural ingredients and contains no nitrates or preservatives.
- Epic Provisions: Epic Provisions offers a range of gluten-free beef jerky made from grass-fed beef. Their jerky is free from added hormones and antibiotics and they offer venison, chicken and even bison jerky!
- The New Primal: The New Primal produces gluten-free beef jerky that is also free from artificial ingredients, preservatives, and added sugars. They have what they call "meat sticks" and "snack mates" - the snack mates are geared towards kids lunches.
- Baja Jerky - Baja Vida makes a range of gluten-free beef jerky options. They also boast lower sodium content than other brands, zero sugar, no MSG, and - in their words - "no anything added" (which I assume to mean no artificial flavours or preservatives.)
- Jack Links - this brand I think is probably the one we see the most in stores. You'll even see at most gas stations! I'm putting it on the list because the company does make some gluten-free options but not ALL of their options are gluten-free. You have to read the labels and look for the "gluten-free" certification is on the package you're interested in.
A note on listing allergens: most brands do list allergens ("wheat") on labels because some of their flavors are made with not-so obvious sources of gluten, like chicken broth. But, an ingredient like vinegar made from barley, for example, will NOT show up as an allergen so again go for the "certified gluten-free" to be sure.
A note on labeling: the limit for the gluten-free designation in the US is 20 ppm or less. The vast majority of people with gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance will not have a reaction to this very low level of gluten. For the most up-to-date information, always check the manufacture's website or packaging for the source data.
🛒Where to buy beef jerky
One of the best parts about beef jerky is how easy it is to find. You can pick up some at your local grocery store, convenience store or order online directly from the company.
When you're comparing brands of beef jerky, all brands will be a good source of protein and a great way to to prevent "hangriness" from kicking in while keeping gluten-free.
A note on sodium: of course this is going to be on the higher side as salt is needed for the preserving part of making the dried meat. If you have some options to choose from, stick with the lower sodium one if you need to keep your sodium lower (ie, have high, uncontrolled blood pressure).
💁♀️Bottom line of beef jerky
When you first go gluten-free, it can be tough to know what to eat. And having snacks that are fairly healthy and gluten-free is super helpful.
Beef jerky CAN be that snack.
There's so many brands of gluten-free beef jerky out there to pick from!
Just be sure to read the label and look for certified gluten-free beef jerky to be sure.
Other brands may not have gluten-containing ingredients and would be safe to eat but you need to know if you are extremely sensitive to trace amounts of gluten to decide if you should go for the non-certified gluten-free brands.
Now I'd love to hear from you!
Do you like beef jerky?
Do you find that it's something that helps you stick to your gluten-free lifestyle? Let me know in the comments below! 😄
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