By Afiur
June 11, 2026
Every year, National Jerky Day is observed on June 12, dedicated to celebrate the delicious cured meat, popularly eaten as a dried snack.
The origins of the day can be traced to 2012 when it was founded by the Wisconsin Beef Council and Jack Link`s Beef Jerky, and has been celebrated since then.
Jerky is a form of meat that is lean and trimmed, and eaten in strips; it is seasoned, dehydrated, dried and can be made of beef, turkey and venison too.
The word comes from ch`arki, used by Quechua of the Inca Empire in South America`s Andes Mountains, and translates to dried salted meat.
Some of the most popular dishes with jerky beyond the strips include beef jerky burger, jerky fried rice, and even as toppings on eggs and other delicacies.