It’s every beef jerky lover’s worst nightmare: all day long, you’ve been looking forward to chowing down on some of your incredible homemade jerky.
But when you open the container, you see some fuzzy white spots on your jerky, and your heart sinks. Your beef jerky has gotten moldy somehow, and now eating it is out of the question.
Luckily, preventing your beef jerky from going moldy is a lot simpler than you might think. Read on to see why these precautionary measures are so important, then learn our 4 top tips for mold prevention.
Beef Jerky and Mold: 5 Questions, Answered
Why Does Beef Jerky Get Moldy?
Mold spores are microscopic, and they’re pretty much everywhere. But they’ll only settle down and start growing if the proper conditions are met.
Warmth, moisture, humidity, and oxygen exposure all contribute to mold growth. The more of these conditions are met, the more likely your beef jerky is to mold.
If there’s too much moisture in your jerky, or if you put it in a sealed container before it’s cooled, mold growth is practically inevitable. Ditto if your jerky isn’t stored in an airtight container — especially if you live in a humid climate.
Beef jerky can also get moldy if it’s handled with dirty hands or if its container is repeatedly opened and closed in an unclean environment.
How Can I Tell if My Beef Jerky Is Moldy?
Not all white spots on your jerky are mold.
If you see smooth, shiny white spots on your jerky that can be easily wiped away with a finger, you’re merely dealing with excess fat globules, not mold. These spots can be wiped off or rubbed into the jerky — either way, they’re nothing to worry about.
It’s the same for white spots that resemble fine powder or crystals. These white spots are salt deposits that emerge on the jerky as it dries, and they’re perfectly normal and harmless.
Connect with Real Jerky Makers
Because the Best Jerky Doesn't Come from a Store
The telltale sign of moldy jerky is the presence of fuzzy white, green, or gray spots. If you look closely, you’ll see a fine, fibrous texture similar to a thin, dense spiderweb, and your nose may pick up on a musty odor.
What Happens If I Eat Moldy Beef Jerky?
The consequences of eating moldy jerky depend on the exact type of mold, the amount you consumed, and your overall health.
Some types of mold will cause only minor symptoms, like brief queasiness or stomach discomfort. If you only ate a tiny bit, you might not have any symptoms at all.
But if you ate a lot of moldy jerky, have other health issues, or got unlucky with a particularly toxic species of mold, your symptoms could be severe.
Elevated body temperature, vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, or severe headache can be signs of a serious reaction to mold ingestion. If you experience these symptoms after eating moldy jerky, speak to a medical professional as soon as possible.
What Should I Do if My Beef Jerky Molds?
Moldy jerky can’t be salvaged and will need to be thrown out.
Yes, it’s possible that the mold that’s present on your jerky is a more benign variety that won’t harm you if you eat it. But unless you’re a mold expert with a home laboratory, it’s impossible to tell exactly which type you’ve got — and the risk just isn’t worth it.
What If Only Some of My Beef Jerky Is Moldy?
If only a piece or two of your jerky has mold on it, you might be tempted to toss the bad bits and keep the rest of the batch.
But jerky is porous, so it’s highly likely that even the pieces that aren’t visibly moldy are harboring hidden mold spores. And it’s only a matter of time before they, too, sprout those unfortunate fuzzy patches.
If you see any mold on your jerky, throw away the whole batch. It’s sad, but trying to save it might end up making you sick, so play it safe and protect your health!
4 Ways to Prevent Mold on Beef Jerky
Properly Dry and Cool Your Jerky Before Storing It
Drying jerky can take a long time, but don’t rush the process: reducing it to the proper moisture level is critical for mold prevention.
The softer the jerky, the more moisture it contains, so fans of tender jerky need to be especially vigilant about mold. If you’re not drying your jerky to the recommended moisture level of 5-10%, make sure you utilize our other mold prevention tips to keep your jerky safe.
It’s also important to let the jerky cool fully before storing it. Any residual heat trapped in the container will encourage mold growth.
Store Your Jerky in an Airtight Container
- Large capacity,space saving:Our deli meat container for refrigerator is stackable,you can store cold cuts,cheeses or any other food in the deli meat box for refrigerator.Each tier has a lock and you can choose to use 1-3 tiers separately to save space in your refrigerator.
- Medium size:Our lunch meat container with lids are medium size,measuring about 28*21*13cm/11*8.3*5.1 inches,compact and portable,you can store and serve a large amount of meat as needed.
- Quality material:Our bacon cheese containers are made of food-grade PP and PET material,sturdy and durable for long-term use.
- Separate storage:The food storage containers keep different types of meats such as deli meats,bacon and cheese separate to prevent flavors from mixing.Thanks to the stackable design,the containers stay together tightly once the clasp is fastened.You can easily lift the meat containers for refrigerators by the handle to get a 360-degree view of what's stored.
- Keeping food fresh:Our bacon cheese container features a stackable design with snap closures on both sides to hold it together when closed, ensuring that the deli cooler stays airtight and the food inside stays fresh for a long time.The unique groove design on the bottom effectively prevents excess gravy or moisture from soaking the food.
Mold needs oxygen to grow, so airtight jerky storage is a must.
Vacuum sealing is the best choice: it guarantees minimal oxygen and an inhospitable environment for mold.
If you’re not vacuum sealing your jerky, glass containers with an airtight seal, such as mason jars, are a great option. Because glass is non-porous, even if your jerky does mold, you’ll be able to sanitize and reuse the container.
Plastic, on the other hand, will absorb mold spores readily. It’s impossible to fully remove mold from plastic containers, so if your jerky molds, you’ll need to toss the whole container.
Use a Desiccant or Oxygen Absorber
- ✅ 【Preminum Food Grade Oxygen Absorbers】: Our factory have 18 years experience in oxygen absorber, Also we have ISO9001 Certificate, All our oxygen absorbers are preminum food grade material and tested under strict food regulation, Very safe to be used with foods and pharmaceuticals storage.
- ✅ 【Extend Shelf Life】: Oxygen absorbers bring about oxidizing enzymes that cause browning and malodor, Oxygen-absorbing packaging reduces the amount of oxygen in food storage containers, With our oxygen absorbers these phenomenon will not happen aslo can extending product freshness and shelf life.
- ✅【 Packaging】: Our oxygen absorbers are 10 pack in an individual vacuum bag to minimise the waste, Come with an oxygen indicator to let you know whether it is good for when you received it, if the color is pink means it is ok to use
- ✅ 【Anti-Oil Film Design】: Our oxygen absorbers are double layer and anti-oil film design that can use for oil food storage oxygen absorb, You can place them with oil and oil-free food storage to extend the shelf life of these foods.
- ✅ 【Widely Use in Daily Life】Oxygen absorbers widely used in daily life food storage, such as homemade jerky, nuts, spices, candy, medicines, pet food, etc, It can help maintains the original taste, flavor, color, and nutritive value of food to keep food fresh for a long time
When you buy jerky from the store, you’ll find desiccant packets in the bag. These packets absorb moisture, making it much harder for mold to grow on the jerky.
You can use these packets for your homemade jerky as well. Just toss a fresh one into the container with your jerky and seal it up.
Oxygen absorber packets are another option. They resemble desiccant packets but absorb oxygen rather than moisture, so they’re great for those who like tender jerky and don’t necessarily want to remove more moisture from their batch.
Freeze Your Jerky if You’re Storing It Long-Term
Jerky can be stored at room temperature if it’s eaten within a few months. And if it’s properly dried and sealed, it can last even longer without refrigeration or freezing.
But if you’re storing your jerky long-term and want to play it safe, seal it up and stick it in the freezer. Mold can’t grow at freezing temperatures, so it’s the surest way to make your jerky last.
However, freezing won’t kill mold that’s already present in the jerky — and once it’s thawed, the mold will resume growing. So even if you’re freezing your jerky, make sure you take other mold prevention measures to keep your jerky tasty and safe for many months to come!
How to Package Jerky for Selling or for Storing (Video)
"You might be a redneck if you think that beef jerky and moon pies are two of the major food groups."
-- Jeff Foxworthy
I absolutely love jerky. I eat it when traveling or fishing. It keeps me satisfied for a long time.