Kosher Charcuterie – Jerky and Dried Beef

Jan 2, 2025 by Chef David

By Chef David

Drying is the oldest form of food preservation. Dried meat dates back to around 40,000 years ago. Jerky is a form of dried meat that originated in South America. In the 1820s, cowboys made jerky by sun-drying, smoking, or salting meat. During the Civil War, beef jerky spread becoming a staple food for soldiers. This portable chewy high-protein food required no refrigeration and was dry, hard, and leathery. Jerky and dried beef has become a delicacy.

While it might seem counterintuitive to transform thick tender juicy steaks into thinly sliced, dried strips of beef, this fleshing snack has an entirely novel mouth feel and texture – perfect when served as part of a charcuterie board.  

A Language of its Own

Cured beef is a method for preserving meat using salt and other ingredients to prevent bacteria growth. Dried beef is dehydrated which results in a dry, concentrated flavor.

Jerky is a specific type of cured beef that is thinly sliced, and marinated with flavors, before being dried at a low temperature. Jerky comes in a range of textures from super dry to tender and soft, creating a subtle savory snack.

Ben’s Best Sweet Beef Jerky are small bite-sized slices, with a soft mouth feel. A 2-ounce package contains 270 calories with 14 grams of protein. Seasoned with white sugar, brown sugar, kosher salt, spices, natural hickory smoke flavor, onion powder, and garlic powder. They provide a well-balanced mix of sweet and savory in every tender piece. [Ben’s Best also sells Hot Beef Jerky Bites, made with a bold combination of seasonings including brown sugar, kosher salt, natural hickory smoke flavor, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper].

Sweet Beef Jerky is the most traditional offering and our favorite with a soft texture and rich flavor.

Dried beef is typically served sliced paper thin, (so thin you can see through it). It is intended to be eaten in small morsels. It has a bold flavor and a curious mouth feel since most of the moisture has been removed from the meat during dehydration. Dried meats have a concentrated dense texture.

Dried beef is a good source of protein, iron, and potassium, although it is high in sodium. It is typically served on a Charcuterie Board in small pieces as an antipasto or appetizer and may take some getting used to. It has a bold, gamey flavor intended to be savored, eaten sparingly rather than gobbled.

We tried several of Ben’s Best selections:

Capocollo or coppa is an Italian dry-cured meat from a lean muscle known for its delicate flavor and tender, fatty texture, often served as an antipasto.

• • Capocolla is thinly sliced cured beef, cured in a mixture of salt, sugar, fennel, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper, then seasoned a second time allowing it to achieve a dry texture. Each one-ounce serving contains 80 calories, 14 grams of protein, and 350 mg of sodium.
  • Sweet Coppa is thinly sliced beef, cured in a mixture of salt, sugar, and black pepper, then coated with a special seasoning and hung to dry until it reaches the ideal texture. A 1-ounce serving contains 70 calories, 14 grams of protein, and 440 mg of sodium.

Roman Inspired Cured Beef is cured in a wine-based brine with spices and herbs. The wine is for color and flavor (the product contains no trace of alcohol). Once the curing time is complete it is hung to dry to achieve the desired texture and flavor. Each one-ounce serving has 80 calories, 1230 mg of sodium, and 14 grams of protein.

Kosher Charcuterie

Charcuterie is a French cuisine devoted to prepared meats and is now available to the kosher consumer. Ben’s Best Charcuterie, uses Beit Yosef-certified meat under OU Glatt to make a wide variety of prepared dried meats and jerkies.

Ben’s Best Charcuterie was founded by French Chef Benjamin Lapin, the sous chef at Paris’ top Kosher restaurant and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Ben has traveled across Europe refining his recipes and techniques. His products expand the kosher pallet, providing high-quality cured beef products. (We take his word for the authenticity of taste, having never tasted the non-kosher products).

Ben’s Best Charcuterie products can be ordered online and delivered to your door in an insulated envelope with an icepack. While dried beef is shelf stable it should not be kept in extreme heat and stored away from direct sunlight and moisture. It can be stored in a vacuum-sealed bag or the freezer.

Fleshig-Forward Snack

Ben’s Best Charcuterie offers high-quality options for fleshig-on-the-go snacks. Jerky makes a family-friendly travel food that does not require refrigeration. Dried meats provide adventurous adults with a more classical fine dining experience, and pair nicely with fruits, bread or crackers, fried fruit/nuts, and wine.

Savor the bold flavor of dried meat.