How to Rehydrate Beef Jerky: A Complete Guide

Beef jerky is a popular high-protein snack that’s loved by many. It’s portable tasty and shelf-stable – perfect for taking on hikes or road trips.

However, beef jerky can sometimes end up a bit too dry and chewy. Maybe you accidentally left the bag open, let it sit out for too long, or overcooked your homemade jerky in the dehydrator. Whatever the reason, rock-hard jerky lacks flavor and can even break your teeth!

Luckily, there are several methods you can use to rehydrate overly-dry beef jerky, restoring moisture and making it edible again. In this complete guide, I’ll go over everything you need to know about rehydrating beef jerky.

What Causes Beef Jerky to Become Too Dry?

To understand how to rehydrate jerky, it helps to first look at why it dries out in the first place.

Beef jerky is made by taking lean cuts of beef, slicing them into strips, then dehydrating the meat until almost all moisture is removed. This preserves the meat by inhibiting bacterial growth.

If care isn’t taken during the dehydration process, it’s easy to extract too much moisture, leaving the jerky overly dry and tough. Here are some of the main causes of excessively dry beef jerky:

• Dehydrating at too high of a temperature
• Dehydrating for too long
• Using meat that’s too lean
• Improper storage (leaving bag open, humid environment)
• Old age – jerky loses moisture over time

So if you find yourself with a bag of jerky chips, any of those factors could be to blame. But not to worry – with the right technique you can rehydrate that jerky and make it moist again.

Can You Rehydrate Beef Jerky?

You might be wondering – once jerky has dried out, is there any way to rehydrate it?

The answer is yes! While overly dry jerky may never be quite as soft and moist as a fresh steak, there are methods to significantly improve its texture and make it enjoyable to eat once again.

Rehydrating jerky reintroduces water content into the meat through various means. The water molecules interact with the protein molecules in the beef, loosening up the structure and making it more flexible.

The extent to which jerky can be rehydrated depends on factors like:

• How severely dried out it was to begin with
• The rehydration method used
• How long it’s rehydrated for

Thinly sliced jerky tends to rehydrate better than thick chunks or whole muscle jerky. Very old and brittle jerky may only improve so much. But in most cases, with some TLC your leftovers can become edible again.

Now let’s get into the best techniques for rehydrating jerky!

Microwaving Beef Jerky

One of the fastest ways to impart moisture into jerky is by microwave steaming. Here’s a simple microwave rehydration method:

What You Need:

• Beef jerky
• Microwave-safe dish with lid
• Water

Instructions:

1. Place the dry jerky in the microwave-safe dish. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water.

2. Cover the dish with the lid, but leave a small vent for steam to escape.

3. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, checking the jerky after each interval.

4. Once it reaches your desired softness, remove from microwave. Enjoy immediately before it dries out again.

The hot steam created by the microwaved water rapidly rehydrates the meat. Just take care not to overdo it, or the jerky can become mushy.

Microwaving works best on thin, shreds or chips of jerky rather than whole pieces. It makes the jerky pliable enough to eat, but doesn’t fully restore chewiness.

Soaking Jerky in Liquid

For more thorough rehydration, you can soak the beef jerky in water or another liquid.

What You Need:

• Beef jerky
• Bowl, jar, or plastic bag
• Water, broth, juice, or marinade

Instructions:

1. Place the jerky pieces in a container. Cover with your liquid of choice.

2. For water, broth, or juice, use an equal amount as the jerky. For thicker marinades, use less.

3. Seal the container. Refrigerate for 8-24 hours, shaking occasionally.

4. Remove jerky and pat dry. Enjoy immediately.

The liquid will slowly transfer moisture back into the meat. Refrigeration prevents bacterial growth.

For best results, use hot water, broth, or the original marinade. Soaking can fully rehydrate jerky if done long enough, but don’t overdo it or the texture will be mushy.

Rehydrating Jerky in a Paper Bag

Here’s an easy “set and forget” way to rehydrate beef jerky without added liquids:

What You Need:

• Beef jerky
• Paper bag
• Apple, potato, or moist paper towel

Instructions:

1. Place the jerky in a paper bag.

2. Add a chopped apple, potato, or moist paper towel. Seal the bag.

3. Let sit at room temperature or in the fridge overnight, or up to 24 hours.

4. The produce or paper towel will slowly transfer ambient moisture to the jerky.

The sealed environment traps the moisture inside. An apple works great, but any fresh produce will do. A moist paper towel also provides hydration.

This gradual rehydration works well to improve the texture of very dry jerky after long-term storage.

Rehydrating Jerky in the Fridge

The fridge is a great place to rehydrate jerky gradually over time. The cool temperature inhibits bacteria growth.

Simply place the jerky in a sealed container or bag along with moist paper towels, fresh veggies, or even bread. Refrigerate overnight or up to a couple days – the jerky will absorb ambient moisture from the environment.

You can also lightly mist the jerky with water before sealing. The condensation from the humid fridge air helps deliver that moisture into the meat.

Cooking Rehydrated Jerky

Once you’ve rehydrated your jerky using any of the above methods, you can use it in cooked dishes too.

The moisture makes jerky pliable enough to chop, shred, or slice if desired. Then it can be lightly cooked in the oven, sautéed in a skillet, added to soups or stews, and more.

Some delicious ways to use rehydrated jerky:

• Nachos – chopped & melted over chips
• Tacos – rehydrated jerky takes the place of ground beef
• Ramen – throw strips of jerky into the noodle broth
• Egg scrambles – diced jerky sautéed with veggies & eggs
• Casseroles – mix in strips or chopped jerky
• Chili – let jerky simmer in the pot to absorb flavors

Cooking helps drive that moisture further into the meat, and absorbs any excess water on the surface. The result is tender, flavorful jerky that makes an easy protein addition to any meal.

Tips for Rehydrating Jerky

Here are some top tips to follow for successfully rehydrating beef jerky:

• Use hot water/liquid to speed up rehydration
• Don’t over-soak jerky or it will get mushy
• Pat off excess moisture before eating or cooking
• Enjoy rehydrated jerky promptly before it dries out again
• Store rehydrated jerky sealed in the fridge
• Thin or shredded jerky rehydrates faster than whole pieces
• Severely dried jerky may only improve so much

Storing Rehydrated Jerky

Because moisture has been reintroduced, rehydrated jerky won’t keep as long as standard jerky. Make sure to promptly eat or refrigerate it.

For best results, use rehydrated jerky within:

• 1-2 days if kept sealed in the fridge
• 4 hours if left at room temperature

You can also dehydrate leftover rehydrated jerky again in a food dehydrator or low oven to extend its shelf life.

When to Throw Out Overly Dry Jerky

While the above techniques can salvage mildly dried-out jerky, there comes a point where some pieces are beyond saving.

Signs that jerky is too far gone:

• Extremely hard, brittle, and crunchy
• Visible mold formation
• Rancid or unpleasant odor
• Unpleasant metallic or bitter taste

Discard any jerky with those qualities, as it’s no longer safe to eat. For liability reasons, it’s not recommended to rehydrate and consume jerky that’s well past its prime.

For best results, stick to rehydrating jerky that is recently dried out but still flexible and smells normal. With the right timing and technique, you can breathe tasty new life into slightly stale jerky.

Make Fresh Homemade Jerky

To avoid overly dry jerky in the first place, consider making your own from scratch. Then you control the entire process from meat selection to slicing, marinating, and dehydrating.

Plus, homemade jerky often tastes better than the store-bought stuff. You can customize flavors and ingredients to suit your taste.

Here’s an overview of how to make great jerky at home:

• Select lean beef cuts like flank, sirloin tip, or eye of round. Trim off excess fat.

• Slice into long, thin strips – 1/4 inch thick works well. Cut with or against the grain.

• Marinate the meat in a flavorful wet marinade for optimal taste. Refrigerate overnight.

• Dehydrate at 145-170°F until dried but still flexible. Use a dehydrator, oven, or smoker.

• Store in sealed bags or airtight containers. For maximum shelf life, refrigerate or freeze.

Follow a trusted recipe and instructions for your drying method. Home jerky often stays fresh longer since you control the process.

The Takeaway

If you ever find yourself with dry, tough beef jerky that seems inedible, don’t toss it out just yet! With the techniques in this guide, you can rehydrate overly dry jerky to make it tasty again.

Methods like microwaving, soaking, and sealed humid storage introduce moisture back into the meat. While rehydrated jerky may never be quite like fresh, it can still make a great high-protein snack or addition to meals.

For best safety and results, rehydrate recent jerky rather than old and follow proper storage. Craft your own jerky at home for maximum freshness and custom flavor.

With some TLC and the right technique, that bag of jerky chips can be restored to make your tastebuds happy again!