If you've ever taken a road trip in the United States, you'll have seen the beef jerky displays in the small convenience stores attached to many gas stations, so you can fill your stomach at the same time you're filling the tank. Popular with truckers, jerky is a dense, easy-to-eat snack that's high in protein and filling enough to stave off hunger pangs while on the road.
If you like meat, beef jerky can be quite addictive, although, as you may be aware, it's not very good for you: it contains a lot of salt, which helps to preserve it. It's very different from the beef and pork jerky found in Hong Kong and other parts of Asia, which is relatively moist, usually a lot sweeter and can't be kept unrefrigerated for too long. American-type jerky is very dry and has to be chewed for a long time for it to become soft enough to swallow. The best jerky is made from thinly sliced meat - you should be able to see the fibres as you bite into it. The extruded stuff - which comes in the form of long, slender, evenly thick sticks - is made of finely minced meat, usually the less desirable parts of the animal.