# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Cooking, Food Storage, & Preserving >  Slim Jims , Jerkey , etc

## SemperFi

I realize Slim Jims are made of #$%&* but I eat them from time to time (they make $97 million a year in profit) so when people say they wouldnt ever eat a slim jim ya gotta think yea right! Any way , I was curious about shelf life for this food ,I mean its got to last at least a year with all the preservatives in it! What about beef jerkey and other such dried foods what are the shelf lives of these?

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## Rick

I did a test on beef jerky and it kept over 6 months in a zip lock bag on a closed shelf. Everything else usually gets eaten in the first week.

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## hunter63

Slim Jims and Jerky, alonge with Cheese/peanut butter crackers. one of the main food groups for a hunting trip.

I gave up caring what they are made of........I'm on a "See food diet"...I see it I eat it.....
PS bad for gout...moderation, moderation.....

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## woodsman86

I have eaten some pretty questionable slim jims before. I would say they were a few months past the expire date and still edible. They were a bit dried out and pretty salty. 

Disclaimer: I am not recommending anybody eat anything past the expire date.

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## SemperFi

well they dont actually have an expire date according to the company , the date you see on the package is the last day of "freshness" whatever that means!!

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## Rick

You've never been at sea when the fresh water distiller was out? Three days below deck is sort of the definition of a lack of freshness. Savvy?

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## hunter63

You mean I'm suppose to take out last years "supplies" from my coat....I wasn't done with them yet.

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## lucznik

I would eat a slim jim if there was nothing else available and I was starving.  Otherwise, I'll pass.

Generally I smoke my own jerky(elk, deer, antelope, goose, duck, fish, etcl.) but, if and when that's not available, I will eat Tillamook brand jerky.  

I don't know when it happened but somewhere along the way it appears I've become a jerky snob....

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## kyratshooter

I have been on a low carb diet and my amazement is that I can make jerky at home and it is zero carbs, Slim Jims and processed jerky have 12-25 carbs per serving.  

That is definatly NOT MEAT you are eating.

Jerky was one of the staple foods of the American Indians as part of their winter food supply each year.  I think that would indicate that you could count on home made jerky being good for the span of September through March as part of common logic.

Mine never lasts that long.

I am quite sure that commercial jerky is in the same catagory as Twinkies and Ho-Hos, still good when Eli finds them TEOTWAWKI +10 years.

Does anyone know how long sardines last?

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## SemperFi

> I am quite sure that commercial jerky is in the same catagory as Twinkies and Ho-Hos, still good when Eli finds them TEOTWAWKI +10 years.


Yep thats what I was thinking too!

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## your_comforting_company

I have some deer jerky that's been in a ziplock since last deer season. It's still good 10 months later. I would think it would last at least a year without preservatives (we just dehydrated it with no "cure" or anything). Is this jerky safe? I don't know, but I ate some a few days ago and didn't get sick, so take that how you want to. It was just as crisp and delicious as it was 10 months ago.

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## Beans

> Does anyone know how long sardines last?


In my house they would last forever. They would be found in an archeologist site 200 years from now.

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## Rick

Not very long at my house. I assume you're talking canned sardines. They should last forever as long as the seal isn't broken on the can. They might lose some taste and nutritional value but they should remain viable to eat. Sourdough had better hope they do. Even I can't eat 600 cans very quickly. Well, unless I had crackers.

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## Wise Old Owl

I use slim jims to motivate Rugby my dog on the trail - light and nasty - I however was motivated to make a better jerky that was fat reduced and low sodium... after loads of trial and error I discovered 

"the London Broil Cut" is not chuck and not marbled and low in fat. 
""Kikoman - low sodium taste better and makes a better jerk."
"People cannot tell the difference between liquid smoke from Wrights and real smoked products"
"Real BBQ sauces without Kero or corn surup makes a better jerk" - less sticky
"Nesco Harvest is the best for greenhorns to learn" how to Jerk

"

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## Rick

Here's one you can make in your oven. It's my world famous, "eat 'em if you got 'em" jerky recipe. 

Beef Jerky

  2 lbs. of flank steak 
2/3 cup of soy sauce
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons of seasoning salt (recommend Lawry's) 

Slice flank steak diagonally with the grain of the meat into very thin  slices (If slightly frozen it slices more easily).  Combine ingredients  and marinate meat overnight or 12 hours.  Be sure all pieces are covered  (coated) with marinade.  Drain excess marinade.  Place meat on paper  towels to soak up marinade. Meat should be squeezed as dry as possible  in paper towels.  Place individual pieces of meat on rack in oven at 140  to 160 degrees for seven to 12 hours, or until meat is dry throughout.   Leave oven door ajar (slightly open) during the drying process.  Meat  can also be hung in the oven by placing a wooden toothpick in each piece  and strung from the rack.  Store finished jerky in an airtight container.  It keeps for several months. (It really lasts about three days around me)

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## Wise Old Owl

Rick - Ya forgot the Brownnn Sugarr..... You cant have heat without the sweet!  Wait - you forgot the Chili powder too... what were you thinking?

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## Rick

You can argue with world renown success if you want but kings and queens, potentates and people of generally high regard have judged my jerky as superior to all others. Brown sugar and chile.....Pffffft.

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## kyratshooter

I found out last night that tomatoe paste will not last more than 8 years without disolving the can!

I supose my jerky would win no contests, seasoning salt of unknown quantity followed by all night in the dehydrator.

It keeps just as well and I like to taste some meat.  You guys could probably smear that seasoning mix on a cracker and get the same effect you do with $4.99 lb beef.

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## natertot

Hey Rick, I tried your recipe and it is very good. For a straight forward jerky, I would have to say it is my favorite now. I do like to make spicy jerkys and sweet jerkys too. But as a plain jerky that is neither sweet nor hot, you have a good thing.

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## SemperFi

AJAR"??? We arent city folk here Rick!!!

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## Wise Old Owl

Buffalo, Brown Sugar, Kikoman, Apple Cider Vinegar, Morton Lite Salt, and Chilli Powder.....

Buffalo is softer - easy chew that doesn't get tough... If you cant get it, then use prime or LB cut.

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## Rick

Natertot is obviously a person of high regard. 

Semperfi....I put the "slightly open" in parenthesis for you.

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## wetzel

Rick, thanks for the recipe, will try some in a few days.

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## natertot

> Natertot is obviously a person of high regard.


Darn, I was hoping for King status.  :Arabia:  I might have to recant my previous statement now!

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## shiftyer1

Thanks for the (),  I was trying to figure out where to get a jar big enough for the oven door.  I recently ate some jerky that I bought over a year ago and tossed it in the door pocket of my truck.  Actually I only ate half,  my lab got the other half.  I lived and it didn't taste much differnt than eaten off the shelf.  Buddy also enjoyed it and sufford no ill effects.  This was stored in an enclosed truck with average outside temps of 110 for several months.

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