Chef: Come here.

Apprentice: What?

I’m here Chef... Aye, aye, yes… Chef: What is this?

Apprentice: What do you mean?

Chef: What is this?

Apprentice: It’s jerky.

Chef: This is not jerky.

This is over-marinated, soft piece of meat mush!

Do you think this is some kind of game?

Apprentice: Uh, kind of?

Chef: You have no idea what it means to make proper jerky… Lee Francis IV: Hang on Chef, let me see if I can take care of this.

Dried meat has long been a staple for Indigenous communities throughout the world.

The process and practice of using time, heat, and seasonings to create something that is safe, satisfying and sustainable is a delicate balance that Indigenous people have mastered for millenia.

And that’s science, we’ll talk about here, today, on Indigi-Genius!

CHEF: Are you through?

Lee Francis IV: Oh, I’m sorry Chef!

♪ ♪ Lee Francis IV: The process of drying and salting to kill bacteria is an old tradition, dating back thousands of years.

It’s not just leaving the meat out in theroad to dry.

The preparation is critically important to ensure that no spoilage occurs.

It begins with thin-slicing the meat and removing the fat.

The leaner the meat, the better chance there will be less spoilage.

Next comes the salting.

Salt kills bacteria, by sucking out the water.

This is the process of osmosis, where water passes out of a bacterium, so as to balance salt concentrations on each side of its cell membrane.

By removing the water, through heat, drying and salting, the likelihood that dangerous bacteria will remain becomes very low.

You are left with a fulfilling, power-packed meal.

Variations exist throughout the world.

And the same process is even used for bugs like chapulines which, of course, are much easier to dry and provide high nutritional value through protein.

Another notable variation is pemmican, where dried meat is combined with fat and fruit to create a fully sustainable meal on the go.

But, that’s for another show.

Importantly, we know nutrition is critical but also taste.

It’s important to have something that will not only keep you alive, but something that you will want to eat.

I learned to make jerky at my family farm.

I remember the drying racks my auntie had built and would marvel at how she would trim and organize the fresh venison that would last throughout the winter.

Watching the transformation of meat over a short period of time was fascinating and left an indelible impression on my pre-teen brain.

From ostrich, to bison, to deer, to kangaroo, Indigenous people have been developing ways to survive and satisfy for thousands of years.

And that ingenuity, understanding, and ability is on display each and every day…here on Indigi-Genius.

♪ ♪