Where did venison jerkey come from?

It's difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of venison jerky, as drying meat has been a practice for thousands of years across various cultures. However, we can trace some key elements:

* Ancient Origins: The basic concept of jerky - drying meat to preserve it - dates back to prehistoric times. Archaeological evidence suggests that hunter-gatherer societies around the world used sun-drying or smoke-drying methods to preserve meat long before modern refrigeration.

* Native American Influence: Many Native American tribes in North America have long traditions of creating jerky, often using buffalo, elk, or deer. They typically used methods of sun-drying, smoking, or a combination of both.

* Cowboy Culture: In the American West, cowboys and frontiersmen relied on dried meat, including venison, as a portable food source. This practice helped solidify the association of jerky with the "Wild West" image.

Therefore, while we can't definitively say where venison jerky originated, it's safe to say that it's a product of a long and diverse history of food preservation techniques, deeply rooted in Native American traditions and later popularized in cowboy culture.