Is beef jerky halal?

Why beef alone isn't enough

Cows are halal animals, but the meat only becomes halal through proper slaughter. Islam forbids certain foods outright:

Meat from an animal that wasn't slaughtered correctly is treated like a "dead animal" by most scholars. Drying, smoking or curing doesn't change that. The same principle applies to fresh meat; see Is supermarket meat halal?

What about meat from Christians and Jews?

The Quran says the food of the People of the Book is lawful for Muslims:

A minority of scholars apply this to ordinary Western meat. Most scholars today say modern industrial slaughter often doesn't meet the conditions, so they don't consider regular jerky halal. Kosher jerky is a separate case, and many scholars accept kosher beef; see Can Muslims eat kosher food?

Ingredients to check

• Pork: some "meat sticks" and snack sausages mix beef with pork or use pork casings.
• Alcohol: marinades with beer, bourbon, wine or teriyaki made with mirin.
• Natural flavors and smoke flavor: usually fine, but some use alcohol carriers.
• Collagen casings: can be from pork or non-halal beef.

For why pork is off the table in any form, see Why can't Muslims eat pork?

Where to find halal jerky

Several brands in the USA and UK now make halal-certified beef jerky, and halal butchers often sell biltong (South African dried beef). You'll find them online, at Muslim grocery stores and sometimes in big supermarkets. You can also make your own from halal beef in the oven.