Beef Jerky Tastes Like Blood: Why Does Beef Jerky Have A Bloody Taste?

Beef jerky is a favorite snack from time to time.

But what you may not know is that sometimes, beef jerky tastes like blood.

What causes this problem?

Let’s figure it out in this article.

Why does my beef jerky taste like blood?

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The blood taste, or more like the metallic taste, is something that shouldn’t appear in your food.

If you make your own beef jerky or buy from a nearby store a package of processed beef jerky, no matter how and where you get it, the bloody taste is possible to exist in this snack.

Here are some reasons that can explain why your beef jerky tastes like blood:

The blood sticks in the beef cut and hasn’t been washed thoroughly

If there is a fault in the butchering process, chances are the raw beef cut has blood on it. 

If these beef cuts are not washed thoroughly to remove the blood spots, when cooked in any way, the resulting dish might have a bloody taste.

Beef jerky hasn’t been fully cooked

The second chance is that your beef hasn’t been fully cooked.

People often think of beef jerky as a snack that doesn’t involve any cooking step.

In fact, the drying process uses heat from the oven, air fryer, smoker, or food dehydrator.

The dry heat from these types of equipment helps dry out the beef and take the natural juice away, which helps lengthen the shelf life of your beef.

So in case the beef hasn’t been dried long enough, it means that the strong metallic taste from raw meat still exists in your jerky.

This not only makes your beef jerky less appealing and delicious but also is not safe to eat at all.

Is it safe to eat beef jerky that tastes like blood?

It depends on the reason that causes the bloody taste in your beef jerky to determine if it is safe to consume this kind of beef or not.

Normally, it is not really safe to eat beef jerky that tastes like blood because it is a sign of uncooked or dirty beef.

However, if it is only the subtly iron taste in your beef jerky without any sign of spoilage or dirt, it might not be risky for consumption.

It all depends on how careful you are to decide to eat this kind of beef jerky.  

How to get rid of the blood taste from beef jerky?

Here we come to the most important section that will provide you with easy-to-follow methods that can help deal with the bloody taste in beef jerky.

Let’s check it out:

Buy beef from a reputable butcher shop

The first way is to buy beef from a reputable butcher shop.

Normally, at a reputable store, they have skillful and professional butchers who are likely to slaughter the cow without letting the blood stick on the meat.

You can buy clean beef with a clear origin and being packaged neatly without any sign of damage or dirt.

Wash the beef thoroughly before drying it to make beef jerky

The second thing you can do is to wash and rinse your beef well before cooking it.

This will help remove any dirt or blood spots on the surface of the meat cut.

Wash beef under a running tap and don’t forget to pat-dry it completely before placing your beef in the baking tray and putting it in the oven or dehydrator.

Marinate with more salt and let your beef uncovered in the fridge

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Our last suggestion is to marinate your beef thoroughly on all sides with a generous amount of salt.

Put the baking tray of salted beef in the cooling compartment of your beef, but remember to let it uncovered.

This might help pull a lot of the myoglobin out as this protein is directly related to the bloody flavor in your beef jerky.

Moreover, salting your beef well before jerking can help keep the meat juicier, more tender, and improve the flavor.

The bottom line

Beef jerky is delicious and satisfying if done right.

It has been a favorite snack to spice up your meal from old-fashioned beef recipes.

However, if you figure out the bloody or metallic taste in your beef jerky, it might be a sign of dirty or uncooked beef.

Just give it a closer check and you will decide for a keep or a toss.