Charqui

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Charqui is a form of jerky common in South America made from dried and salted meat, usually from llama, but also beef. The word comes the Quechuan word ch'arki. Charqui is often eaten as a snack with beer.

When encountered by the Spanish, llama jerky (the meat used was from the llama) was being used by the Inca Empire to store meat in tambo (inns) along the Inca road system so that travelers could eat meat when between cities. The Inca used a freeze drying process that took advantage of both the cold dry mountain air and strong sun in their homeland.

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