U.S. [ad. American Sp. charqui, charque (Pg. xarque), from native Peruvian ccharqui: see CHARQUI and JERK v.2] Jerked beef.
1883. Daily Examiner (S. F., CA), 7 Jan., 2/4. Having manufactured a large amount of ‘jerky’ from the beef, the rascals are in good condition to put in a comfortable Winter. Why don’t the stockmen make ‘jerky’ of them?
1890. in Cent. Dict.
1893. E. Coues, Lewis & Clark, I. 31. The word as a verb is now generally spelled jerk, and jerked meat is known as jerky.
