谁说牛肉干一定是牛肉?

If you've ever taken a cross-country road trip or loaded up your hiking gear with long-lasting snacks, it's likely you included dried beef jerky alongside such tried-and-true favorites as trail mix and GORP.

如果你曾经进行过一次越野自驾游，或者在你的远足装备里装满了耐久的零食，你很可能会在干牛肉干的旁边放上一些久经考验的最爱，比如什锦干果(trail mix)和高尔普(GORP)。

The dehydrated meat snack has been around for centuries, with historians tracing its roots back to a South American native tribe called the Quechua. Part of the Inca empire, the Quechua called it ch’arki, which means "to burn meat." When Spanish conquistadors made their way up north, they encountered North American Indians practicing the same type of meat dehydration, often mixing their meat with available ingredients like berries.

这种脱水肉点心已经存在了几个世纪，历史学家将它的起源追溯到南美一个名叫盖丘亚的土著部落。印加帝国的一部分，盖丘亚人称它为“查基”，意思是“烧肉”。当西班牙征服者北上时，他们遇到北美印第安人也在进行同样的肉类脱水，经常把他们的肉类和浆果等可用的原料混合在一起。

According to the Wall Street Journal, 174 new jerky foods launched in 2018. (Photo: successo images/Shutterstock)

With its high protein content and long shelf life, jerky soon became a staple for American pioneers and cowboys. Other countries have their own version of jerky, too. South Africa has biltong, China has bakkwa, and Ethiopia has qwant'a, which is seasoned with a mixture of spices called berbere. All are some variety of dried meat flavored with local spices and sauces.

牛肉干蛋白质含量高，保质期长，很快就成为美国拓荒者和牛仔们的主食。其他国家也有他们自己的牛肉干。南非有biltong，中国有bakkwa，埃塞俄比亚有qwant'a，用一种叫做berbere的混合香料调味。这些都是用当地香料和调味料调味的各种各样的肉干。

Bakkwa for sale at a Bee Cheng Hiang store in Singapore. (Photo: Chaerani (Meutia Chaerani)/Indradi Soemardjan [CC by SA 3.0]/Wikimedia Commons)

Today, the variety of jerky available is astounding. And with many people turning to vegan and vegetarian diets for health and environmental reasons, there's no reason meat should get all the glory. Whatever you like to chew (and chew and chew) on, there's a tasty shriveled snack out there for everyone.

如今，牛肉干的种类之多令人震惊。由于许多人出于健康和环境的原因转向纯素食和素食饮食，肉类没有理由获得所有的荣誉。不管你喜欢嚼什么，都有一种美味的干瘪零食可以给你。

If you're craving something savory, why not try dehydrated mushrooms? The fungi is the latest darling of foodies, thanks its wide-ranging health benefits. This superfood is also one of the few non-animal sources of umami, and there's all kinds of DIY recipesout there online if you prefer to make your own.

如果你想吃美味的东西，为什么不试试脱水蘑菇呢?由于其广泛的健康益处，这种真菌成为了最新的美食宠儿。这种超级食物也是少数几种非动物鲜味来源之一，如果你喜欢自己做，网上有各种各样的DIY食谱。

Hawaii specializes in marlin and Ahi tuna, while Alaska is all about salmon jerky. What better way to use up your summer catch than by dehydrating filets for snacking during the long winter?

夏威夷盛产马林鱼和金枪鱼，而阿拉斯加则盛产三文鱼干。还有什么比在漫长的冬天里把鱼片脱水作为零食更好的方法来消耗你夏天的渔获物呢?

Akua uses sustainably ocean-farmed kelp from the Maine coast to create their jerky. (Photo: Akua.com)

Exotic game is also getting into the, well, jerky game. Venison, alligator, elk, kangaroo, and wild boar are all available in the fast-growing jerky market. For those who like to nosh with a conscience, there's also jerky made from invasive species.

异国情调的游戏也进入了，嗯，牛肉干游戏。鹿肉、鳄鱼、麋鹿、袋鼠和野猪都可以在快速增长的牛肉干市场买到。对于那些喜欢有良心地吃东西的人来说，还有一些由入侵物种制成的牛肉干。

If you're feeling extra-adventurous, kelp jerky is another recent addition to the dried snack world. One of the fastest-growing plants in the world, kelp is full of nutrients and has 10 times more calcium than milk! This New York-based kelp jerky comes in three flavors: sesame & nori sea salt, rosemary & maple barbecue, or spicy Thai & spirulina. It counts Sir Richard Branson as a fan, so consider giving the seaweed — or any of these unusual jerky offerings — a chew.

如果你觉得特别冒险，海带牛肉干最近添加到了干零食世界。海带是世界上生长最快的植物之一，富含营养，钙含量是牛奶的10倍!这种以纽约为基地的海带干有三种口味:芝麻和紫菜海盐、迷迭香和枫木烧烤，或辛辣的泰国螺旋藻。它把理查德•布兰森爵士(Sir Richard Branson)视为它的粉丝，因此，考虑嚼一嚼紫菜——或任何一种不寻常的牛肉干。