As many of you know, I’ve been roaming the wilderness for quite a good while. And in that time, I’ve met beef jerky lovers from every walk of life, experimented with all sorts of ways to make my jerky more flavorful and tender, and taken inspiration from an ever-changing world.
See, what makes my jerky special isn’t just that it’s delicious (though of course, that’s the most important part). I like to think that my storied past helps contribute to making my jerky something more than just a snack — it’s an all-out culinary experience. In modern parlance, you might say that I’ve “been around the block a few times.”
Let’s take a stroll through history and see how Old Trapper Beef Jerky became the legendary treat it is today.
The Dawn of Jerky*
350,000 BC: Old Trapper witnesses the creation of fire and immediately realizes he can harness the element to smoke history’s first piece of lean meat. Jerky is born.
20,000 BC: After experimenting with wooly mammoth, cave bear, and sabertooth tiger jerky, Old Trapper begins trading bison jerky with the local population of Neanderthals.
10,400 BC: Old Trapper successfully out-competes Ancient Grog’s cured sloth jerky monopoly, leveraging his product’s superior taste and tenderness.
8,000 BC: Old Trapper first tastes sorghum. An eternity of animosity is born.
The Rise of Civilization
650: Old Trapper travels to present-day Missouri to provide protein-packed snacks for a local earthmoving project at Cahokia.
1120: Old Trapper strikes an exclusive deal with the Chaco tribe to cater Pueblo Bonito’s thousands of guests and residents with his beef jerky.
1340: After experimenting for years, Old Trapper abandons his efforts to create jerky out of string beans.
A New World
1493: Christopher Columbus introduces European livestock to the Americas, and Old Trapper discovers the missing ingredient to take his jerky to the next level: beef.
1595: While exploring the Eastern Seabed, Old Trapper stumbles across the lost colonists of Roanoke. He agrees to keep their location secret after being asked nicely.
1621: At the first Thanksgiving, Old Trapper shows up with a platter of his signature beef jerky to join the festivities.
1774: Old Trapper delivers beef jerky to the first Continental Congress, providing a much-needed energy boost as they debated the fate of a nation; pens the line, “When in the course of human events.”
1776: Inspired by the colonies’ step towards independence, Old Trapper declares independence from poor quality meats.
The Modern Era
1969: At a roadside shop, Old Trapper strikes a new business deal with a local family in rural Oregon to help his beef jerky reach even more hungry mouths.
2014: After losing his paper writings in a tragic smoker fire, Old Trapper takes his regular musings to the digital realm.
Present day: Old Trapper’s signature jerky has become one of the most popular snacks in America. The Old Trapper remains nothing but humble about it.
A History of Great Taste
Well, there you have it, folks: the highlights of a few adventures I’ve had here and there. From ancient campfires to modern-day kitchens, my journey has been one of discovery, innovation, and, above all, a passion for great-tasting beef jerky. I hope you’ve enjoyed this stroll through time and that you’ll join me on future adventures, one delicious bite at a time.
*all dates approximate
