The dried meat snack made by seasoning and drying strips of beef is jerky, specifically beef jerky.
Jerky is made by trimming meat, slicing or pressing it into thin strips, seasoning it—often with salt, spices, soy sauce, sugar, or Worcestershire sauce—and removing moisture through low-heat drying, dehydration, or smoking. Lower moisture prevents much of the microbial growth that causes fresh meat to spoil, allowing properly prepared jerky to remain shelf-stable for an extended period.
The word “jerky” comes from the Quechua word ch’arki, meaning dried or salted meat. The broader term can describe dried meat from many animals, including pork, turkey, venison, bison, salmon, and even game meats, so “beef jerky” is the more precise name when the question specifies beef. Jerky is also different from prosciutto and salami: those are cured meat products, but they are not usually defined by thin strips of dehydrated meat.