It is a traditional food and a delicacy of Northern Finland, prepared at springtime.

Like jerky, of which kuivaliha is not a variant of, its origins lie in the need for food preservation.

Kuivaliha is a very useful snack when camping, etc., for its light weight and good nutrition values.

Kuivaliha is prepared outdoors by hanging salted strips of meat in the open air, facing south (for sunshine).

Preparation of kuivaliha is done in March and April, based on specific weather conditions in the Finnish springtime: Ambient temperature above freezing during the day, below-freezing temperatures at night (which prevents insects from contaminating the meat along with speeding up the drying process), a dry wind, and sunlight.