It was 5 years ago that Lady Gaga rolled up to the MTV Video Music Awards having been nominated a record 13 times – a first in VMA history for a single year.

Aside from becoming the first female artist to receive two video nominations for the year, and ultimately going on to secure 8 awards, it wasn’t really these accolades that made headlines for the Bad Romance singer on the night, rather than her choice for third outfit change.

Before accepting her Video of the Year award, the singer donned the now (in)famous ‘meat dress’, took to the stage, asked Cher to hold her meat purse, and made her acceptance speech.

Argentinian designer Franc Fernandez created the number, constructed using prime flank steak from his own family butcher, and stitched Lady into it whilst backstage moments before her big moment.

The inevitable furore that surrounded the move had all corners chiming in. From PETA to Morrissey, everybody seemed to have an opinion – good or bad – on her beefy ensemble, and it caused such a ripple that it pipped Kate Middleton’s engagement dress in a survey to find the most iconic outfit of 2010.

A slightly confused sounding Gaga later made an attempt at high-browing the concept on the Ellen DeGeneres show, insisting ‘it has many interpretations. For me this evening, if we don’t stand up for what we believe in and if we don’t fight for our rights pretty soon, we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones. And, I am not a piece of meat.’

One way or another, it secured its place on the zeitgeist tape for 2010, even becoming a fancy dress craze briefly.

So, the question on everybody’s lips is, what on earth happens to a dress made of cow after its had its moment in the spotlight?

Jun Francisco – the Director of Collections at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – spoke to MTV this week, revealing that the dress wasn’t chucked out or barbecued.

‘Right after the VMAs, the museum contacted Lady Gaga about the meat dress and the plan for the future. They agreed to send it to us, but at the time it was still raw meat. So we had to figure out—we went back and forth with ideas—and the thing we decided on was to preserve it like a beef jerky. So it’s taxidermied.’

The beef jerky dress of two thousand and ten. Bet it stinks. (Picture; MTV)

That’s right, Gaga’s publicity stunt is Biltong, and you can go smell it at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anytime you like.