Beef Jerky Recipe

If you’re like me, you love beef jerky. It’s the perfect snack to pack in your lunch or take on a hike. However, store-bought beef jerky can be expensive and often contains unhealthy additives.

So, why not make your own? This easy beef jerky recipe is sure to become a favorite. Plus, you can customize the beef jerky marinade to your liking by adding different spices and flavors. 

Get ready to enjoy the best beef jerky ever!

My mom makes Beef Jerky for Christmas every year. We can’t get enough of it. She has to hide it so it doesn’t get eaten before giving it as gifts.

What Kind of Beef To Use

A lean cut of meat is best for making dehydrator jerky. Lean cuts are best because the fat will not render at low temperatures.

The best lean cuts of beef are:

• london broil
• flank steak
• eye of round roast
• top round
• sirloin tip roast

Where To Buy Beef

When making beef jerky, you want to use the highest quality meat. I like to use grass-fed beef because it has a healthy fat profile than corn-fed beef. Here are a few resources if you need a resource for sustainably grown meat and poultry.

What could be better than grass-fed beef delivered right to your door?

• US Wellness Meats (affiliate link)
• Butcher Box (affiliate link)
• Snake River Farms (affiliate link)

How To Slice The Beef

You can slice the beef at home or ask your butcher. The butcher has industrial-grade slicers that make getting thin slices of beef easy.

If you will slice the beef yourself, put the beef in the freezer for a few hours before slicing. When the beef is extra cold, it will be easy to slice. Make sure you have a heavy cutting board and a sharp knife.

You want to slice the meat into thin strips (about one-quarter inch thick). Thick slices will be hard to chew and will take forever to dry.

Against The Grain Or With The Grain

The direction in which you slice beef will affect its texture. This is a highly debated question amongst jerky lovers. But in the end, it comes down to your preference.

When you cut the beef against the grain, you end up with a more tender and, in my opinion, easier-to-chew bite of jerky.

Cutting the slices with the grain keeps the longer muscle fiber intact and will make them chewier.

Meat Tenderizer

I use the texturized side of a meat tenderizer tool to pound the meat slices. Tenderizing the meat this way has two main benefits.

Pounding the meat ensures it’s even so it will dry more evenly. The meat tenderizer tool’s texturized face also helps break up the connective tissue. The result is tender and tasty beef jerky.

Certain ingredients in the marinade also contribute to the tenderness of the meat. You can add one or a mixture of these ingredients.

• Meat tenderizer—A Commercial meat tenderizer is a powder containing an enzyme called papain. Papain is derived from papayas and is an incredibly efficient tenderizer.
• Fresh pineapple juice—Fresh pineapple juice contains the enzyme bromelain, which works well as a meat tenderizer. Remember that pasteurization kills this enzyme, so canned juice will not work like fresh pineapple juice.
• Beer – Beer contains alpha acids and tannins that help break down fibers in meat, making it more tender and flavorful.

Beef Jerky Marinade

There are many different ingredients that can go into a jerky marinade, but I like to keep it simple. I still want my beef jerky to taste like beef, so you don’t want to overwhelm the meat with too much seasoning or sweetness.

I use two main versions of marinade for beef jerky. One is this recipe for Steakhouse marinade. It’s simple and has a similar flavor to what I would use to marinate a steak before grilling.

This marinade has great flavor and is a perfect simple marinade to start with if it’s your first time making beef jerky. You can start with this homemade beef jerky recipe and then tweak it to make it sweeter, spicier, or more garlicky.

The second version has a Hawaiian twist and is a bit sweet and spicy. This recipe is coming soon. Grab the recipe NOW in the download!!!

Ingredients For The Marinade

Here’s a list of the basic marinade ingredients you’ll need to make jerky and a few substitutions that you might find helpful.

• Soy sauce adds saltiness and flavor to the jerky. You can opt for low-sodium soy sauce or substitute tamari or liquid aminos for it.
• Worcestershire sauce adds umami to the marinade.
• Liquid smoke adds a smoke flavor to the meat without the actual smoking. You can use Hickory or Mesquite.
• Garlic powder.
• Onion powder.
• Seasoned salt. I use Ono Hawaiian Seasoning (affiliate link). Smoke salt is also a good option.
• Black pepper.
• Red pepper flakes. Optional. Adjust to your level of spiciness. I usually like it extra spicy.

Other spices You Might use

• brown sugar
• paprika
• cayenne pepper

The Best Way To Marinade Beef Jerky

The easiest way to marinate beef jerky is in a large ziplock bag. Mix all of the marinade ingredients in the bag, then add the thinly sliced beef. Marinate for at least two hours, up to overnight.

I usually make my jerky marinade in the morning and let the meat marinate all day. Then, I will dry the jerky overnight.

You can also use a shallow dish to marinate the meat.

How To Dry Beef Jerky

Beef jerky can be dried over a fire, in a smoker, in the oven, or a dehydrator. All these methods work great and will give you those chewy, savory jerky strips you’re craving.

Dehydrator Beef Jerky

The easiest way to make beef jerky is in a food dehydrator. A good food dehydrator can keep its temperature consistent and has a powerful fan directing air over a small space. The result is evenly dried beef that is virtually hands-off once you start.

I have the old-school Nesco dehydrator I have had since the late 90s. I have often thought about upgrading but hate buying something new until the old one breaks. So… Nesco dehydrator, I’m still rocking it.

1. Drain off the excess marinade in a colander.
2. Place the beef slices in a single layer on the dehydrator trays.
3. Set the dehydrator temperature to 145 to 160℉.
4. Dehydrate the jerky for 8 to 10 hours. The jerky closest to the fan may dry out faster, so check in with it and rearrange the trays and/or slices of beef if needed.

The strips of beef should be flexible and chewy. You don’t want the pieces of beef to be so dry that they crack.

Oven Beef Jerky

The oven method is also great, but you must have four to five large sheet pans and baking racks.

1. Set the oven racks to be centered and evenly spaced in the oven.
2. Preheat the oven temperature to 145 to 160℉.
3. Drain off the excess marinade in a colander.
4. Line your baking sheets with aluminum foil and place a wire rack over each baking sheet.
5. Place the beef slices in a single layer on the wire racks.
6. Dehydrate the jerky for 8 to 10 hours.

Beef Jerky On A Smoker

On a smoker. The smoker method is probably the most advanced method for making jerky. If you are skilled with a smoker, I highly recommend it.

I will save my beef jerky smoker recipe for a separate post. Stay tuned!

How To Store Beef Jerky

Store beef jerky in an airtight container. I usually keep it in the refrigerator, but you don’t have to. Beef jerky keeps longer in the fridge.

In our house, the beef jerky is gone before we ever have to worry about storing it. Often, half the batch is eaten right out of the dehydrator.

Hungry for more healthy snack recipes?

When you have a craving, it shouldn’t be denied! Find snack recipes that will healthily satisfy your cravings.

• Savory Spiced Nuts
• Paleo Granola Cookies
• Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Marinated Mushrooms
• Pickled Mexican Vegetables (Escabeche)
• Guacamole