Crafting mouthwatering homemade beef jerky in a dehydrator is much simpler than you think. With minimal effort, you can enjoy better than store-bought beef jerky at a fraction of the price.
Whenever I go backpacking, my favorite snack to pack is beef jerky. It is pretty much the only time I buy it. At upwards of $20 a pound at grocery stores, it just doesn't make the final cut on the everyday shopping list very often. Yet, it still remains one of my favorite snacks. However, I enjoy making my own homemade beef jerky far more often, which is more affordable and tastes every bit as good!
Homemade Beef Jerky
There are two ways to make homemade beef jerky in your dehydrator. You can make ground beef jerky using a jerky gun, or you can use thinly sliced lean beef for traditional beef jerky. This is a fairly simple beef jerky recipe using thinly sliced lean beef.
Not only does using thinly sliced beef not require specialized tools, like a jerky cannon, but it is also healthier because you aren't using fatty cuts of meat.
What cut of beef is best for jerky?
The best cut of meat for beef jerky is any type of round roast. This includes the eye or round, top round, and bottom round roasts. They are nice and meaty, reasonably priced, and almost fat-free! Fat adds flavor to many dishes, but in beef jerky it just gets stuck in your teeth! I like lean cuts of beef without too much fat, like round roasts, because each bite is consistently meaty.
An honorable mention would be a London broil. London broils are also a great lean cut of meat for jerky, although it is typically a flank steak the name is used interchangeably with a variety of cuts at times.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef round roast - Wildgame, such as venison, can also be substituted.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Soy sauce
- Liquid smoke
- Smoked paprika - Regular paprika works equally well.
- Brown sugar
- Ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper - You can substitute crushed red pepper flakes.
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
How to make Beef Jerky in a dehydrator
To make homemade beef jerky you simply cut the beef into thin slices with a sharp knife, let it marinate in the refrigerator overnight to soak up flavor, and then dry it at a low temperature in a dehydrator. My recipe is a great "original flavor" recipe that can easily be customized to fit your tastes. For example, if you want a spicy beef jerky recipe just add another teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Using a dehydrator is the best method for making homemade beef jerky. Set the food dehydrator at 160 degrees, or up to 175 if your model allows you go to go higher, and place the thin strips of meat on the dehydrator racks. Rotating the racks hourly will ensure all of your jerky cooks evenly. Your jerky slices will be done in about 4 hours.
When is beef jerky done?
Beef jerky is done when it is no longer moist to the touch and does not bend without cracking. The jerky should bend slightly and then break, having an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees. If it breaks immediately, like a cracker, it is overdone. You should check the jerky throughout the cooking process to check for doneness. If you cut your jerky sufficiently thin it should finish cooking in under four hours.
How to dehydrate beef jerky in the oven
Some ovens will have a dehydrate setting, though even if they do not, your convection feature will work spectacularly as long as your oven lets you bake at low temperatures. Set your oven on convection at 175 degrees, and your jerky should be done with the drying process in around three hours. The beef jerky can simply be dried on wire baking racks. It is still recommended to rotate the racks in case your oven has any hot spots.
Tip: I have found ovens have difficulty maintaining consistent temperatures when set extremely low, such as 175 degrees. I use a digital oven thermometer to monitor the temperature swings and open the door slightly as needed to let heat out when it gets too hot.
Does Beef Jerky Need to Be Refrigerated?
According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, when properly prepared homemade jerky does not need to be stored in the refrigerator. Dry jerky can be stored at room temperature, however, to preserve freshness it is best stored in an airtight container. Glass jars or a large ziploc bag work well for storage. Place the sealed container in a a cool dry place.
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Homemade Beef Jerky in a Dehydrator
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef round roast (thinly sliced)
Jerky Marinade
- ⅔ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ⅔ cup Soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon Smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
Instructions
- (Optional) Place beef in freezer for two hours. This will make it easier to slice thinly.
- Slice beef thinly against the grain. (approximately ⅛")
- Add all marinade ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine.
- Place sliced beef in ziplock plastic bag (gallon sized) and pour in marinade. Ensure it is evenly coating the meat and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Remove beef from bag and pat dry with paper towels (drying with a paper towel will speed cooking time). The excess marinade can be discarded.
- Lay the jerky strips a single layer on dehydrator trays and set your food dehydrator at 160 degrees. (this can be done on wire racks in the oven as well)
- Dehydrate, rotating racks each hour, for 4 hours, or until the beef jerky is dry and cracks when you bend it.
Notes
Nutritional Information
This recipe was originally published on FoxValleyFoodie.com April 4, 2018.
Pat
Trying this next.
Lorraine ROMERO
Can you use this marinade for meat? I have made the beef jerky and it is amazing
Fox Valley Foodie
Yes, you could use this as a marinade with good results!
Rachel
This is by far the best recipe! Just wondering if I missed something. The jerky was BLACK! Tasted good though. Any thoughts much appreciated.
Fox Valley Foodie
I believe it continues to darken the longer it cooked. You may have cooked it a bit longer than needed, but it will still taste great.
Eric
I have access to an extremely large smoker at the restaurant I work for. How would I alter this recipe to use with it?
Mary
I read conflicting info on whether meat needs to be heated to 160 in the oven before dehydrating. Some insist that meat must be cooked before or even after dehydrating. I just want to make sure I won’t poison my family. So cook or not cook?
Fox Valley Foodie
Start with raw beef.
Tracy
Can you use boneless bottom round for this recipe??
Fox Valley Foodie
Yes, that will work well!
Brandy Chenevert
Do you think tenderloin would work well as far as the cut of meat goes?
Fox Valley Foodie
Yes, that should work but it is typically such an expensive cut of beef that I would hesitant to try it.
Patty Auricchio
I added a teaspoon of light brown sugar and a half of teaspoon of molasses to this recipe and it turned out absolutely delicious...My husband can't stop talking about how great it tasted!!! My family members think that I am the best chef ever!!! This was the easiest recipe that I have ever used for making jerky!!!
Mark Strauss
I was surprised how well this recipe worked. The beef jerky tastes great and was extremely easy to make. I used a dehydrator by my dehydrator does not have a temperature control and took six hours to dehydrate.
Kevin Briery
I've only made this 1 time a few weeks ago and only did a half pound and reduced the ingredients to accommodate not over flavoring. What I dehydrates that day did turn out actually not bad at all, I didn't have liquid smoke that batch. But today I've properly weighed out ingredients for a full 2lb suggested amount. Liquid smoke I believe will pop the flavor to its fullest. That is for sharing this easy 1 2 3 step method. I'll repost when donit's done.
Olga
Bravo! What a great idea! Love this. I’m sure this is incredibly delicious!
Stevo
Wow! I have made this jerky a bunch! Always the same amazing result! Something i like to add to the mix is red pepper, like maybe a teaspoon.
Brandon
How thin do you cut your roast before marinating?
Fox Valley Foodie
Aim for about 1/8 of an inch.
Steve
Excellent recipe. I've made it a few times now and have had excellent results each time. I like it spicy so add more cayenne. I make in the oven with the fan on. I air dry for 3 days and keep it in mason jars. I'm not sure how long it lasts as we eat it very quickly; usually within a few weeks. I freeze it and cut it with a very good bread knife as I find it easier. Cut at around 4mm as it will end up about half that when done. Can't miss with this crowd pleaser, thanks!
Terry Smith
Can I use ground beef and a jerky press for this recipe? If so, how long do I put in the dehydrator?
Fox Valley Foodie
You will need a recipe specifically for ground beef jerky for that. The seasoning amounts will likely be different.
Jerky Addicted
I did mine with ground beef and it turned out amazing! Mixed all the ingredients and marinated overnight. I have a 5 tray dehydrator so did 3 trays of original, a tray of cracked fresh pepper coated and even added some red pepper flakes to a tray out of it. If you have a jerky gun it goes through well. Have many plans to adventure into teriyaki seasoning and maybe try using ground turkey ....a much healier option! But as of right now...I will take it no matter what it is haha
BeekerC
if made in an oven, is it necessary to keep the door cracked upon for ventilation? or is it okay to have the door closed?
Elizabeth Price
Put a spatula in the door. Only a little crack is all it needs to be. Do not close all the way!
Jason Fuhrman
What happens if oven door is closed? Directions don't mention cracking door..
D
It will cook the jerky instead of dehydrating it.
Lesley Lockhart
Should home made beef jerky be refrigerated?
Fox Valley Foodie
You can if it makes you feel better, however, when made properly jerky should be shelf stable.
Mary
Do you sell it already made?
Fox Valley Foodie
I do not.
jay
not really unless it contains a lot of fat the fat will go rancid in a few days
Gabriel S
After it is dried completely, you don’t need to refrigerate it 😁
Jenni
It’s our favorite jerky recipe.
Nancy
This is now my go to beef jerky recipe!
Albert Bevia
This is a pretty amazing tutorial on making homemade beef jerkey.....impressive stuff and it looks so good