Jerky-making guide

Beef Jerky Recipes and How to Make Jerky at Home

To make beef jerky, slice a lean cut into even slices about 1/4 inch, marinate it in the fridge 6 to 24 hours, then dry it at about 160Ā°F until it bends and cracks without snapping. Below: the five steps, 108 recipes and our new video recipes.

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How to make beef jerky Browse recipes

How to make beef jerky, step by step

Every recipe on this page follows the same five steps. Each one links to a full guide with photos and tips from Doug, our jerky expert. Rather buy than make it? Here is the best beef jerky we sell.

  1. Cut and weigh the meat. Pick a lean cut like top round, trim the fat, and slice it evenly about 1/4 inch. Partially freezing the meat for an hour or two makes it much easier to slice. Cut against the grain for tender jerky or with it for a classic chew. Step 1: cutting and weighing meat
  2. Season and marinate. Coat every strip in marinade or a dry rub. A good starting point is soy sauce, Worcestershire, a little sugar, pepper, garlic and onion. Our beef jerky marinade guide has the base recipe, ratios and 8 variations. Step 2: seasoning and marinating
  3. Seal and refrigerate. Marinate in a sealed bag or container in the fridge, never on the counter, for 6 to 24 hours. A vacuum sealer pushes the flavor in and saves space. Step 3: vacuum sealing and refrigerating
  4. Dry it in a dehydrator or oven. Pat the strips dry and lay them in a single layer without touching. Dry at about 160Ā°F, usually 4 to 8 hours, until a cooled piece bends and cracks without snapping. Our jerky dehydrators guide compares the best options. Step 4: dehydrating in the oven or a dehydrator
  5. Cool, bag and store. Let the jerky cool completely, blot off any fat, then bag it. Step 5: bagging and storing jerky

Making ground meat jerky? Mix the seasoning into lean ground meat and press out even strips with a jerky gun. Try the World Famous Ground Venison Jerky recipe.

4 tips for better homemade jerky

  • Slice evenly. Strips the same size dry at the same rate, so nothing ends up brittle while the rest is still wet.
  • Know your grain. Against the grain is tender and easy to chew. With the grain gives a classic chew.
  • Use every rack. Spread strips in a single layer with room for air to move, and rotate trays partway through.
  • Keep it food safe. Marinate in the fridge, never reuse marinade that touched raw meat, and the USDA recommends heating meat to 160Ā°F (165Ā°F for poultry).

New: video beef jerky recipes

Watch our team make each batch, then follow the full recipe.

Old Mexico Street Taco Beef Jerky Recipe

Lime, garlic and green chili, tested on camera. Watch and get the recipe.

Spicy TajĆ­n Pineapple Mango Beef Jerky Recipe

Fresh pineapple and mango, Valentina and TajĆ­n. Watch and get the recipe.

Savory Worcestershire Original Beef Jerky Recipe

The savory original: Worcestershire, soy, garlic and pepper. Watch and get the recipe.

Thin & Crispy Beef Jerky Chips Recipe (3 Flavors)

Sliced paper-thin and dried until it snaps. Three flavors. Watch and get the recipe.

Let's Make this Cholula Beef Jerky Recipe

Cholula hot sauce jerky from our Test Kitchen video. Watch and get the recipe.

All jerky recipes

Beef, turkey, venison, chicken, fish and more. Every link opens the full recipe.

Beef jerky recipes

Turkey jerky recipes

Venison jerky recipes

Other jerky recipes

Test Kitchen recipes

See every post in the beef jerky recipes blog.

Gear you need to make jerky

See everything we use in our jerky-making gear guide.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make beef jerky at home?

Slice a lean cut like top round into even slices about 1/4 inch, marinate it in the fridge for 6 to 24 hours, pat it dry, then dry it in a dehydrator or oven until it bends and cracks without snapping. Our five step-by-step guides walk through each stage.

What is the best cut of beef for jerky?

Lean cuts work best because fat does not dry well. Top round, bottom round, eye of round and flank steak are the most popular choices.

Should you cut jerky with or against the grain?

Cut against the grain for a more tender, easier-to-chew jerky. Cut with the grain for a classic, chewier strip.

What temperature do you dry beef jerky at?

Most home dehydrators are set between 145Ā°F and 165Ā°F. The USDA recommends heating meat to 160Ā°F (165Ā°F for poultry) before or during drying.

How long does it take to make beef jerky?

Plan on 6 to 24 hours of marinating plus about 4 to 8 hours of drying for typical slices. Very thin chips or sugary marinades can take longer, so check by feel instead of the clock.

How do you know when jerky is done?

Let a piece cool for a few minutes, then bend it. Done jerky bends and cracks on the surface but does not snap in half, and no moisture beads up.

Can you make jerky in the oven?

Yes. Set the oven as low as it goes, lay strips on racks over a sheet pan, and prop the door open slightly so moisture can escape. See our oven and dehydrator guide.

Can you make jerky from ground meat?

Yes. Mix the seasoning into lean ground meat and press it into strips with a jerky gun, then dry it the same way as sliced jerky.

How much jerky does a pound of beef make?

Meat loses about 55% to 80% of its weight as it dries, so a pound of raw beef makes well under half a pound of jerky.

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