How to Make Beef Jerky
Slice lean beef into thin strips, marinate in a savory spice blend, and dehydrate at controlled temperatures to create tender, shelf-stable beef jerky.
This guide shows how to make beef jerky in 6-10 hours. Start with trim fat and par-freeze beef; follow the safety notes and step checkpoints below.
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Editable rough U.S. retail estimates. Estimated all listed: $123.00. Prices are planning estimates, not quotes — tax, store, brand, size and quantity will change them.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Sharp chef's knife or slicing knife
- ✓ Cutting board
- ✓ Large mixing bowl or zip-top bag
- ✓ Food dehydrator or oven with wire racks
- ✓ Baking sheet
- ✓ Paper towels
- ✓ Tongs
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ 2 lbs lean beef (top round, eye of round, or flank)
- ✓ 1/2 cup soy sauce
- ✓ 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- ✓ 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ✓ 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- ✓ 1 tsp garlic powder
- ✓ 1/2 tsp curing salt #1 (optional for shelf life)
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Ensure raw beef remains below 40°F (4°C) during prep and reaches at least 160°F (71°C) during drying to eliminate bacteria.
- • Sanitize cutting boards and knives immediately after slicing raw meat to avoid cross-contamination.
- • Keep blade fingers tucked in a claw grip when slicing partially frozen, slippery meat.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Trim Fat and Par-Freeze Beef
Trim away all visible white fat and connective tissue from the exterior of the beef roast. Place the trimmed roast on a tray in the freezer for 45 to 60 minutes until firm to the touch but not completely rock solid.
- • All large white fat caps fully removed
- • Meat holds rigid shape when lifted without sagging
- • Leaving surface fat intact
- • Freezing meat until solid ice
Slice Meat into Uniform Strips
Slice the firm beef into strips between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch thick. Cut across the grain for tender, easy-to-chew jerky, or with the grain for a traditional, tougher chew.
- • Uniform ribbon-like slices laid out flat
- • Consistent thickness across all slices
- • Varying thickness between slices
- • Using a dull blade that tears rather than cuts
Mix Marinade and Coat Slices
Whisk soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, garlic powder, and curing salt in a bowl until dissolved. Add beef strips and toss thoroughly by hand to ensure every slice is fully coated on all sides.
- • Dark marinade liquid evenly distributed
- • No dry patches or clumped meat slices sticking together
- • Leaving meat slices stuck together in clumps
- • Under-dissolving brown sugar granules
Refrigerate and Marinate
Seal the marinated beef in a bowl covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight bag, pressing out excess air. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight, flipping the bag once halfway through.
- • Airtight container resting on bottom refrigerator shelf
- • Meat darkened significantly to deep mahogany
- • Marinating at room temperature
- • Rushing the marinade stage under 3 hours
Pat Dry and Arrange on Wire Racks
Remove beef strips from marinade and press firmly between layers of paper towels to absorb excess surface moisture. Arrange strips in a single layer on dehydrator or wire baking racks, leaving at least 1/4-inch space between each piece.
- • Matte, non-dripping surface on beef strips
- • Even grid layout with visible gaps between all pieces
- • Overlapping meat strips
- • Placing dripping-wet meat directly on racks
Dehydrate to Target Texture
Dry at 160°F (71°C) for 4 to 7 hours until firm and dry. Test doneness by cooling a test piece for 5 minutes and bending it: it should bend and show white crack lines in the fibers without snapping cleanly in half.
- • Dark brown, matte leather-like finish
- • White cracked connective fibers visible along bend radius without snapping
- • Testing jerky while hot straight from the dehydrator
- • Drying below 145°F without pre-heating
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by GoldenGully — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Food dehydrator? Convection oven set to lowest temperature (160°F-170°F) with door propped open with a wooden spoon
- No Top round roast? Eye of round, flank steak, or sirloin tip
- No Curing salt #1? Omit and store finished jerky in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks