Beef Jerky Recipe

I’m not sure about you, but I love beef jerky. It’s the perfect snack to take on the go, and it’s always satisfying. If you’re looking for an easy and affordable way to make your own beef jerky, then this beef jerky recipe is for you. Make sure you see Featured Chef, Laura Reigel’s Notes and Tips below to make this perfectly perfect!

Beef Jerky Recipe

By: Laura Reigel | Foodology Geek

PREP TIME – 20 minutes 
COOK TIME – 10 hours 
MARINATING TIP – 8 hours 
TOTAL TIME – 18 hours 20 minutes 

COURSE – Snack
CUISINE – American

SERVINGS – 16 servings
CALORIES – 151 kcal

EQUIPMENT
▢ food dehydrator
▢ meat tenderizer tool

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 lbs beef, thinly sliced (London broil, top round, eye of round, flank steak, or brisket)
• ▢ ½ cup soy sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
• ▢ 1 to 2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground, adjust to desired pepperiness
• ▢ 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, adjust to the desired spiciness

Instructions

• Slice the beef. Freeze the beef for an hour or more so that it is very cold but not frozen solid. This makes it easier to slice. (You could also ask your butcher to slice the beef into ¼-inch slices OR give US Wellness Meats’s Beef Sliced Outside Round a try!)
• Tenderize the beef. Using a meat mallet, pound the beef so that it is about ⅛^th of an inch thick. You want the thickness to be even so that the beef dries evenly.
• Make the marinade. Mix the ingredients for the marinade together in a zip-top bag or in a bowl. (½ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1 to 2 teaspoons black pepper)
• Marinate for 8 hours. Add the beef to the marinade and mix to make sure the beef is entirely covered. Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours. I you’re in a hurry, I recommend a minimum of 2 hours of marinating time.
• Dehydrate the beef jerky. Place the slices of meat in a single layer on your dehydrator trays. Set the dehydrator to a temperature between 140 and 160℉.
• Start to check on the jerky at around 4 hours. It will take 4 to 8 hours, depending on the thickness of the jerky slices.

Laura’s Tips + Notes

• The oven method is also great, but you need to have four to five large sheet pans and baking racks.
• Set the oven racks so that they are centered and evenly spaced in the oven.
• Preheat the oven temperature to 145 to 160℉.
• Drain off the excess marinade in a colander.
• Line your baking sheets with aluminum foil and place a wire rack over each baking sheet.
• Place the beef slices in a single layer on the wire racks.
• Dehydrate the jerky for 8 to 10 hours.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 ounces
Calories: 151kcal
Carbohydrates: 1g
Protein: 11g
Fat: 11g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 40mg
Sodium: 610mg
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 1g
Calcium: 15mg
Iron: 1mg

To add a little spice to this recipe, try using ground red pepper. For an extra punch of spice, add a bit more. If you’re looking to make a large batch, we recommend trying our US Wellness Meats Whole Primal Beef Inside Round, which comes in a 15 lb. package. Alternatively, our Pre-Sliced and Pre-Trimmed Beef Sliced Outside Round, which comes in a 10 lb. package, is also an excellent option. At US Wellness Meats we offer a wide array of cuts to fit your culinary needs. Check out our Discover Blog for more fantastic recipes from our fabulous Featured Chefs!

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