Best Jerky Recipes

HOMEMADE BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Whisk Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, paprika, honey, black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder together in a bowl. Add beef to bowl and turn to coat beef completely. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator, 3 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack over the foil.
• Transfer beef to paper towels to dry. Discard marinade. Arrange beef slices in a single layer on the prepared wire rack on the baking sheet.
• Bake beef in the preheated oven until dry and leathery, 3 to 4 hours. Cut with scissors into bite-size pieces.

GROUND BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Stir salt, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a large bowl; add ground beef and mix well.
• Pass beef mixture through a meat grinder set with the finest blade.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place wire-racks onto baking sheets.
• Place 1/2 ground beef mixture between two sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly roll beef mixture to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap, invert beef mixture onto prepared baking sheet, and remove the bottom layer of plastic wrap. Repeat for remaining beef mixture.
• Bake beef mixture in the preheated oven with the oven door slightly ajar for 2 1/2 hours. Rotate the baking sheet. Bake until jerky is cooked through, another 3 hours. Remove jerky from oven and cut into strips while warm.

BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Trim the flank steak of any excess fat, place in a zip-top bag, and place it in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours in order to firm up.
• Remove the steak from the freezer and thinly slice the meat with the grain, into long strips.
• Place the strips of meat along with all of the remaining ingredients into a large, 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag and move around to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Place the bag into the refrigerator for 3 to 6 hours.
• Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Evenly distribute the strips of meat onto 3 of the air filters, laying them in the grooves and then stacking the filters on top of one another. Top these with 1 empty filter. Next, lay the box fan on its side and lay the filters on top of it. Strap the filters to the fan with 2 bungee cords. Stand the fan upright, plug in and set to medium. Allow the meat dry for 8 to 12 hours. If using a commercial dehydrator, follow the manufacturer's directions.
• Once dry, store in a cool dry place, in an airtight container for 2 to 3 months.

THE BEST TERIYAKI BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Flash freeze beef for 20 minutes on cookie sheet during ingredient mixture.
• Mix ingredients in extra large bowl with whisk until completely blended.
• If beef is more than one inch thick, slice across to create equal thickness.
• Cut beef between 1/8 - 1/ 4 inch thick slices, in addition to trimming as much fat off the meat as possible.
• Incorporate beef into ingredients to cover.
• Marinate beef overnight.
• Pat dry beef slices and skewer beef onto bamboo, ensuring small space between slices for thorough dryness and leaving one inch on each end.
• Hang beef skewers across oven rack so beef hangs freely.
• Cover entire oven rack with skewers of meat.
• Place aluminum foil on oven rack #2 at very bottom of oven to help catch drippings.
• Set oven to lowest temperature (170 degrees in my case) and leave door ajar on hinge, letting beef sit for approximately 5-6 hours or until dry.
• Check beef a few times throughout to ensure it is not actually baking, but simply drying out.
• Once finished,
• Let beef skewers rest for 10 minutes after drying, and then remove skewers from oven rack and let sit on tray until cool.
• Remove beef strips from skewers and store them in an airtight container.

DAD'S JERKY MARINADE

Steps:

• Stir together soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and hot pepper sauce in a bowl. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and sugar; stir until mixed.
• To use, toss one pound of thinly sliced meat with the marinade until well coated. Place into a resealable plastic bag, and squeeze out the air. Marinate in the refrigerator for 48 hours, mixing twice. Remove meat from marinade, and discard excess marinade. Prepare jerky according to the manufacturer's directions of your smoker or dehydrator.

BEEF JERKY IN A SMOKER

Steps:

• In a large, nonporous bowl, combine the ground black pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well and add the meat slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Prepare an outdoor smoker for low heat and lightly oil grate.
• Lay meat strips out on grill so that they do not overlap. Smoke over low heat. Jerky will be done when the edges appear dry with just a slight hint of moisture in the center of the slices, about 6 to 8 hours.

SWEET AND SPICY VENISON JERKY

Steps:

• Whisk together the sugar, black pepper, onion powder, garlic salt, lemon juice, liquid smoke, paprika, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, teriyaki sauce, and soy sauce in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the venison strips and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Mix the venison a few times as it marinates to ensure even absorption of the marinade.
• Remove the venison strips from the marinade and squeeze off excess. Discard the remaining marinade. Arrange the venison on the racks of a food dehydrator so that it does not overlap.
• Dry the venison on High until dry but still pliable, about 4 hours. The jerky should bend without breaking. Store the jerky in an airtight container or in a resealable plastic bag.

JERKY LOVER'S JERKY - SWEET, HOT AND SPICY!

Steps:

• In a small bowl or cup, mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, and some cracked black pepper. Season the meat lightly, using only part of the mixture. Reserve the remaining spices. Place into an airtight plastic container or bowl, and refrigerate.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, mix together the brown sugar, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, liquid smoke flavoring and pineapple juice. Heat until the brown sugar has completely dissolved. Refrigerate marinade until cool.
• Pour cooled marinade over the seasoned meat, and mix by hand to coat. Seal the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Arrange the beef strips on the rack of a dehydrator, and sprinkle with a little bit more of the spice mixture and red pepper flakes if using. Dry for 5 hours, or to your desired dryness.

VENISON JERKY

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine ground venison, salt, MSG, hot sauce, curing mixture, barbeque seasoning, water, liquid smoke, garlic powder, and pepper; mix thoroughly. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Line food dehydrator trays with plastic wrap. Pat meat mixture into a very thin layer on the trays. Place in dehydrator set according to manufacturers directions. Once the meat has firmed up, after about the first 2 hours, remove it from the plastic, cut into strips, and replace onto the racks. Continue until the meat is done drying, about 5 to 10 hours total depending on machine.
• When finished, blot off any grease with a paper towel. Store in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight fitting lid.

HAMBURGER BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Mix all spices with ground beef EXCEPT Worcestershire, liquid smoke and ketchup.
• You need to really get your hands in to mix it well.
• Press into strips with a jerky gun.
• Mix Worcestershire, liquid smoke and ketchup in a shallow dish.
• Coat strips with sauce.
• Place on trays to dry.
• Dry according to your dehydrator manufacturers instructions.
• Other flavors as follows:.
• Hot and spicy - mix Louisiana hot sauce with water to thin a bit. Coat strips and dry.
• BBQ - thin your favorite bottled bbq sauce with water. Coat strips and dry.
• Teriyaki - thin bottled teriyaki sauce with soya sauce. Coat strips and dry.

TERIYAKI BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Mix teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl.
• Place pineapple and garlic in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Pour pineapple mixture and teriyaki mixture into a resealable plastic bag. Add beef, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.
• Preheat smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F (110 to 120 degrees C). Drain beef and discard marinade.
• Smoke beef in the preheated smoker until jerky is dry and chewy but not crispy, 6 to 8 hours. Store jerky in the refrigerator.

AIR FRYER OVEN BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Place beef, jerky seasoning, and 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cure in a large bowl. Massage beef with your hands until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat the air fryer to 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Place beef slices on the rack, making sure none are overlapping.
• Air fry for 3 hours. Open the air fryer and let beef sit for 1 hour for final drying and cooling. Store in an airtight container.

DEER JERKY

Steps:

• Slice meat into long strips, 1 inch wide and 1/8 inch thick. In a large releasable plastic bag, combine soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, ketchup, pepper, garlic powder, onion salt and salt. Place meat in, and close bag. Refrigerate overnight. Knead occasionally, to evenly distribute marinade.
• Preheat oven to 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Place a pan on the bottom of oven to catch drips, or line with aluminum foil.
• Place meat strips on a rack so that they do not touch each other, and dehydrate for 6 to 8 hours in the oven, or until desired consistency is achieved.

HOMEMADE BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Trim all fat off meat.
• Cut steak in to 4 inch strips.
• The steak should be about 1/2 inch thick.
• It's easier to cut meat partially frozen.
• Pound meat lightly, you don't want it too thin.
• Add all ingredients in a large bowl.
• Mix well.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight (8 hrs).
• Line cookie sheets with tin foil.
• Place steak strips on sheets, don't overlap meat.
• Set oven at lowest temperature. (150-175°F).
• Bake six hours, turning after three hours.
• Jerky is done when meat is dried out, depending on your oven.
• Worth the wait!

MIKE'S PEPPERED BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Place beef strips on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound beef with the tenderizing side of a meat mallet until the meat fibers are slightly broken but the strips still hold their shape.
• Mix Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, liquid smoke, cayenne pepper, and coriander seeds in a large bowl until brown sugar has dissolved.
• Place beef strips into the bowl; add enough water to allow marinade to cover the meat. Stir to incorporate water and submerge the beef in marinade, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Remove beef strips from marinade, shake off excess, and lay the strips onto oven-proof racks. Do not overlap the strips.
• Bake the beef strips in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest strip reads at least 150 degrees F (65 degrees C).
• Remove strips from oven and place onto racks of a food dehydrator so the strips don't overlap.
• If desired, sprinkle strips with more coriander seeds and black pepper.
• Turn on the dehydrator, set machine's temperature for 155 degrees F (70 degrees C), and dry the jerky until leathery, about 9 hours. Rotate the racks from top to bottom every 1 1/2 hours for even drying. A piece of jerky should crack but not break in half when folded. Store in refrigerator.

SPICY BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Whisk together soy sauce, hot water, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, Creole seasoning, and Cajun seasoning in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute; stir well. Add beef and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; marinate in the refrigerator, 8 hours or overnight. Remove meat from marinade and rinse with hot water.
• Preheat oven to 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Place a pan on the bottom of oven to catch drips.
• Place meat strips on a rack about 1 inch apart from each other; dehydrate in the oven for 5 to 6 hours, or until desired consistency is achieved.

TERIYAKI BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Trim all visible fat from steak. Freeze, covered, 30 minutes or until firm. Slice steak along the grain into long 1/8-in.-thick strips., Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, whisk remaining ingredients; add to beef. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. , Preheat oven to 170°. Transfer beef and marinade to a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Using tongs, remove beef from marinade; drain on paper towels. Discard marinade., Arrange beef strips in single layer on wire racks placed on 15x10x1-in. baking pans. Dry in oven 4-5 hours or until beef becomes dry and leathery, rotating pans occasionally. (Or use a commercial dehydrator, following manufacturer's directions.), Remove from oven; cool completely. Using paper towels, blot any beads of oil on jerky. For best quality and longer storage, store jerky, covered, in refrigerator or freezer.

LITTLE CHIEF BEEF AND GAME JERKY

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a plastic zipper bag and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, if using your oven to dry, cover your oven racks with foil and preheat oven to 180 degrees F.
• Transfer drained meat to baking racks and dry for approximately 6 hours; depending on how thick the meat slices are, drying could take between 5 and 7 hours.
• Be sure to place a couple of potholders in the oven door to keep it slightly ajar so moisture can escape and the meat can dry more thoroughly.

AIR FRYER BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, thinly slice beef and place in a resealable bag.
• In a bowl, combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar chili paste and rice vinegar; whisk well.
• Pour marinade into bag, seal and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 or up to 24 hours.
• When ready to cook, remove pieces of beef from a marinade and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Preheat air fryer to 160-degrees. Place beef in basket and cook for 3 to 4 hours. Checking the jerky periodically for desired doneness. Allow to cool completely and then store in an airtight container.
• Serves: 8; Calories: 69 ; Total Fat: 3 grams; Saturated Fat: 1 gram; Total Carbohydrate: 1 gram; Sugars: 1 gram; Protein: 10 grams; Sodium: 160 milligrams; Cholesterol: 26 milligrams; Fiber: 0 gram.

OVEN BEEF JERKY

Steps:

• For the BBQ jerky: Stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt, garlic powder and paprika in a bowl. Thinly slice the frozen beef against the grain. Coat the meat in the mixture. Marinate the meat, refrigerated, for 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set a baking rack on top.
• Lay the slices of meat flat on the baking rack in a single layer. Bake until the jerky is completely dried, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• For the teriyaki jerky: Stir together the soy, sugar, sriracha, Worcestershire, garlic, ginger and lime juice in a resealable plastic bag. Thinly slice the frozen beef against the grain. Place the meat in the bag and marinate the meat, refrigerated, for 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set a baking rack on top. Lay the slices of meat flat on the baking rack in a single layer. Bake until the jerky is completely dried, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.