Homemade Beef Jerky Recipe
Making this Homemade Beef Jerky recipe is really not hard at all. With minimal effort you can customize the spice rub or marinade to your liking. And let me tell you, this version from scratch is even better than store-bought. It's wonderfully chewy and tender in one bite for the perfect snack.
Equipment
- 1 Dehydrater
- 3 Sheet pans
- 1 Spray bottle
Ingredients
- 4 ½ lbs flank steak
- 2 ½ tablespoon sea salt
- 1 ½ tablespoon pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 ½ tablespoon paprika
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- ½ cup soy sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the meat: Place the steak in the freezer for about 30 minutes to help firm up the meat and make slicing and trimming easier.
- Prepare your supplies: In a bowl, mix salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. In a spray bottle, combine the soy sauce and beef broth.
- Slice the Steak: Place the meat on the cutting board. Trim off any silver skin or pieces of visible fat. Slice the meat against the grain into about ¼ of an inch thick or slightly thinner. Keep in mind the meat will shrink during dehydration, losing about half its thickness.
- Arrange the meat: Lay the slices in a single layer on sheet pans. (For reference, 4.5 pounds of meat used 3 sheet pans.
- Season the meat: Spray the slices generously with the soy and beef broth mixture until well coated and lightly soaked. Then season evenly, sprinkling from above to allow good distribution. Season to your preference. You can season heavily on one batch and go lighter on another to find your perfect balance.
- Refrigerate: Cover the trays and place them in the refrigerator for 12 hours to marinate.
- Dehydrate: Arrange the marinated slices on your dehydrator trays in a single layer. Set your dehydrator to 155° for about 8 hours. Some thicker pieces might take a bit longer.
- Check Doneness: Gently bend or pull a piece of jerky. It should be firm and slightly pliable, but not overly chewy or moist. If it still feels soft, continue dehydrating until fully dried. TIp- Pay attention to how your dehydrator performs so you can fine-tune your timing and settings next time.
Video
Notes
Storage:
- In my house, it is rare for us to have leftovers....this jerky is gone in about 1-2 days.
- Place cooled jerky in an airtight container or a zip-lock bag in the refrigerator. I do let it sit out for a few hours while we are snacking on it. The jerky will stay fresh for about a week.
- While you can freeze beef jerky, I don't recommend it. Freezing can change the texture once it thaws and take away that perfect chew.
- Lay the sliced steak out on sheet pans to season it evenly for the best flavor.
- Before slicing your steak thinly, place it in the freezer for 30 minutes to help it firm up; it'll make it easier to slice too.
- Use a spray bottle for your wet ingredients to evenly coat the steak. They are cheap and easy to find at the grocery store.
- Season both sides of the steak slices. Since you are seasoning manually, you can control how much seasoning is in every bite.
- Make a big batch for snacking all week. You'll want to store it in the refrigerator, since this recipe is preservative-free. But it's the easiest grab-and-go bite filled with protein.
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 36gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 4295mgPotassium: 725mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1445IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Rate it and let me know how it was!
