Making Beef Jerky Yourself: How to Make Your Homemade Jerky Especially Delicious

Beef Jerky is not only delicious and convenient, but also rich in protein and numerous other nutrients. Are you interested in making this tasty snack yourself? We'll show you how.

Making Beef Jerky Yourself: What Do I Need?

To make beef jerky in your own kitchen, you actually don't need much. What is most important is a suitable piece of beef and a very sharp kitchen knife. In addition, you need a marinade or spice mix of your choice. A dehydrator is particularly well-suited for drying the strips. If you don't have one, there's no need to worry – you can also use the oven instead.

What meat do I need for beef jerky?

To make beef jerky, you need beef with a relatively low fat content. Too much fat would negatively affect the drying process, shelf life, and texture. Suitable cuts are particularly those from the back, the hip, and the hind leg. Additionally, it is important that you use especially fresh and high-quality meat. The better the fresh meat used, the tastier your finished jerky will be.

In our article "Which meat is suitable for beef jerky?" you will find more detailed information on this topic.

Beef Jerky Recipe: How to Make Delicious Jerky

As soon as you have found a suitable piece of meat, you can get started right away. However, be aware that a lot of weight is lost during the drying process – from one kilogram of beef, you usually end up with between 300 and 400 grams of beef jerky.

Prepare a marinade of your choice.

Before you start preparing the meat, you should prepare a marinade of your choice. Here you can let your creativity run free or stick to a classic recipe. Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Alternatively, you can also just use salt and pepper or a ready-made mix. However, it is important that you use salt or soy sauce to marinate your meat in order to extend its shelf life.

Here you will find a recipe for a classic American jerky marinade:

Ingredients for the Beef Jerky Marinade:

• approximately 180 milliliters of Worcestershire sauce
• about 180 milliliters of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar
• 2 tablespoons pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder 

Cut your meat into strips.

First, you shape your meat with a very sharp knife into the desired form. If you place the beef in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours beforehand, it will be easier to cut. First, remove the visible fat and connective tissue. Then carefully slice the meat into thin strips with a thickness of 4 to 5 millimeters. To avoid long meat fibers, it is advisable to cut the meat across the grain. Alternatively, you can use a slicing machine.

"Marinade your stripes"

Place your meat strips in the marinade or spice mixture. Make sure that all pieces are evenly coated. Let the marinade sit in the refrigerator for about 4 hours or overnight. Then take the strips out of the sauce and dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel.

Dry your stripes

Now comes the probably most important step in the production of beef jerky: drying. Spread your marinated strips on a slatted rack or directly in the dehydrator. Make sure that the pieces do not touch each other.

If you have a dehydrator, you should plan for the drying process to take about 10 to 12 hours. Set the machine to a temperature of 45°C. To achieve as even a drying as possible, you can swap the trays in the machine every two hours. The bottom tray moves up while the upper trays move down one level each. A dehydrator has the advantage that both the flavor and the nutrients of the meat are particularly well preserved.

If you don't have a dehydrator and decide to dry in the oven, you should pay attention to a low temperature. In most cases, it is advisable to set the lowest temperature. Set the oven to convection and be sure to stick a wooden spoon in the door so that the moisture can escape better. For even drying, you should turn the meat after about four hours. After 8 hours, you should check about once an hour whether your strips have already reached the desired consistency.

Enjoy your beef jerky

As soon as your homemade jerky is ready, you should let it cool down properly and then consume it quickly or store it correctly. In our article "How to Store Your Beef Jerky Properly" you will learn what you need to consider.

Making beef jerky seems too complicated for you, you don't find enough free time, or you're not satisfied with your results? In our shop, you'll find numerous different flavours that you can enjoy without any effort.

Frequently Asked Questions: Making Beef Jerky Yourself 

What do I need to make dried meat myself?

To make dried meat yourself, you actually only need a good piece of meat, a sharp knife, and an oven or dehydrator.

How long does homemade beef jerky last?

The shelf life of beef jerky depends on the type of storage. If you store it properly, it is usually good for 1 to 2 months.

Is homemade beef jerky healthy?

Beef jerky offers the advantage of being high in protein. How healthy your homemade jerky is primarily depends on the quality of the ingredients used. The better the meat and the ingredients for the marinade, the healthier your dried meat will be.