My latest snack obsession is homemade beef jerky. With store bought, I always find it too hard, salty or sweet so with homemade, I have control over the ingredients. And it’s made in the oven so you don’t need a dehydrator.
Beef to use: Any lean beef will work as FAT makes the jerky go rancid quicker during storage. If you prefer thin strips, the best option would be flank. Other options are: eye of round, top / bottom round, sirloin or London broil. Try different options to see what texture you prefer. For this batch, I used Top Round as it was on sale and I also prefer tender and meatier beef jerky vs thin strips.
You will first marinate the beef from 2 hours to 24 hours, then bake in the oven for 4 hours so make sure give yourself plenty of time.
The basic marinade is below but feel free to add other flavor combinations/spices such as: Liquid smoke, sriracha, garlic chili sauce, lime, ginger, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, or paprika. Or use your favorite store bought marinade.
You can store homemade jerky up to a month in an airtight container but it won’t last that long as it’s so good and addictive!
Beef Jerky
Ingredients 2 pounds beef (flank, eye or round or top or bottom , sirloin or London broil) 1/2 cup soy sauce ( regular, low sodium or gluten free) 2-3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 Tablespoon honey or brown sugar (optional) 1-2 teaspoons black pepper 1 teaspoon onion or garlic powder
Directions
Place the beef in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour ( this is optional but it makes it easier to cut when firm).
Trim off ALL excess fat from the beef then slice into THIN strips- 1/8 to 1/4 inch. (slice WITH the grain for chewy or AGAINST the grain for tender).
Transfer the beef in a Ziploc bag, along with the remaining ingredients. Seal and move the beef around to evenly coat with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to 24 hours (the longer it marinates, the better flavor. I usually marinate overnight).
Preheat the oven to 175°F. Line a baking sheet ( or sheets) with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top of the foil. Transfer the beef to paper towels and pat dry, discarding the marinade.
Arrange the beef slices in a single layer on the wire rack. Bake for 4 hours or until the beef is dry and firm to your liking, flipping over halfway.
Cool for a couple of hours before storing in an airtight container. It’s important to remove any moisture before storing as it last longer.
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