Homemade jerky costs a fraction of the store-bought bags and tastes better. This is the classic soy-Worcestershire version: savory, a little sweet, with a black-pepper kick. Once you've made it once, you'll start changing the marinade.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef eye of round, top round or bottom round, trimmed of all visible fat
- 2/3 cup soy sauce (or low-sodium soy sauce)
- 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 1 tbsp coarse black pepper, plus more for topping
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp liquid smoke (optional, for smoky flavor)
Steps
- Freeze the beef for 1–2 hours until firm but not frozen solid. This makes thin, even slices much easier.
- Slice the beef 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Slice against the grain for tender jerky or with the grain for a chewier, classic bite.
- Whisk the soy sauce, Worcestershire, sugar, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and any optional ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the beef to a zip-top bag, pour in the marinade, press out the air and refrigerate 8–24 hours, flipping the bag once.
- Drain the strips and pat them dry with paper towels. Dry surfaces dry faster and more evenly.
- Heat the strips to 160°F before drying: bake on a rack-lined sheet pan in a 275°F oven for about 10 minutes, checking a thick piece with a thermometer.
- Lay the strips on dehydrator trays in a single layer without overlapping. Sprinkle with extra black pepper.
- Dry at 160°F (or your dehydrator's highest setting, at least 145°F) for 4–6 hours, until a strip bends and cracks without snapping.
- Blot off any oil beads, let the jerky cool completely, then store in an airtight bag or jar.
Pick the right cut
Lean is everything. Fat doesn't dry; it goes rancid and shortens shelf life. The best cuts are cheap, lean and easy to slice:
- Eye of round: our favorite. Very lean and uniform, so the slices dry evenly.
- Top round and bottom round: lean, affordable and often sold as "London broil."
- Flank steak: more flavor, a little more fat, and pricier.
Skip brisket, chuck and ribeye for jerky. They're great on the smoker but too fatty to dry well.
Why heat it to 160°F first?
The USDA recommends heating meat to 160°F before dehydrating, because a dehydrator's low heat alone may not be enough to kill bacteria before the meat dries out. The quick oven step above handles that. If your dehydrator reaches 160°F and you check the meat with a thermometer, you can do the heating step in the dehydrator instead. Read the USDA's full jerky and food safety guidance for details.
How to tell when jerky is done
Pull a piece, let it cool for five minutes, then bend it. Done jerky bends and cracks along the surface but doesn't snap in two. If it snaps, it's over-dried (still tasty, just crunchy). If it bends like a raw noodle, give it another 30–60 minutes.
Drying time depends on thickness, humidity and your machine, so start checking at about 3.5 hours.
Storage
- Room temperature in an airtight bag: about 1–2 weeks.
- Refrigerator: 1–2 months.
- Freezer: up to a year.
Toss in an oxygen absorber if you're making a big batch for gifts.
Flavor variations
Teriyaki: swap the Worcestershire for 1/3 cup pineapple juice and add 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger.
Sweet heat: add 2 tbsp sriracha and an extra tablespoon of honey.
Peppered: double the black pepper and press more into the strips before drying.
Smoked: skip the liquid smoke and give the strips 1–2 hours in a smoker at 160–180°F with hickory or cherry, then finish in the dehydrator.
Gear for this recipe
- A rear-fan dehydrator for even drying
- An instant-read thermometer to check the 160°F step
- A sharp slicing knife, or a meat slicer if you make jerky often
Keep reading
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