Beef jerky is one of the world’s most popular snacks, and for good reason: it’s packed with flavor, high in protein, and perfect for making in big batches. This recipe shows you two methods—classic sliced jerky and molded jerky sticks—using proper curing, smoking, and drying techniques to create safe, shelf-stable, seriously addictive beef jerky at home.
Ingredients
For Sliced Beef Jerky
930 g / 2 lb very lean beef (mock tender / chuck tender, <5% fat)
20 g curing salt (per 1 kg meat ratio, adjust to weight)
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp PitmasterX Beef BBQ Seasoning
For Jerky Sticks
2 kg / 4.4 lb lean beef, cubed and ground
40 g curing salt
- 4 tbsp PitmasterX BBQ Seasoning
4 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp dark brown sugar
Tools
Thanks to Borniak for sponsoring this recipe Visit their website to learn more.
How to
- Start by selecting very lean beef (less than 5% fat) and keep it cold, preferably below 4°C / 39°F, then trim away any visible fat and remove tough sinew or tendons before slicing the meat into strips about 4 mm thick.
- Weigh the meat and add curing salt at a ratio of 20 g per kilogram of meat, then add the dark brown sugar and PitmasterX Beef BBQ Seasoning and massage everything thoroughly into the meat until all pieces are evenly coated, after which you refrigerate it for at least 1 hour to cure.
- For jerky sticks, grind 2 kg of lean beef, mix in 40 g curing salt, PitmasterX BBQ Seasoning, soy sauce, and dark brown sugar, blend until you get a smooth meat paste, transfer to a piping bag, and pipe into stick shapes on a silicone mat or rack.
- Arrange both the sliced jerky and the jerky sticks on racks with enough space for airflow and place them in your smoker or oven.
- Set the temperature to 71°C / 160°F and turn on smoke for about 30 minutes to both heat the meat to a safe internal temperature and add smoke flavor, making sure the internal temperature of the meat reaches 71°C / 160°F.
- Once that temperature is reached, turn off the smoke and continue drying at 55–75°C / 130–167°F for 2 to 6 hours, depending on thickness, until the jerky is dry, firm, and no longer moist but still slightly pliable.
- The thinner slices will be ready sooner (around 2–3 hours), while the thicker sticks may take 5–6 hours, and when done, let the jerky cool completely before storing it in airtight containers.
