How to Make Beef Jerky Soft Again

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Beefiness hasty is a delicious snack made by drying lean, flavorful meat. You can employ all sorts of meat for your hasty, including flank steak, sirloin, or filet mignon. To flavor your meat, add seasoning and marinade. To dry the jerky, use either a dehydrator or a conventional oven for an constructive choice. Simply melt the meat on low rut for at least iii hours, and enjoy your protein-rich snack.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs (1.4 kg) of meat
• 1-1 ane/two cup (237-355 mL) of marinade
• ane-4 tbsps (15-lx m) of seasoning

Makes 12 servings

1. 1

   Choose a lean cut of meat. When making beef jerky, employ virtually whatsoever cut of lean meat. Fatty spoils and limits the shelf life of beef jerky, then go with the leanest selection you can observe.^[i]

   • For example, select flank steak, bottom round, sirloin tip, top round, or eye of the round.
   • Ground beef is an option, though it may have a much different texture than jerky made from steak.

2. 

   ii

   Cut off any noticeable pieces of fat. To help your hasty preserve, use a precipitous steak knife to strip off whatever remaining fatty chunks. Aim to just remove the fatty, rather than cutting off part of the steak every bit well.^[2]

   • This fashion, the hasty is healthier and stays fresh longer.

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3. 

   3

   Freeze your meat for 1-2 hours if you want it to make it easier to cut. After you lot cut off the fat, place the meat on a baking tray, and put information technology in your freezer for near an hour or 2. You want the meat to exist difficult to the touch on just not completely frozen.^[3]

   • While this is optional, wink-freezing the meat can make it easier to cutting very thin, uniform strips.

4. 

   iv

   Slice your meat into ¹⁄₈ – ¹⁄_four  in (0.32–0.64 cm) strips. Use a sharp steak knife to cut your meat into smaller pieces. If yous like more chewy jerky, make your cuts with the grain. For less chewy hasty, cut confronting the grain.^[iv]

   • If you have the option, employ a jerky slicer to ensure your pieces are completely compatible. This is a corking thought if you are making a lot of hasty at one time.

5. 

   5

   Marinate the meat if you lot want to heighten the taste of the beef. When making beef jerky, use a marinade to give the meat a cajun, teriyaki, or smokehouse flavor, for instance. Put the pieces of meat into a large, sealable plastic handbag, and pour i-ane ane/2 cup (237-355 mL) of a marinade of your choice into the handbag.^[5]

   • For a cajun marinade, apply ane/2 cup (118 mL) of olive oil, one/4 cup (59 mL) of vinegar, and i/3 cup (79 mL) of Worcestershire sauce.
   • For teriyaki jerky, use ane cup (237 mL) of soy sauce, 2 tbsp (thirty mL) of honey, and 2 tbsp (30 mL) of rice vinegar.
   • For a uncomplicated, succulent marinade, use about 1/2 cup (118 mL) of Worcestershire sauce and i/ii cup (118 mL) of olive oil.

6. 

   6

   Add seasoning to the marinade to give the meat more season. Sprinkle seasoning of your option into the pocketbook. In total, you desire to use most i-4 tbsps (15-sixty g), based on the seasonings you prefer. Some bully options include i tbsp (15 g) of garlic powder, ane tbsp (15 1000) of pepper, and 1 tsp (5 1000) of fresh ginger.^[vi]

   • Y'all can try dusting the meat with a little bit of salt, pepper, cinnamon, and chipotle pepper.
   • Other yummy seasoning includes a piddling coriander, cumin, clove, and nutmeg.
   • Honey, red pepper flakes, and black pepper also piece of work well for a balmy and slightly sweet jerky.
   • Try using some crushed oregano, chili pulverisation, garlic powder, and paprika.

7. 

   vii

   Refrigerate your meat for 6-24 hours so it tin can blot the flavors. After you add your marinade and seasoning, stir up the meat so it's completely covered. Close up the handbag, and identify information technology in the refrigerator for at least six hours. To maximize the flavor, let the pocketbook sit for 24 hours.^[7]

   • The longer the meat sits, the more flavorful the hasty is.

8. 

   8

   Pat the strips of meat with a paper towel to remove excess marinade. After your meat marinates for a while, remove it from the refrigerator and dab each piece gently with a clean paper towel. Getting rid of extra marinade helps speed up the drying process.^[8]

   • Every bit y'all practice this, you can place the strips onto a cookie sheet or plate.

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1. 

   1

   Use a dehydrator for an easy and efficient pick. A dehydrator is a device that cooks food at a low temperature over an extended period of time. It removes the water from the food while keeping the raw enzymes intact. If using a dehydrator, cook your hasty at 160 °F (71 °C).^[ix]

   • When making beef jerky, this is a straightforward and like shooting fish in a barrel-to-employ option.
   • Read over your didactics manual and then y'all can follow your device's specific instructions.

2. two

   Dry beef jerky in your oven if you lot don't take a dehydrator. If you don't accept admission to a food dehydrator, that's okay. Y'all can still hands make beefiness jerky in your oven. Preheat your oven to 175 °F (79 °C).^[10]

3. 

   three

   Place the pieces of meat so there'south room in between each strip. If using a dehydrator, put the strips of meat onto the rack directly. If using an oven, line a baking sheet or pan with aluminum foil, and place a metal drying rack in the eye. Ensure there is at to the lowest degree ¹⁄₁₆  in (0.16 cm) in between each piece so they can all dry out evenly.^[11]

   • If the pieces of beefiness overlap, each slice may not dry consistently.

4. 

   four

   Let the meat dry out for 3-viii hours. On average, it takes about 4-6 hours to make beefiness jerky, but you may need more than or less time. Your drying time depends on your particular dehydrator, oven, marinade, and cutting of meat. Check the meat every ane.five-2 hours or so to avert over-drying the hasty. To test the jerky, remove a slice, permit information technology absurd, and take a bite. If your hasty cooked to your desired texture, take it out of the oven. If it'southward too soft or compact, let it melt for another 1-2 hours.^[12]

   • If you overdry the jerky, it may be too hard to eat.

5. 

   five

   Remove the hasty from the dehydrator or oven and let it cool. Earlier y'all eat or store the jerky, permit it come to room temperature. If you lot used a dehydrator, utilize a fork to lift up each slice and put it onto a plate. If using an oven, use a pot holder to remove the pan, and place the pan on meridian of your stove.

   • Your hasty should cool down in virtually i-3 hours

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1. 

   one

   Try some fresh hasty. Once your beefiness jerky cools downwards a bit, you can dig in. Eat the jerky 1 piece at a time whenever you want a yummy, good for you treat. You can consume it by itself or utilise it to spruce upwards tasty dishes.^[13]

   • Endeavor grating your beef jerky over a fresh salad for a tasty topping.^[14]
   • Add pieces of beefiness jerky to steamed Brussels sprouts for extra flavor.
   • Use chopped beef jerky to enhance a basic egg and cheese omelette.

2. 

   2

   Put your hasty in a paper handbag for 1-2 days if it is not dry enough. If your hasty is yet slightly too wet after it cools downwards, effort placing the strips in a paper handbag and leaving them in there for several days. Bank check on the jerky daily to test its moisture level, and transfer it to an airtight container after it seems dry enough.^[xv]

   • The newspaper pocketbook removes the excess moisture from the jerky.

3. 

   3

   Store your jerky in a resealable bag or drinking glass jar for a short-term solution. The hasty stays fresh indefinitely since it is dry, simply the quality volition decrease after a few months. For the best quality of hasty, store your meat at room temperature for 2 weeks, in the fridge for 3-half dozen months, or in the freezer for one twelvemonth. Ensure the hasty is in a cool, dry identify.^[16]

   • Whenever you want a bite, simply open the bag or jar and chow down.
   • Over time, exposure to air makes the jerky less fresh.

4. 4

   Use a vacuum sealer for a long-term storage option. Vacuum sealers piece of work slap-up for storing beef jerky because you can remove all of the air from the packaging. Air decreases the quality and freshness of the hasty over fourth dimension. To use the vacuum sealer, fill the vacuum pocketbook with your hasty, fold the edge over, and place the edge inside the sealer. Press the "Vacuum sealer" button to excerpt the air.

   • Once your jerky is vacuum sealed, it can stay fresh for over one year in the freezer.
   • Turn off the machine one time no air remains in your parcel.

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Add New Question

• Question

  Why is beef jerky then expensive?

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

• Question

  What'south the all-time cut of meat for beef jerky?

  

  This respond was written past one of our trained squad of researchers who validated information technology for accurateness and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

• Question

  Is information technology cheaper to make your ain beef jerky?

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  

  Support wikiHow by unlocking this staff-researched answer.

  You lot tin can probably save a bit of money past making your own jerky instead of buying it in the store. Making your own as well gives you the reward of having more control over the thickness and flavor of the meat. Bootleg hasty is also probable to be healthier than the store-bought version, since it doesn't contain equally many preservatives.

• Question

  What kind of meat can I utilise to make jerky?

  

  Any meat, really. You can utilise alligator, venison, elk, whatever meat y'all want, only make sure its non besides fatty.

• Question

  I have an outdoor smoker and cooker. Can I utilise this to make jerky?

  

  Yes you can, as long every bit the temperature is around 165 degrees. Likewise, you can throw in some wood fries for boosted favor.

• Question

  Exercise the flavoring ingredients effect the time of aridity?

  

  John Anderson

  Community Reply

  Not if you utilize dry ingredients. If you employ liquid marinades, it volition increase the amount of fourth dimension it takes to dry, as the dehydrator or oven now has to also remove the moisture you added. This is why it is recommended to rinse the jerky and pat it dry earlier you season it and brainstorm dehydrating.

• Question

  How much beef jerky would I become from one kg of meat?

  

  John Anderson

  Community Answer

  Roughly half of the weight will be lost equally moisture is removed in the dehydrating process.

• Question

  Does the size of the cuts thing?

  

  The thicker the cut, the longer it will take to dehydrate. Make it also thick, and it volition not fully dry out. If yous meant length, no, it does not matter how long the strips are.

• Question

  What tin can I substitute for liquid smoke?

  

  Nothing will requite the same flavor, but chipotle peppers, smoked salt, or smoked paprika are healthier and may also taste ameliorate.

• Question

  Tin you lot cook the jerky and make information technology dry in less than 4 hours?

  

  No. Hasty needs to exist stale, not cooked. 125 to 140 degrees until it is dry is your goal. To practice information technology fast at a higher temperature volition merely cook information technology, which is wrong.

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Video

Things You'll Need

• Dehydrator
• Oven
• Sharp knife
• Rack or pan
• Airtight container
• Resealable plastic pocketbook (optional)

• For a vegetarian version of this, employ seitan or marinated tofu in identify of beef.

• Write the date y'all fabricated the jerky on the bag or jar with a permanent marking then yous tin can keep track of its freshness.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

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• Cheque your jerky every few weeks to ensure in that location is no mold on it. ^[17]

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About This Article

Commodity Summary X

To make beefiness jerky, commencement by selecting a lean cutting of meat similar sirloin, flank steak, top round, or eye round. Piece the meat into very thin strips and remove all noticeable fat. If you'd similar to use a marinade for more flavorful jerky, place the meat strips in the marinade of your option and refrigerate them for 10-24 hours. Then, coat the meat strips in your favorite seasonings and put them in your dehydrator for viii-12 hours. Refrigerate the dried beef jerky in mason jars and savour information technology within 2 weeks! For more tips, including how to dry out the beef if you don't take a dehydrator, read on!

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