Name: Doc's Best Beef Jerky
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 740 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 0.25 cup low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons liquid smoke; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon meat tenderizer; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon ground paprika; 2 pounds beef round steak, cut into thin strips

Cook Time: 240 minutes

If you enjoy store-bought jerky, you'll fall in love with this homemade beef jerky. It's incredibly easy to make, and we guarantee it will be your new favorite snack. All you need is some lean beef, our amazing beef jerky marinade, and a dehydrator. Let's get started!

What Is Beef Jerky?
Beef jerky is lean beef that has been cut into thin strips and dried to preserve it. The drying process, which uses heat and salt, prevents bacterial growth, making it last for months. The term "jerky" comes from the Quechua word "Ch'arki," meaning "dry, salted meat."

What Is Beef Jerky Made Out Of?
Beef jerky is typically made from lean cuts of steak, marinated in a flavorful mixture of spices, sauces, and seasonings. While some jerky recipes are made in an oven, this one requires a food dehydrator for the best results.

Beef Jerky Marinade
The key to irresistible beef jerky lies in the marinade. Its a sweet-savory mix that combines soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, brown sugar, salt, pepper, meat tenderizer, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.

How to Make Beef Jerky (With a Dehydrator)
Its easier than you might think! Heres a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Marinate the Beef
Start by arranging your beef strips in a single layer in a glass baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine all of the marinade ingredients and stir until well-mixed. Pour the marinade over the beef, making sure the strips are coated evenly. Cover the dish and place it in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.

Step 2: Pound the Beef
Once the beef has marinated, remove the strips from the dish and place them between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet to gently pound the beef to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. This helps achieve that perfect jerky texture.

Step 3: Dehydrate the Beef
Arrange the pounded beef strips in a single layer on the trays of your dehydrator. Set the dehydrator to its highest setting and let the beef dry for around 4 hours, or until it reaches your desired level of chewiness. Keep an eye on it, as drying times can vary depending on your dehydrator.

Best Cut of Beef For Jerky
To get the best texture, opt for a lean cut of beef. Fatty cuts will affect the texture and shelf life of your jerky. Round steak works perfectly for this recipe, but you can also use sirloin or flank steak if you prefer just be aware that these will be a bit more expensive.

How Long Does Beef Jerky Last?
While homemade jerky doesnt last as long as store-bought versions, it will still keep for up to 3 months when stored properly. For the best texture and flavor, enjoy it within this time frame.

How to Store Beef Jerky
Store your jerky in an airtight in a cool, dry place for up to a month. To extend its shelf life, refrigerate it for a few extra months. If you have a vacuum sealer, you can store it for up to a year.

Recipe Tips
- Place the steak in the freezer for 30 minutes before cutting. It will be much easier to slice thin, even strips of meat.
- Experiment with different paprika flavors, like sweet or smoked, to give your jerky a unique twist.
- If you don't have a dehydrator, you can also bake the jerky at a low temperature (180F or 82C) for 2 to 3 hours on the lowest rack of your oven.

Ingredients

cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon meat tenderizer
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground paprika
2 pounds beef round steak, cut into thin strips

Directions

Gather all ingredients.
Prepare the marinade: In a glass bowl, combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, brown sugar, salt, pepper, meat tenderizer, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
Place the beef strips in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Pour the marinade over the beef and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
After marinating, remove the beef from the dish and place it between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet to pound the beef to a thickness of 1/8 inch.
Arrange the pounded beef strips in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Dry at the highest setting for at least 4 hours or until the jerky reaches your preferred level of dryness.
Enjoy your homemade jerky!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 228
Total Fat: 14g (18% DV)
Saturated Fat: 5g (25% DV)
Cholesterol: 57mg (19% DV)
Sodium: 733mg (32% DV)
Total Carbohydrates: 5g (2% DV)
Dietary Fiber: 0g (1% DV)
Protein: 19g (38% DV)
Vitamin C: 1mg (1% DV)
Calcium: 13mg (1% DV)
Iron: 2mg (13% DV)
Potassium: 362mg (8% DV)

Doc's Best Beef Jerky Recipe

Comments

Anthony Collins

10/07/2025 12:55:22 PM

Review rewritten: This recipe is nearly perfect. I have my own twist on it, and it always receives glowing reviews from everyone who tries it. I prefer to slow-cook it in the oven with the door slightly open to avoid overcooking the beef. I skip the meat tenderizer, especially when using quality top round beef. I suggest marinating for no longer than 30 minutes to prevent the soy and seasonings from making it too salty. If you marinate overnight, like I did the first time, you might end up with overly salty beef jerky that can be overpowering. I recommend using smoked paprika instead of liquid smoke for a more subtle yet spicy flavor. Freshly crushed garlic works better than garlic powder—it makes a significant difference. I omit the sugar because I prefer my jerky savory. I believe the meat should shine without being masked by sweetness. Adding sugar can give it a more commercial taste, so it's optional depending on your preference.

Brenda Diaz

10/05/2025 06:46:16 PM

I really enjoy this jerky recipe, it brings back memories of the hickory farms beef jerky from my childhood. I rated it four stars because I made a few adjustments to the original recipe. I opted out of using meat tenderizer due to my preference not to use MSG, which I believe it contains. I substituted gluten-free low-sodium tamari for soy sauce and reduced the salt by half. In place of liquid smoke, I initially used chipotle powder, which was too spicy and didn't blend well. Following the recipe's measurements for one pound of meat, I recommend doubling the ingredients for two pounds of meat. Although I previously made the jerky without liquid smoke, I found that using hickory-flavored smoke greatly enhances the flavor. I heated the marinade on the stove and allowed it to cool before marinating the meat to ensure all the ingredients were well combined. Mixing the marinade at room temperature didn't dissolve all the ingredients evenly, resulting in some pieces of jerky being more flavorful or spicier than others. By warming the marinade, the brown sugar dissolved completely, and all the flavors melded harmoniously. After marinating the meat for about 12 hours in the fridge, I dried it in the oven at 180 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 4 hours. These adjustments have made me very pleased with the recipe, and I plan to make it again. I also shared it with friends who enjoyed it immensely.

James Miller

10/04/2025 01:34:40 AM

I experimented with this recipe by making a few changes: 1.) I opted for venison instead of the suggested meat. 2.) I marinated the venison for 30 hours. 3.) I skipped the liquid smoke and meat tenderizer, opting to dry the meat in the smoker with apple wood. 4.) I chose not to pound the meat thin, as I prefer a thicker jerky. 5.) I divided the marinade and the meat into separate bowls and added four tablespoons of pureed scotch bonnets to one bowl for a spicy kick (which turned out to be pleasantly spicy). My only disappointment is that I didn't make a larger batch. I brought it to work and only managed to grab one piece for myself, as everyone who tried it kept coming back for more.

Christine Evans

10/05/2025 09:06:56 AM

Fantastic recipe! I substituted Bragg's Aminos for soy sauce and included 1/2 teaspoon of mustard powder. I baked the strips in my oven at 180F for 3 1/2 hours. I definitely plan on making this again.

Thomas Williams

10/06/2025 08:36:55 AM

I recently made this jerky recipe for my son who just started college, and it was a hit! It was my first time making jerky, so I followed the recipe exactly as written, and I'm so glad I did. I used two types of beef – London broil and top round – but I much preferred the London broil. The meat was lean and had a great texture, thanks to being free of fat and connective tissue. I spread the meat on racks over three cookie sheets and baked it in my oven at 170 degrees with the door cracked open slightly. It took about 4 hours to cook the smaller pieces, and 5.5 hours for the larger ones. I made a double batch, and 4 lbs of beef resulted in 1.5 lbs of delicious jerky. One helpful tip I found was to let the jerky cool completely before testing its doneness. I'm confident that my son will love this jerky in his care package – if not, he may be up for adoption! Thanks for the great recipe and all the useful reviews.

Catherine Thompson

10/05/2025 06:43:19 PM

I made some ingredient substitutions, using duck sauce instead of sugar and adding Japanese BBQ rub to the marinade for a unique flavor twist. The first batch cooked at 165 for 4 hours turned out great, but I adjusted the temperature slightly to 160 for the next batch and it was perfectly cooked. I skipped the tenderizer and smoke, but the recipe was still easy to follow. Excited to experiment with different rubs next time!

Carolyn Turner

10/05/2025 09:03:53 PM

I am shocked that nobody has pointed out how little marinade there is in this recipe. The amount provided for 4lbs of meat is simply insufficient. I didn't want to take any chances with a new recipe, so I ended up sticking to my old favorite and pouring three-quarters of a cup of marinade down the drain.