Hey, I’m Kayla. I make jerky like other folks make coffee. A lot. I’ve run beef, turkey, venison, even salmon through my kitchen. Some cuts sing. Some turn tough or greasy or sad. You know what? The meat matters more than the marinade. If you want my full blow-by-blow lab notes on every strip I tried, you can skim the longer piece where I tested a bunch of meats for jerky and ranked what actually chews right.
Quick map of where we’re going
- My setup and slice style
- Best beef cuts (with notes)
- Non-beef winners (and losers)
- Real marinades and times
- Simple tips that saved me from jaw pain
- My final pick
My setup (nothing fancy, but it works)
- Gear: Nesco Snackmaster dehydrator and my oven on low. I also tried my Traeger on “smoke” for a few runs.
- Knife: Victorinox boning knife. Thin blade. Stays sharp. Helps a lot.
- Slice: I freeze the meat for 45–60 minutes. Then I slice 1/8–1/4 inch. Against the grain for tender bite. With the grain when I want more chew.
I know that sounds fussy. It’s not. That little freeze makes the cuts clean and even. Less ragged, less stringy.
Best beef cuts I’ve used (ranked, with real batch notes)
1) Eye of Round — my steady winner
- Why: Lean, easy to slice, dries fast, great snap. Not crumbly.
If you're curious why this particular roast shines, jerky pros swear by eye of round for its uniform leanness. - Where I buy: Costco whole roast or the packets at Sam’s Club.
- Pro sourcing deep dive: The cut-comparison tables over at HatsofMeat helped me nail down the best price-per-pound sweet spots.
- Batch note: In June, I made 3 pounds, sliced 1/8 inch, marinated overnight, dried at 160°F for 4.5 hours in the Nesco. Pepper crust, clean chew. Kids liked it. My jaw didn’t hate me.
2) Top Round (London Broil) — close second
- Why: Also lean, a touch more grain. A little more chew than eye of round.
Some commercial makers lean on top round a.k.a. London broil for consistent results, so it's no surprise it ranks high in my kitchen too. - Batch note: September tailgate, 4 pounds in a soy-Worcestershire mix, smoker for 2 hours, then oven finish. Big beef flavor, took seasoning well.
3) Sirloin Tip — tasty but watch the slice
- Why: Beefy and a bit tender. Can get stringy if you slice with the grain by mistake.
- Batch note: I used a teriyaki-ginger run. At 5 hours it stayed bendy, not brittle. Good road trip snack.
4) Bottom Round — fine, but dries a bit uneven
- Why: Still lean, but the muscle fibers can get stiff.
- Batch note: I had to rotate trays more to keep edges from getting too dry. Flavor was good with extra black pepper.
5) Flank Steak — pricey, fierce grain
- Why: Strong beef taste, but the long fibers fight back.
- Batch note: Sliced very thin across the grain helped. Still chewier than my top picks.
Brisket — sounds fun, turns greasy
- Why: Fat equals flavor in BBQ. Fat equals sad jerky. It went soft in the bag after a day.
- Batch note: First bite was great, smoky and rich. Day two? Grease dots and a weird film on my fingers. I tossed half. Lesson learned.
Non-beef I’ve tried (hits and misses)
Venison (backstrap or round) — lean and lovely
- Why: Clean, wild flavor. Takes pepper and garlic well.
- Batch note: My brother brought a deer last fall. I made 2 pounds with a simple salt-pepper-garlic rub. Dehydrator at 160°F for 4 hours. Perfect trail snack.
- If you ever score some exotic venison like axis deer, my honest take on cooking and eating it is worth a peek—different animal, similar lean magic.
Bison round — light, beef-like, but dries fast
- Why: Very lean. Easy to over-dry.
- Note: Pull a little early. I liked a 4-hour window. Nice clean taste with a maple glaze.
- Cost chat: I broke down what I actually pay for buffalo meat and when it’s worth the higher price if you’re curious.
Turkey breast — great for a lower-fat snack
- Why: Mild, takes sweet heat well.
- Safety note: I bring strips up to 165°F first in the oven for a bit, then dry. Texture turns firm and jerky-like, not chalky, if you keep slices thin.
- Batch note: Honey-chipotle worked. Kids kept sneaking pieces.
Pork loin — okay, but flavor sits on the surface
- Why: Lean enough, but the texture stays a touch soft and ham-like.
- Batch note: Needed extra salt and smoke. It was fine, not thrilling.
Salmon — tasty but fragile
- Why: Rich and silky. Breaks easy and spoils faster.
- Batch note: I used a maple-soy cure. Good for a weekend trip, not for the glove box.
In the same wild-game lane, I spent a full week cooking moose in every form imaginable—jerky included—and wrote up the highs, lows, and the mild shock that it tastes less “gamey” than expected in this moose-meat deep dive.
Real marinades that worked for me
I keep it simple. Salt for cure, a little sugar for balance, and bold spice.
-
Classic black pepper beef (3 lb beef)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp cracked black pepper (plus more on top)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Optional: 1/2 tsp liquid smoke if I’m not using the smoker
- Time: 8–12 hours in the fridge in a zip bag. Pat dry before drying.
-
Sweet heat turkey (2 lb turkey breast)
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Pinch of cayenne
- Time: 6–8 hours. Thin slices help.
-
Venison simple salt and pepper (2 lb)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Drizzle of olive oil to help it stick
- Time: 2–4 hours. Venison doesn’t need much.
I sometimes use Hi Mountain Jerky seasoning when I’m tired. The original blend tastes close to my pepper mix. Handy on busy weeks.
How long I dry it
- Dehydrator at 160°F: most beef runs 4–5.5 hours for 1/8–1/4 inch slices.
- Oven on the lowest setting: door cracked with a wooden spoon; usually 3.5–5 hours.
- Smoker: 170–180°F for 2–3 hours for smoke, then finish in the oven or dehydrator so it doesn’t get too hard outside.
I use the bend test. It should bend and crack a little but not snap. If it snaps like a cracker, you went too far.
When the dehydrator hums away for hours, I need something to keep me entertained (besides staring at trays). If I’m not jotting tasting notes, I’ll sometimes hop into a flirty local chat on SextLocal where you can meet nearby people for no-pressure conversation, spice up the wait, and maybe even swap snack ideas—turning downtime into a fun little social break. Some days, though, I’m more in scroll-mode than chat-mode, so I’ll browse the updated Backpage-style listings over at Backpage Broken Arrow to quickly see who’s up for a coffee run or impromptu jerky tasting nearby, giving me an easy way to turn dehydrator wait time into spontaneous offline connection.
Small tips that made a big difference
- Trim the fat. It goes rancid faster and makes