This Homemade Healthy Beef Jerky Recipe is an easy and cheap snack – all you need to do is bake it in the oven on low!
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Top sirloin steak – top-round or bottom-round steak is also good for jerky.
- Soy sauce – coconut aminos or tamari are the best soy sauce substitutes.
- Worcestershire sauce – white wine vinegar would also work here.
- Honey – maple syrup will also add some sweetness to your jerky.
- Hot sauce – use more or less hot sauce or tabasco depending on how much spice you like.
- Black pepper – freshly cracked pepper will give the jerky more of a peppery flavour.
- Onion powder – double up on the garlic powder if you don’t have any onion powder on hand.
- Garlic powder – swap out for more onion powder or use finely minced garlic cloves.
- Paprika – cayenne will provide a similar flavour but has more of a kick.
- Red pepper flakes – cayenne or chili powder would also be good here.
How to make beef jerky
Step 1: Freeze then slice the steak.
Freeze steak for 1 hour and then slice as thinly as possible against the grain, trimming away any fat.
Step 2: Marinade the steak strips.
Mix together marinade ingredients then add to a large freezer bag. Add steak strips to a bag and let marinate at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: Squeeze out the excess liquid.
Preheat oven to 170 F. Place steak strips on a paper towel-lined plate and squeeze excess liquid out of strips with paper towel until dried.
Step 4: Add the beef to bamboo skewers.
Add steak strips to bamboo skewers, then hang along the highest rack of the oven.
Step 5: Hang the skewers in the oven.
Close your oven door, propping it open slightly with an oven mitt. Be sure to do this so some moisture can escape from the oven, and cook for 5 hours.
Step 6: Remove from the skewers and store for later!
When finished, remove jerky from skewers and store in the fridge up to 14 days.
Beef jerky marinade flavours
You can switch up in the ingredients in your beef jerky marinade for a different flavour. There are nearly endless options when it comes to the different flavour combinations you can try!
Here are some great flavour options for your beef jerky:
- Lemon pepper with soy sauce and lemon pepper seasoning
- Chili lime with lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and chili garlic sauce
- Bring the heat by adding diced jalapeno to the sauce
- Asian with soy sauce, rice vinegar and ginger
- Sweet and spicy with balsamic vinegar, pineapple juice and teriyaki sauce
- Caribbean using jerk seasoning
- Thai-inspired using cumin and coriander
Frequently Asked Questions
This homemade beef jerky recipe is definitely a healthy snack. It’s low in calories, high in protein and low in fat since you’re using a lean cut of meat. Plus, since you’re making your own homemade jerky at home, you don’t have to worry about all the extra preservatives and sodium that you’d get from store-bought jerky.
I used top sirloin steak to make my healthy beef jerky, since it’s a super lean cut of meat and you cut away any of the excess fat. You can also use top-round or bottom-round steak for beef jerky. Along with top sirloin, these are the most tender and flavourful cuts of beef. You can also try making your jerky with pork or venison!
For this recipe, you’ll actually be using your oven to dehydrate the beef instead of a dehydrator. It will need to cook in the oven for 5 hours at 170° Fahrenheit. It takes a while but it’s totally worth it.
How long does homemade beef jerky last?
If you are going to eat the homemade healthy beef jerky within 3 to 4 days, you can keep it on the counter at room temperature in an airtight container or Ziploc bags. If you want it to last longer than that, I recommend storing it in the fridge, since it’s not as shelf-stable as the store-bought versions. It should last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Can you freeze beef jerky?
Yes, you can! This beef jerky recipe can be frozen for 7 to 12 months. Pack it into an airtight container or Ziploc bag and make sure to get as much air out as possible before sticking it in the freezer. Just pull it out of the freezer and let it defrost in the fridge overnight before eating.
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Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls to store your jerky.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
- And of course I get all my grass-fed beef from Butcher Box.
- Use these Ziploc bag holders for mess-free marinating.
Healthy Homemade Beef Jerky Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz top sirloin steak
- 3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Freeze steak for 1 hour and then slice as thinly as possible against the grain, trimming away any fat.
- Mix together marinade ingredients then add to a large freezer bag. Add steak strips to a bag and let marinate at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 170 F. Place steak strips on a paper towel-lined plate and squeeze excess liquid out of strips with paper towel until dried. Add steak strips to bamboo skewers, then hang along the highest rack of the oven.
- Close your oven door, propping it open slightly with an oven mitt. Be sure to do this so some moisture can escape from the oven, and cook for 5 hours.
- When finished, remove jerky from skewers and store in the fridge up to 14 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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