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!
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.
Slice the frozen steak as thinly as possible against the grain, trimming away any fat.
Step 2: Marinate the steak strips.
Mix together the marinade ingredients, then marinate the steak strips.
Step 3: Squeeze out the excess liquid.
Squeeze any excess liquid out of the marinated steak strips 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, and cook the jerky.
Step 6: Remove from the skewers and store for later!
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 marinade 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-inspired with soy sauce, rice vinegar and ginger
- Sweet and spicy with balsamic vinegar, pineapple juice and teriyaki sauce
- Caribbean-inspired using jerk seasoning
- Thai-inspired using cumin and coriander
Frequently Asked Questions
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. 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.
I used an oven to make my beef jerky, but it can be made in a dehydrator as well! I find that using an oven is more convenient and takes less time – the oven method takes about 5 hours, while a dehydrator can take up to 8 hours.
If you're going to eat your jerky within 3 to 4 days, it's fine to leave it out on the counter in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. If you want it to last longer than that, I'd recommend storing it in the fridge.
You'll know the jerky is done when it's dry to the touch and doesn't bend without cracking. Just make sure it doesn't break immediately when you bend it – if it does that, it's overcooked! Five hours in the oven at 170° Fahrenheit should do the trick.
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
- 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.
- **Get my full list of tools here**
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.
Comments & Reviews
Terry says
Thanks for this recipe. I have a large Pyrex (2 quart) mixing bowl with a plastic cover, so I marinated the meat in that, and put a piece of wax paper on the surface of the meat to minimize air contact while in the fridge. Ran my dehydrator overnight 8 hours, and jerky came out very good — a tiny bit dry — will try 5 hours next batch and see if that helps. Taylor’s flavor mix is great — I added 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper because I like it hot. 3 lbs of grass-fed top round from Whole Foods ($23) –> 1.3 lbs jerky. Next time I’ll try the local supermarket top round which is a bit cheaper. In conclusion: YUM!
Brenda says
I just picked up some eye of round last night at the grocery store and had my butcher slice it for me. Easy!!! Looking forward making this today. Thank you!
Taylor Stinson says
Yay!!! Let me know how you like it Brenda 🙂
Juan says
What’s the protein and calories?
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Juan – unfortunately I don’t provide nutritional info for my older recipes, there are just too many to go through and update! You can add the ingredients into an app like MyFitnessPal to calculate it. Hope that helps!
Patti e Graham says
I used this recipe to make beef jerky for my very first time. OMG it came out so good. I used london broil, which I think is the same as the eye of round. My family could not get enough. I used the oven as I don’t have a dehydrator. I set it to 170, which is as low as my oven will go, and propped the door open with the handle of a wooden spoon for about 6 hours. It was the best I have ever had and I will be making it often.
Taylor Stinson says
I’m so glad you liked it Patti!!! Thanks for sharing 🙂 I need to make this beef jerky myself again soon!
Bill says
Your recipe is similar to how I make jerky but I add just a little white vinegar. I will have to try this for sure.
Ron Spence says
Great jerky recipe Taylor! I marinaded some eye of round over night and smoked for 5 hrs. at 160F, to long-should have been 3 hrs. at this temp, using applewood in my electric smoker. There is a really nice main vein of heat, and I’m to a heat kind of guy, with very nice counter balance of sweetness because of the honey. The Worcestershire adds just the right amount of saltiness. If people “don’t” put this in their rotation they truly are missing out. Well done.
Taylor Stinson says
Thank you so much Ron, I’m so happy to hear this turned out so well for you! I’ve definitely got to make this jerky again sometime soon, it’s been a while!
Dean says
Thanks for the jerky recipe it’s the best I have ever made, and I have made a lot of different jerky recipes thanks again.
Taylor Stinson says
I am SO happy to hear this Dean! YAY!
lizette says
A printable recipe link would be nice! Am i missing it somewhere??
Shawn says
-1 cup low sodium soy sauce
-1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
-1 tbsp honey
-1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
-1 tsp onion powder
-1 tsp garlic salt
-1 tsp red pepper flakes
-1 tsp Spanish paprika
-2 tsp Sriracha sauce
Nicole says
We made this and I’m addicted! Thanks for the great recipe, does it need refrigerated?
Taylor Stinson says
No it doesn’t! 🙂 I would recommend eating it within 2 weeks though!
Vickie says
Thank you that was my question…
Looms yummy..gonna make it soon..
Doug says
The best I’ve tried, used bottom round and followed the recipe exactly. I moved this several times and always great. I do use a dehydrator. Very sharp knives a must
Taylor Stinson says
So happy to hear that Doug!!! This is hands down one of my favourite snack recipes 🙂
Todd says
What do you think about dying it in a smoker?
Taylor Stinson says
I’m sure you could do that but I have no experience doing this myself unfortunately!
Kayla Vernor says
How long do you leave it in the dehydrator?
Jean says
I used dehydrator and took about 8 hrs, and then I still did 30 minutes in oven as that is what my dehydrator recommended for jerky to kill any possible salmanella