Air Fryer Beef Jerky
Jerky is one of the oldest forms of preserved meet. The earliest jerky was made by smoking strips of meat over a fire, or simply drying out in the sun.
While many associate beef jerky with the chewy and hard-to-swallow pieces of meat, I associate the beef with a delightful snack.
The reason for that is my air-fryer recipe. Many people tend to make beef jerky in the oven or dehydrator, but I make mine in the air-fryer. The results are amazing – a perfectly tender, slightly chewy, and smoky piece of beef jerky.
Why Air Fryer Jerky?
There are so many reasons why you should choose air fryer as your main appliance to make beef jerky.
A dehydrator is a great appliance too, but it really takes time. It can take up to eight hours and even more, depending on the meat thickness.
With the air fryer, you can have your beef jerky in only 75 minutes. There are two ways you can use air fryers for this purpose.
The fast method is used in this recipe. Simply thread pieces of the marinated beef on bamboo skewers. Place the skewers with the beef in an air fryer basket. This will allow more ventilation and your jerky will be done in 75 minutes.
If you want to arrange the beef jerky directly into the air fryer basket, you can do this too, but it may take up to 2 hours to have your jerky done.
Also, I love homemade beef jerky because I control the ingredients I use and the level of spiciness.
What Type Of Meat To Use?
The best cuts of meat for beef jerky are top round, bottom round, but also skirt steak and flank steak. These cuts of beef are lean, full of flavor, and budget-friendly.
Another thing to keep in mind is to choose the beef with the smallest amount of fat. The fat will not dry well, and if you make more beef jerky, it may spoil.
If you plan to enjoy beef jerky immediately or within few days, you can choose the fattier pieces.
Can I Use Other Types Of Meat?
You can make jerky out pretty much any kind of meat, although beef is the most common. You can also get buffalo meat for making jerky, and even chicken and turkey will make nice jerky. As a rule, lean meats are best for making jerky.
How To Cut The Meat
Cutting meat into thin slices is not always the easiest. Raw meat can be a bit slippery and if you have a smaller cut of the meat, it will be more difficult to cut it thinly, because you do not have a good grasp on it.
Personally, I like to freeze my meat partially, and when it’s like this, it is easier to cut it into really nice and thin strips.
What About Marinades?
Besides the right meat cut, making a good marinade is essential. Meat alone has a certain flavor, but marinated meat is on a whole new level. I can say the most flavor of the beef jerky comes from the marinade.
Speaking about marinade, you can make it as you like. I suggest honey, Sriracha, pepper, and garlic, or just swap the honey with agave or maple syrup, and Sriracha with Mexican hot sauce.
Marinating meat is something you must do if you want the fullest flavor. You should marinate the beef for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours. The longer you marinate the meat, the more flavor the beef will have.
If you are really tight on time, you can marinate in only 30 minutes, but the meat will have less flavor.
Whether you are looking to eat more protein or just want to try making your own jerky, this recipe is a great jumping-off point if you want to experiment and customize the flavors.
How To Store Beef Jerky
You can store your beef jerky in sealable bags, or in airtight container up to two weeks at room temperature. To prolong the shelf life, store the beef jerky in a fridge, and you will have one week extra.
Beef jerky is also an ideal candidate for the freezer. You can store it in the freezer up to 6 months. To serve, defrost the beef jerky at the room temperature.
Air Fryer Beef jerky
Preparation time: 4 hours
Cooking time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- Salt, and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Place the meat into freezer to firm up a bit. It will ease the cutting process.
2. Slice your meat into 1/8-inch thick strips. Make sure you cut against the grain.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Sriracha.
4. Add beef and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.
5. Marinate the beef for at least four hours.
6. Thread the beef onto the bamboo skewers so the beef dangles from the skewer.
7. Place the skewers across the frying basket. Air-fry the beef for 60-75 minutes at 375°F. The jerky will become firm, yet tender, around 60 minutes. It will need a longer cooking time if you want it to be chewier.
8. Serve jerky as desired.
Air Fryer Beef Jerky
Here's how to make flavorful and chewy jerky the easy way!
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- Salt, and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place the meat into the freezer to firm up a bit. It will ease the cutting process.
- Slice your meat into 1/8-inch thick strips. Make sure you cut against the grain.
- In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Sriracha.
- Add beef and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.
- Marinate the beef for at least four hours.
- Thread the beef onto the bamboo skewers so the beef dangles from the skewer.
- Place the skewers across the frying basket. Air-fry the beef for 60-75 minutes at 375°F. The jerky will become firm, yet tender, around 60 minutes. It will need a longer cooking time if you want it to be chewier.
- Serve jerky as desired.
