Regardless of which part of the world you travel to, nothing feels more comforting than a homemade meal seasoned with the Signature® seasoning and rubs from Nebraska Star® Beef. For instance, homemade beef jerky is a soul-satisfying food for many! 

Talking about beef jerky, it is easy to prepare and does not require any special equipment or cooking techniques apart from baking sheets, a standard oven, and wire racks. However, the homemade jerky is often not as tender as the store-bought kind. It can be because commercial producers often use special equipment and preservatives to introduce that tenderness into the meat. 

Want to know the secret to making tender jerky at home? Use Nebraska Star Beef and increase the sugar content in the marinade. 

The Nebraska Star Beef will introduce restaurant-quality taste, while the extra sugar will lock in the moisture. 

Below, we have mentioned the best homemade beef jerky recipe! It will make a smoky, salty-sweet jerky with a tender texture. 

Ingredients needed: 

• One 3-pound eye of round roast, trimmed of fat and silver skin
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon unseasoned meat tenderizer
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

1. Slice the meat: Begin by slicing the meat with a thickness of between ⅛ inch and ¼ inch. However, if the roast is too thick to slice down easily, first cut it in half horizontally. 

2. Prepare the marinade: Take a medium-sized bowl and combine soy sauce, smoked paprika, black pepper, onion powder, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, meat tenderizer, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder.

Whisk it until all the contents are evenly combined, and the sugar is completely dissolved. 

3. Marinate the beef: Toss all the meat pieces in the marinade until they are evenly coated. Then, cover them with plastic wrap or transfer them to a large ziploc. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for a minimum of 12 hours. Make sure to flip the bag or toss the meat once or twice to ensure even the marination. 

4. Dry out the meat: Place two baking sheets with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Place a wire rack over the pan and preheat the oven to 175°F. Set two oven racks in the center. 

Finally, arrange the marinated meat on the racks to form a single layer. 

While baking, rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back until the meat is dried out. It may take approximately three to four hours. 

The jerky must be thoroughly dried out. To test this, take a piece out of the oven, and once it cools down to room temperature, ensure it has a dry texture and a leather-like appearance. It must be chewy, yet tender.

Now, you can store the jerky in a ziploc, airtight plastic container, or airtight glass jars. Remember, properly dried beef jerky will be at room temperature for one week. 

Note: We suggest you use the DIY Jerky Making and Seasoning Kits to elevate the taste. 

About Nebraska Star Beef

At Nebraska Star Beef, we sell premium-quality beef products and seasoning mixes with hassle-free delivery. Our clients choose us for our commitment to excellence, quality, and consistency. For more information, contact us at (308) 876-2250, write to info@nebraskastarbeef.com, or fill out our online contact form.