This original ground beef jerky recipe is rich, flavorful, and quick to make—no marinating required. Everyone will love these meaty protein snacks.
Many people have asked about making jerky from ground beef, so here’s a reliable, fast recipe you can make anytime. The ingredients are mostly pantry staples. The one specialty item you might need is curing salt (shown as the pink salt in the photo). If you prefer not to use curing salt, substitute ½ teaspoon of table salt and be sure to heat the jerky to 160°F to ensure safety.
When making ground beef jerky, keep liquids to a minimum. This recipe uses only a small amount of soy sauce and Worcestershire to round out the flavor—about 2 ounces of liquid per pound of meat (2 oz = 1/4 cup). For forming the strips I used a jerky gun to make uniform 4–5″ strips, but you can also spread and roll the mixture on a sheet pan if you don’t have one.
Use 1 pound of very lean ground beef (10% fat or less; I used 96% lean). Mix the meat thoroughly with the seasonings, then refrigerate for 4–24 hours to help the mixture bind. Remove from the fridge, pack into your jerky gun (or spread on a baking sheet), and form strips with no air pockets.
Shoot or place the strips on dehydrator trays or on baking sheets for the oven.
Dehydrate at your dehydrator’s highest setting until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and the jerky is dry, typically 3½–5 hours depending on your machine. Using an Excalibur-style dehydrator often takes about 3½ hours. If using an oven, preheat to 300°F and heat the strips for 10 minutes with the door closed, then lower the oven to its lowest setting (around 170°F), crack the door, and dry until done.
Ground jerky has a different texture from whole-muscle jerky—it’s easier to chew and slightly more brittle. The best way to decide if you like it is to make a batch and taste it. Enjoy!
For detailed drying methods see the guides below.
How to Make Beef Jerky in a Dehydrator-
How to Make Beef Jerky in the Oven
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How to Make Beef Jerky in a Smoker
Jerkyholic’s Original Ground Beef Jerky
Ingredients
Lean Beef
- 1 lb Lean ground beef (10% fat or less)
Marinade
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon curry powder (red)
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander
- 2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon curing salt (optional)
Equipment
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine 1 lb ground beef with all marinade ingredients.
- Mix thoroughly until seasonings are evenly distributed.
- Refrigerate 4–24 hours to help the meat bind.
- If using a jerky gun, load the mixture and shoot 4–5″ strips onto dehydrator trays or a baking sheet. If not using a gun, spread the meat on a baking sheet, cover with wax paper, and roll to 1/4″ thickness, then slice into 4–5″ long by 1″ wide strips.
- Dry using your preferred method. Dehydrate at 160°F until the jerky reaches 160°F internal and is dry to the touch (about 3½ hours in many dehydrators). For the oven: heat 10 minutes at 300°F with the door closed, then lower to the oven’s lowest setting with the door cracked and dry until done.
- Ground jerky is ready when it is dry to the touch and bends without snapping in half. If it cracks in half when bent, it is over-dried.
Pro Tips
- Ground jerky has a different texture than whole-muscle jerky and can be more brittle.
- An oven or dehydrator produces the most consistent results for ground jerky.
Nutrition
For more in-depth directions on drying ground beef jerky, see the Ground Beef Jerky guide.