How to Make Beef Jerky with NO Equipment: Easy Homemade Jerky

No dehydrator? No jerky gun? No smoker? No problem. Chef Jed shows you how to make delicious beef or venison jerky at home using no special jerky making equipment.

YOU WILL NEED

• Lean Ground Beef (90%)
• Honey BBQ Jerky Kit
• Parchment Paper
• Rolling Pin
• Metal Drying Rack
• Oven

TOOLS & MEAT BLOCK

The trickiest part of making jerky is having to buy all of the expensive equipment. For this homemade jerky, we're using just pre-ground beef, a rolling pin and parchment paper.

For jerky making, you want to use at least 90% lean ground beef because we don't want too much fat in the mixture as it will slow down the dehydrating process. You can also use lean ground turkey, chicken, venison or other lean ground proteins.

With our Honey BBQ Jerky kit you will just need a few at home tools to make your homemade jerky! Each kit includes three pre-measured seasoning packets with cure for up to 15 lbs of meat.

Handling cure safely: Jerky cure contains sodium nitrite, which is what makes it safe to dry meat at low temperatures. Measure only the amount called for, keep it out of reach of children, and follow the instructions on the package.

THE PROCESS

To start, mix the beef with our Honey BBQ jerky kit mix, everything you need is included in the kit. Mix until the meat is sticky and uniform in color, with no streaks. That tells you the cure is evenly distributed.

When everything is fully mixed, put the ground beef between two pieces of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to roll it out to about ¼" thick. Peel off the top sheet, then score the sheet of meat with any straight edge and cut it into strips roughly 1" wide. Lay the strips on your metal drying racks with about ¼" of space between them so none overlap.

Set your oven to 180°F and prop the door open about 1" for ventilation. Bake for 1 hour, then turn the strips over and keep turning every 30 minutes until done, figuring 4 to 6 hours total, though it varies with the humidity in your kitchen and the moisture in the meat. Your jerky is ready when it's firm but not crisp - it should bend, not break. For the last step, blot the jerky with a paper towel and let it cool completely.

STORING YOUR JERKY

Let the jerky cool and dry completely before you seal it up. Trapping heat creates condensation, which shortens shelf life and invites mold. Store it in a dark, dry place, preferably between 50°F and 60°F. If moisture droplets show up inside the container, the jerky needs more drying time.

ENJOY YOUR HOMEMADE BEEF JERKY!

You have now succeeded in making homemade beef jerky with no special equipment!

Don't hesitate to check out the rest of our jerky kits and tips!