Air Fryer Beef Jerky — Are you looking for a healthier and tastier alternative to the traditional beef jerky? Have you been trying to find an easy way to make your own homemade beef jerky? If so, this blog post is perfect for you. In this article, I’ll talk about how to create air fryer beef jerky with your favorite flavors like teriyaki or spicy BBQ. We will explore all of the benefits that come from using an air fryer as well as tips on how to get started making it at home.

Let’s start cooking!

Air Fryer Beef Jerky Recipe is loaded with classic jerky flavor. If you have been looking for an easy recipe to make beef jerky in the air fryer, this is it.

Years ago, I used to dehydrate my beef jerky in a smoker, my children really love it, and I loved feeding and making them homemade treats, and beef jerky was no different. You can now dehydrate beef jerky right in your own air fryer, and here is the foolproof method.

The Question I answered today, can you make beef jerky in an air fryer, and the answer, of course, is YES!

If you are looking for some other air fryer snacks, my family’s favorites are Copycat Air Fryer Cracker Jacks and KETO Air Fryer Pepperoni Chips.

The Best Meat To Use For Jerky

The most important ingredient in beef jerky is, of course, beef. Whether you make it in a traditional dehydrator or even a smoker, you need to start with the right cut of meat.

If you choose the wrong cut of meat, you will end up with a tough jerky, and it will have a weird texture.

My selection for meat would be one from the following list:

Eye of Round Roast
Top Round
Sirloin Roast
Rump Roast
Flank Steak
Venison (Deer)

As these do not have a lot of fat or marbling, fat will cause the meat to spoil.

How To Slice Your Meat For Beef Jerky

Once you have chosen your meat for the beef jerky, the next thing will be how to slice it.

The easiest way to slice meat for jerky is to place it into the freezer for about 30 minutes, which will help you easily slice it, into long thin strips. If you purchase your meat from a butcher shop, they will cut it for you. Just tell them you are making jerky, and they will cut it into appropriate sized pieces.

There are two trains of thought when slicing meat for jerky, they are:

If you slice the meat against the grain, you will get tender jerky.
If you like it with the grain, you will get chewier jerky.

A great chance up, if you want, you could cut half your meat one way and half your meat the other way, so you can figure out which way you like to prepare your jerky. Because once your air fry jerky, you will always be looking to do more. It is a great snack.

How To Make Beef Jerky In Air Fryer

The marinate in this recipe is the most important thing. Today, I chose a simple one with brown sugar, which will balance out the salt in the jerky. I also added black pepper, which really balances out nicely with the brown sugar.

My advice the first time you make beef jerky is to keep it simple, salt, pepper, maybe garlic powder, and onion powder. Nothing fancy.

Ingredients

Steak
Soy Sauce
Teriyaki Sauce
Brown Sugar
Seasonings: Black Pepper, Crushed Red Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder

Simple Directions- How To Air Fry Beef Jerky

Start by slicing the steak into long, thin strips approximately 1/8 of an inch thick, slicing against the grain.

In a large bowl mix the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, and seasonings. Mix well.

Add your sliced meat to the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour for best flavor.

Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil, and then place your beef into the basket, spreading the pieces out so they do not touch. Set the temperature to 180 degrees F for 2-3 hours. The chewier you want it, the more time it will need to air fry.

There you go, Air Fryer Jerky!

Some Common Questions Asked About This Recipe-

How Do You Store Leftover Beef Jerky?

Any uneaten beef jerky should be stored in a dry place, cool places like your pantry or a cabinet.

Direct sunlight and/or heat will affect beef jerky’s freshness and flavor, so the best place to store jerky is in a dark and dry place.

If you want to make a huge batch at once, I would recommend that you vacuum seal it to have it last.

How long can you keep homemade jerky?

If you do not vacuum, seal it. It would be best if you placed it in the refrigerator in an airtight container, and it will last about 3 weeks.

If you want to keep it longer, you can freeze it for up to six months. To use, place the frozen beef jerky into the refrigerator until it is thawed.

Some Other Great Air Fryer Snack Ideas:

SOME HELPFUL PRODUCTS USED IN MAKING THIS RECIPE-

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

INSTANT VORTEX AIR FRYER 4 IN 1, BEST FRIES EVER, ROAST, BAKE, REHEAT, 6 QT, 1700W

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