Best Cut Of Beef For Jerky

When people hear the word, "snack," they think of potato chips or pretzels. With convenience, variety, taste, low-fat and high amounts of protein, beef jerky should be on their minds instead. 

Americans bought over 1.5 billion dollars worth of beef jerky in 2023 and it's estimated that the average American household spends more than $25 in the meat snacks category every year. We can imagine that with more options being available for plant-based and vegan jerky, this trend will only continue to rise.  

But not all of that jerky comes alike. 

Variety can be found in the branding, flavoring, and the cut of beef itself.

What are the different cuts of meat used for jerky? How do chefs go about choosing them? Once they've selected their cut, how is the jerky cooked? 

Here is a quick guide that answer these questions and aims to enrich your taste in jerky IQ.

Selecting the Perfect Cut of Meat for Jerky

A cow contains a dozen distinct cuts of beef. A chef can use nearly any of these cuts in the jerky process.

Popular Cuts for Jerky

Most jerky producers use cuts toward the back of a cow. This is where meat is tender and lean with few streaks of fat.

In particular, the round is common in beef jerky. The eye of round is a muscle in the shape of an oval in the rear legs.

The meat is lean yet flavorful, and its grains run down the length of the cut. This makes it easy to slice and process.

The bottom round lies closer to the legs. It is more tender than the eye of round, yet it is still flavorful and lean. It is not a commonly-used cut of beef, which makes it cheaper to work with.

The top round lies above the bottom round but inside the leg muscle. It is moderately tender, making it ideal for eaters who want a mild bite. 

As the name suggests, the flank steak is a flank along the bottom of the cow. It is far more expensive than any round cut. It can be tough to chew, but it has streaks of fat that are easy to swallow and add flavor. 

Cuts to Avoid

Ground meat is not as common as one might think. It does not hold together well in a jerky, and it may contain a high amount of fat. It is better for burgers than it is for jerky. 

You may have heard of other kinds of jerky. Exotic meats like alligator and buffalo can be turned into jerky. But beef and other meats are rarely mixed together.

Other Considerations When Choosing A Cut

The cut is important but there are some equally important factors jerky producers need to be mindful of. 

Taste 

Each cut of beef tastes differently, depending on how much fat they have. Round cuts taste meatier than flank steak because they are more tender and have less fat. 

Complimenting the Jerky Recipe

They must consider how other ingredients will complement the jerky. Flank steak may not taste meaty on its own, but seasonings like garlic powder go well with it. The flavor of round cuts can overpower added seasonings. 

Cost

The chef must consider costs. As mentioned above, ground beef isn't the best option for jerky, however, the cheap cost does make it the best option for some jerky producers. Round cuts are far cheaper than flank steak as well. 

Jerky takes time to prepare, but no cut saves or adds too much time. All cuts can be butchered into amounts that fit inside small ovens or containers. 

How's the Jerky Made?

Once the chef has found the right piece of meat, they can begin the jerky process. They take a large piece of meat and cut it into very thin slices. 

Meat has muscle fibers that all align in a similar direction. Cutting along those fibers is called "cutting with the grain." 

This produces a chewier jerky since the fibers fall apart. Cutting against the grain makes the jerky more tender and harder to chew. 

Once the meat is cut, the chef marinades it. This is where the seasonings mentioned previously come into play. The meat must be heavily salted so it can dry and produce hard strips or planks. 

The meat is marinaded overnight, if not for a longer period. It needs to absorb the salt and seasonings and become completely dry. 

Once the marinade process is complete, the meat is dried. While some chefs use a dehydrator that removes moisture from the meat, others smoke their meat without exposing it to direct flames. 

Some chefs hang their meat up outdoors to let it dry. This is how jerky was made before modern technology. 

Once the meat is dry, the chef can serve it. Jerky can last for months without refrigeration. Though the meat is not traditionally cooked, it is safe to eat because the salt kills harmful bacteria. 

Bringing it All Together

The perfect jerky comes from much more than slicing and drying the meat or the recipe chosen. The cut of beef chosen has a significant impact on the texture, flavor and overall quality. From the tender and flavorful round cuts to the robust flank steak, understanding the characteristics of each cut is primal in the beef jerky process. 

For those looking to take their jerky experience to the next level, check out or wide variety of jerky brands or pick up get experimental by picking up some of our jerky variety packs.