How to Make Air-Dried Beef Jerky at Home

Thinking about making your own beef jerky at home?

Air-drying is the oldest way to preserve meat there is. In fact, long before jerky came in a resealable pouch, people were doing exactly this with salt, airflow and patience. It’s slower than a dehydrator and a lot slower than an oven, but that slowness is the whole point: gentle airflow at a low temperature pulls moisture out without cooking the meat, so you end up with a tender chew and real depth of flavour instead of something tough and bland.

Here’s what we’d do if making our own air-dried beef jerky at home.

A quick word on food safety first

This is something you cannot skip. Raw beef needs to be handled properly to dry safely. Use fresh, refrigerated beef, work with clean hands and equipment, and keep everything cold until it’s ready to marinate.

If you’re using a dehydrator, look for one with a temperature setting of at least 60–65°C, or finish your strips with a short blast in a low oven, as this gives the meat a proper kill step before the slow drying begins, which matters more than it sounds like it does.

When in doubt, follow a tested food-safety guide – Food Standards Australia New Zealand is a great resource to keep your food safe and healthy.

What you’ll need to make jerky at home

Ingredients:

• 1–2 kg lean beef (topside, silverside or brisket)
• 3–4 tbsp coarse salt
• 2–3 tbsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp coriander seed, lightly toasted and crushed
• 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3–4 tbsp apple cider or malt vinegar
• Optional: smoked paprika, chilli flakes or brown sugar, for your own flavour twist

Equipment:

• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Large mixing bowl
• Hanging hooks or skewers
• A dehydrator, or a well-ventilated space with a fan

The method

1. Choose a lean cut. Topside and silverside are the easiest to work with; brisket gives a slightly richer result. Trim off any visible fat, as it doesn’t dry the same way muscle does, and it’ll turn rancid before the rest of the strip is ready.
2. Slice to 5–7mm. Cut with the grain if you want a chewier bite, against the grain for something more tender. Partially freezing the beef for 30–60 minutes beforehand makes it much easier to get clean, even slices.
3. Season properly. Combine your salt, pepper, coriander, garlic and vinegar in a bowl, and work it into every strip. The vinegar is great for flavour, but its main job is to help create conditions that discourage bacterial growth.
4. Marinate overnight. Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours, turning the meat once or twice.
5. Dry low and slow. In a dehydrator, this usually takes 4–6 hours at 60–65°C. Drying at room temperature with just airflow takes considerably longer and carries more food-safety risk, so we’d stick to a dehydrator or oven on its lowest setting unless you’re experienced with traditional curing.
6. Check for doneness. Good jerky bends and cracks without snapping clean in half. Too brittle means overdone; still soft and pliable in the middle means it needs longer.
7. Store it properly. Airtight containers or a vacuum seal will keep it fresh for a couple of weeks at room temperature, longer in the fridge or freezer.

Common problems, sorted

• It’s too tough or leathery. This usually means the strips were sliced too thick, or with the grain when you wanted a more tender result. Slice thinner next time, and try cutting across the grain.
• It’s too salty. Cut back the salt in your rub slightly, and make sure you’re not over-marinating. 24 hours is usually the ceiling for strips this thin.
• It dried unevenly. Airflow is the culprit almost every time. Give strips more space between them, and rotate trays or racks halfway through if your dehydrator doesn’t circulate air evenly.
• You’ve spotted mould. Don’t try to salvage it. If any strip shows fuzzy spots (as opposed to the normal white salt bloom, which is fine), discard that batch and review your temperature and airflow for next time.

A few things we’ve learned

We’ve learned a few things over our time making the top-quality jerky that you know and love: The better the beef, the better the jerky. We only use 100% grass-fed Australian beef for exactly this reason. It tastes good because it is good.

Next, always skip the artificial stuff. Real spices and vinegar do the job without needing a chemical shortcut. If you don’t need it and you can’t pronounce it, don’t add it. Then, once you’ve nailed the base recipe, start playing around with flavours. A teriyaki glaze or a smoked chilli rub can turn a decent batch into your own signature flavour.

When it comes down to it

Homemade jerky is a proper labour of love. Sure, it takes a couple of days to transform from raw beef to a finished snack, but you end up knowing exactly what’s in it, and there’s real satisfaction in that.

For the days you can’t be bothered waiting three days for a snack, though? Try our jerky – we’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to. Shop online now and find your next favourite chew.