FOOD NEWS
The Best Type Of Meat To Use For Jerky
By Heidi Chaya
Making homemade jerky is time-consuming, but worth it for meat lovers, and success starts with choosing the right cut of meat to dry out and preserve. Since animal fat is moist, hard to dry out, will go rancid quickly, cuts with a lot of intramuscular fat or marbling are not a good fit for making properly dried, shelf-stable jerky.
When it comes to beef, any lean cut from the hindquarter is suitable for jerky, and loin, round, and flank cuts are user- and budget-friendly. You can also use forequarter cuts, but there's much more connective tissue to deal with; meanwhile, other animals like venison or bison have a similar meat makeup, but are not exactly the same as cows.
Regardless of the cut you choose, trim your meat well and don't slice it too thin, or the jerky will become crunchy and brittle. If you want a more tender jerky, marinate the meat for a longer time, while chewier jerky doesn't need as much marinating; lastly, dry the meat on trays in a stove or dehydrator, flipping the meat slices often until done.