Making Dried Meat: Beef Jerky & Biltong

Dried meat is the ancestor of all pantry staples: long before refrigerators and canning jars, people preserved meat by drying it. Homemade jerky beats any gas-station bag by a mile – you control the meat quality, seasoning, and salt content. And it's easier than many people think, as long as you follow a few rules.

Choosing the Right Meat

The golden rule: as lean as possible. Fat doesn't become shelf-stable when dried – it goes rancid, and it determines how long the jerky will keep.

• Beef is the classic choice: top round, bottom round, or braising cuts are ideal
• Game (venison, deer) works beautifully – naturally lean and flavorful
• Poultry and pork should only be processed fully cooked through (see safety below) – for your first attempt, it's better to stick with beef
• Only use fresh meat of the best quality – ask your butcher for a lean cut "for jerky"

Slicing: Freeze the meat for 1–2 hours first, then it can be cut into even, 5 mm thin strips. Cutting across the grain = a more tender bite, cutting with the grain = the classic chewy texture.

Safety First

Meat is more delicate than fruit – these points are non-negotiable:

• Hygiene: clean boards and knives, keep the meat chilled throughout preparation
• The 70-degree step: before drying, briefly heat the marinated strips in the oven to an internal temperature above 70 °C (about 10 minutes at 120 °C fan/convection) – this kills off germs that pure low-temperature drying might not
• Dry all the way through (see the bend test) and, when in doubt, throw out any leftovers

The Marinade – Basic Recipe

For about 1 kg of meat strips, marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours (overnight is even better):

• 100 ml soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp coarse pepper
• 1 tsp paprika (smoked), ½ tsp garlic powder
• For more heat: chili flakes

Afterward, pat the strips dry well with paper towels – the drier they go into the dehydrator, the better.

Drying

1. Lay the strips on the racks without overlapping
2. Dry at 60–70 °C: 4–6 hours in a dehydrator, 4–8 hours in the oven (door slightly ajar)
3. Turn once partway through (oven method)
4. Bend test: finished jerky bends, cracks with visible fibers showing, but doesn't snap completely apart, and is no longer moist and glassy inside

A Detour: Biltong

Jerky's South African cousin: thicker strips, cured in vinegar and a spiced salt rub (coriander is key!), then traditionally air-dried for days rather than warm-dried. A great project once you've got some experience – for beginners, the dehydrator is the safer route.

Storage

Because of its residual fat, dried meat keeps for a shorter time than dried fruit:

• Airtight and dark: stays good for 2–4 weeks
• Vacuum-sealed: several months
• If you notice a rancid smell or any mold: throw it away

Conclusion

Homemade jerky is the perfect project for anyone who wants more than sweets out of their dehydrator: protein-rich provisions for hunting trips, fishing, and hikes – one kilo of meat yields about 400 g of dried meat, and the quality is entirely in your hands.