Easy Air Fryer Beef Jerky is a homemade recipe that will show you how to make marinated jerky from scratch without having to use a dehydrator. Making your own is healthy and delicious!
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Can you dehydrate meat in an air fryer? Yes, you can. What I love most about the air fryer is being able to make healthy meals and appetizers from scratch.
Table of Contents
What Type of Meat to Use
You want to grab really lean beef. The beef should have very little fat. Fat will cause spoilage. The best meat to use:
- Sirloin tip
- Eye of round
- Top Round
- Bottom round
- Flank steak
Key Ingredients
- Soy Sauce, Liquid Aminos, or Tamari
- Worcestershire sauce
- Brown Sweetener or Brown Sugar
- Liquid Smoke
Substitutions
- Standard Paprika (for Smoked Paprika)
- Oregano (1 tablespoon)
- Honey (for Brown Sweetener)
- Red Pepper Flakes (Spicy)
Marinating
Marinating the meat is really important. You should marinate the beef for at least 4 hours, up to 24 hours. The longer you marinate and tenderize the meat, the more flavor the beef will have. If you're strapped for time, you can do 30 minutes, but the meat will have less flavor.
How to Make Beef Jerky in an Air Fryer
- Slice your steak into thin slices about ⅛ of an inch thick.
- Add the sliced steak to a bowl and drizzle it with soy sauce, brown sweetener, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper.
- Marinate.
- Remove the beef and dry completely with paper towels.
- Choose if you want to thread the meat along bamboo skewers or if you will simply place the meet in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry.
How Long Does it Take/Cook Time
There are two methods in this recipe. The fastest way to cook the jerky results in 75 minutes of cook time. If you thread the beef using bamboo skewers and hang the skewers in the air fryer, this will increase the venilation and allow the air fryer to circulte air more evenly and thus will cook faster.
You can also simply place the beef right on the air fryer basket. This required a cook time of 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2 and half hours for me.
The cook time is also highly dependent on how you like your jerky. Do you like it slightly firm but tender? Or do you like it more tough and chewy? If you want really chewy jerky, you will have to use a longer cook time.
My preferred method is to use skewers. This way does not dry out the meat.
Air Fryer Temperature
I recommend 180 degrees.
Which Works Better: Air Fryer or Dehydrator
I have a dehydrator. I recommend the Cosori Air Fryer Toaster Oven, it has the dehydrating function. It dehydrates really well, but I have found that it takes a little longer than the air frying method here.
How to Store the Jerky
You can store it in sealable bags or airtight containers at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
It will last stored in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
You can freeze it for up to 6 months. You can defrost at room temperature, or eat it straight from the freezer.
More Air Fryer Appetizers
Air Fryer French Fries
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer Onion Rings
Air Fryer Fried Pickles
Air Fryer Potato Chips
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Air Fryer Croutons
Air Fryer Ravioli
Air Fryer Beef Recipes
Air Fryer Cheeseburgers
Air Fryer Steak
Easy Air Fryer Beef Jerky
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds sirloin tip steak
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup brown sweetener
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Slice the steak into thin strips about ⅛ of an inch thick. If you slice against the grain of the meat, your jerky will be more tender. If you slice with the grain, it will be more chewy.
- Add the steak to a large bowl. Add in all of the ingredients for the marinade and stir.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to overnight. The longer you marinate, the more flavor the jerky will have.
- There are two ways you can place the jerky in the air fryer. You can use bamboo skewers (You may have to cut and size them for your air fryer) and thread the beef lengthwise through the skewer so that the beef dangles from the skewer. You can add several slices of beef, be sure that they don't touch. This will help distribute the air flow needed to dry out the beef. Place the skewers along the top edges of the air fryer.
- You can also simply place the beef in the air fryer basket. I sprayed it with olive oil first. Do not stack or overcrowd the basket. This will take a longer cook time.
- If you thread the beef along skewers: Air fry on 180 degrees for 60 to 75 minutes.
- If you place the beef in the air fryer basket: Air fry on 180 degrees for 2-3 hours.
- For both methods, watch your beef to ensure it reaches your desired texture. For the bamboo stick method, the jerky will become firm, yet tender around 60 minutes. It will need a longer cook time if you want it to be chewy.
- For just the air fryer method, it will become firm and tender around 2 hours, but for chewy jerky you will need more time.
- Overall, my preference is the bamboo method. It comes the closest to the jerky I buy in stores, but better.
Video
Notes
- Temperature is fahrenheit.
- The macros noted are using zero-calorie, zero carb brown sweetener.
- Even with the brown sweetener or sugar, this isn't overly sweet beef. The combination of spices really balances out the flavor. You can omit the sweetener if you wish, but I believe it's balanced.
- Sirloin tip
- Eye of round
- Top Round
- Bottom round
- Flank steak
- Standard Paprika (for Smoked Paprika)
- Oregano (1 tablespoon)
- Honey (for Brown Sweetener)
- Red Pepper Flakes (Spicy)
Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)
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Jennie says
This was delicious- thank you for the recipe!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Rebekah says
This recipe is 100/10! My husband now demands I keep this in stock in the house AT ALL TIMES! ? He is a huge jerky lover and he also thinks this is better than any store bought or near shop bought jerky we have had. Thank you Queen for this recipe!!!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad he likes it!
richard beck says
I must be doing something wrong. I put in a small amount and it was burnt after 25 minutes.
staysnatched says
It sounds like your temperature was too high. In general, when making something for the first time you should keep an eye on it. That will prevent anything from burning. All air fryer brands and models cook at different speeds. My air fryer would never burn meat after 25 minutes on just 180 degrees.
Mjs014 says
I’m having trouble getting the bamboo skewers to stay up.
Do you cut them slightly long than the width and “tension fit” fit them or do they lay across the top of the basket?
Thanks in advance.
-mjs
staysnatched says
I've done it both ways, but getting them to tension fit is easier.
Clinton Ludlow says
Is it 180 degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius?
staysnatched says
Fahrenheit.
Nancy says
This is probably a silly question but I am new to using air fryer. Do I put setting on dehydrate or air fry for this recipe?
My son said to use dehydrate but idk.
staysnatched says
air fry.
Nancy says
@staysnatched,
Thank you! We are marinating tonight and cooking it tomorrow. Can’t wait! 😊
staysnatched says
You're welcome.
Sheryl says
Yummy!! First time making Jerky and I’m not disappointed! Much cheaper this way!! Thanks!
staysnatched says
Yes! You got that right!
D says
Awesome use of airfryer 😁
I used top round & skewers.
Skewers wouldn't hang across the basket, but at least sort of kept meat off the bottom.
180 for 60min, after marinating overnight.
staysnatched says
Yes! Marinating is key!
Ross says
I just found your recipe and can't wait to try it. Just getting the ingredients now, but have a question on the brown sweetener. I like the idea of zero cal, zero carb but when I click on your link, it takes me to Lankato Golden Monkfruit Sweetener. Is that what you recommend (and is it brown)? Also, do you use 1/2 cup for the marinade as in the description is says it is much sweeter than sugar. Thanks in advance for your advice and I look forward to trying this soon!
staysnatched says
Hi, yes to both of these.
glen says
This was a big hit, especially as it was the first time we tried jerky in our new air fryer. It has circular perforations in its bottom plate. The skewer bottoms would fit in them at a 45 degree angle, which was just about perfect. I had the machine set on the dehydrator mode at 170 F for 2.5 hours, which worked out really well.
staysnatched says
I'm so glad it worked out.
John Desmond says
@staysnatched,
John Desmond says
@staysnatched, just want to share if you use skewers I use hooks to hang meat rest skewers on each edge cook at 180 60 minutes is very good
Charles Franks says
This is a great recipe. I use the Instant Pot Air Fryer attachment and use the Bake setting, temp as suggested and the one hour worked out great. The flavor is great. The meat didn't end up like the shoe leather we buy at the stores. Just right. Making it again. Thank you
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad it worked out.
Charles says
Awesome flavor and texture. I have made this three times now. I use sirloin tip. I get the marked down beef in the bargain section at the store. With only two of us, my cannot chew the jerky. I get it all to myself. Jerky last maybe three days tops. It's addictive. Cannot eat just one strip. Nice job with this recipe.
staysnatched says
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy it.
Cristina says
This was really good - it's a great base for jerky. I did it in my new air fryer and was so impatient (lol) that I marinated some of the meat for a couple hours then cooked it. I left the rest (the majority) to marinate 24 hours.
There WAS a very big difference in flavor saturation so if you're impatient like me, dig deep within your soul for the patience to let it marinate as long as possible. It really does make a difference. Also, as the author points out, definitely make sure the meat is as dry as possible when you put it in.
I also tried it both ways: with skewers and on the racks. The skewers did not fit well for me and I really didn't see much difference in the taste/texture between the two cooking methods.
Now....
I cannot access liquid smoke where I live, so I tried to make teriyaki jerky. While it did taste good, pineapple is a natural meat tenderizer and it did affect the chewiness of the jerky. It was still delicious and it was such a treat to be able to have beef jerky here in Belize where it's hard to find.
I have a couple questions:
How do you think this would taste marinated the way you suggest but without the liquid smoke?
Is it possible to do the kind of jerky that you can get in the states that has the black pepper on it? How would you get the black pepper to stick to the jerky? Would you put it on afterwards?
Thanks for such a great recipe!
staysnatched says
Thanks for sharing! I haven't tried the black pepper.
Taylor says
Came out really good. I used filet mignon, I cooked at 160° for 3 and a half hours. I used thick mandarin teriyaki sauce, crushed red pepper and a lot of black pepper. Gives a really good sweet and spicy flavor.
I'm going to try cheaper meat to see how chewy-er jerky comes out. I'll never buy jerky again.
staysnatched says
Yes! Sounds so good!