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Air Fryer Beef Jerky

Lean beef sliced thin, marinated in soy and Worcestershire, and dried low and slow in the air fryer in an afternoon instead of overnight.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 180
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb lean beef top round, eye of round, sirloin tip, or flank; fat trimmed
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika or 1/2 tsp chili flakes optional

Equipment

  • Air fryer
  • Sharp knife
  • Wire rack insert

Method
 

  1. Freeze the beef 45 to 60 minutes until firm, then slice 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, all the same thickness.
  2. Combine the marinade ingredients and soak the slices at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  3. Pat the slices dry. Lay them in a single layer with no overlap; use a rack insert for a second layer if you have one.
  4. Set the air fryer to 175 to 185°F. Dry 60 minutes undisturbed, then flip and rotate every 20 to 30 minutes.
  5. It is done when a strip bends 90 degrees and cracks along the surface but does not snap, with no moisture beading up. Total time about 2.5 to 4 hours.

Notes

Trim every seam of fat: fat goes rancid and shortens shelf life.
Vent if your minimum is 200°F: prop the door with a folded strip of foil.
Food safety: to be sure, pre-bake the slices at 275°F to an internal 160°F, then move to the air fryer to dry.
Storage: a week at room temperature if very dry and lean, 2 to 3 weeks refrigerated, 3 to 6 months frozen.