Air Fryer Beef Jerky

If you think making beef jerky at home sounds complicated, think again. This air fryer beef jerky is simple to make, giving you chewy, savoury jerky that tastes way better than anything from a bag.

Here’s why I love this air fryer beef jerky recipe: it’s simple to make at home, the air fryer dries the meat evenly, resulting in the perfect chewy texture and intense flavors, and because it’s homemade I know what’s in it (unlike the store-bought stuff).

Ingredients Notes

Beef roast

A tougher cut means chewier jerky. A tender beef cut will give softer melt-in-the-mouth jerky. So choose a cut of beef appropriate for the type of jerky you want to make.

I have also had good results using thin minute steak (Rouladen style beef), which is already sliced, so saves you a step!

Trim off any visible fat. It doesn’t dehydrate well and can go rancid more quickly.

Marinade

The marinade I use combines the rich smoky flavor of Worcestershire sauce, honey for sweetness (you can substitute brown sugar), and soy sauce and onion powder for a flavor punch!

You can substitute any other marinade you like or mix up the ingredients if you like. The basic recipe to make the jerky in the air fryer is the same.

Some other seasoning flavors to try are:

• Teriyaki beef jerky: soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger
• Smoked beef jerky: add some liquid smoke or smoked paprika to the recipe below
• Spicy beef jerky: add some chili flakes to the recipe below

How to make Beef Jerky In the Air Fryer

1. Prepare the beef

Trim the beef to remove any excess fat from the outside, and any silverskin.

Then slice the beef very thinly, aim for no thicker than ¼ inch. Use a very sharp knife and slice with the grain (not against as you normally would when carving beef).

Note: Partially freezing the beef can make it easier to cut thinly. Or you may be able to ask your local butcher to slice it for you.

2. Marinate the beef

In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.

Add the beef strips and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2–4 hours (overnight is ideal).

3. Arrange in the basket

Drain the beef strips and pat dry. Place beef strips in the air fryer basket in a single layer.

Try to arrange them so they don’t overlap too much, as all surfaces need to be exposed so the air fryer can dry them evenly.

If your air fryer is small, you may want to use a rack so you can cook twice as much in one go.

4. Air fry low & slow

Set the air fryer to 170 °F / ~77 °C (or the lowest setting your model offers). If your air fryer doesn’t go that low, use the next lowest heat and keep a close eye. (This is slow “drying,” not “cooking.”)

Air fry the beef jerky for 2–3 hours, checking every 30–45 minutes. Flip strips occasionally for even dehydration. Jerky is done when it’s dry, leathery, and bends without snapping.

Monitor the jerky closely as it gets close to the end of the cooking time, as the time it will take to dehydrate will vary depending on your air fryer and how thick the jerky is.

It needs to reach 160°F/71°C to be safe to consume, so check with an instant-read meat thermometer to be sure.

Note: You can also make this jerky recipe in a regular oven, you just need to lay the jerky on a rack, or turn it often to ensure it dries out evenly.

Storing