Best Meat for Beef Jerky (+Video)

One of the most important decisions when making beef jerky is the cut of meat you are going to use. Using the best meat for beef jerky makes all the difference, and here I'll show you what meats are the best!

I also have a video that will explain these cuts in more detail, show you what they look like, and let you know which ones are my favorite! So make sure you check it out.

Jump to:

• 🎥 Video - Best meat for jerky
• 🥩 What is The Best Cut of Meat?
• 💭 Tips When Buying Meat
• 🧾 Free Sam's Club Membership
• Jerky Recipes and Information

🎥 Video - Best meat for jerky

🥩 What is The Best Cut of Meat?

Beef eye of round, bottom round, and top round are the best meat for beef jerky. Choosing a cut that has very little fat is important, fat will spoil faster and shorten the shelf life of your jerky.

Below is a list of cuts of meat that work very well for making beef jerky. You can also make beef jerky out of lean ground meat. Try several different cuts and decide for yourself which one is your favorite! Once you do, check out my Beef Jerky Recipes Page to find your favorite jerky marinade!!!

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Eye of Round -

Hands down, this is the best meat for beef jerky. The most tender of the Rounds. This is a single oval muscle in the rear leg. This is my go to cut of meat when making beef jerky.

• Lean
• Little interior fat
• Need to trim the fat cap
• Grain runs the length of the cut for easy slicing with or against the grain
• Economical (relatively inexpensive)

Bottom Round -

Another great choice of meat for making beef jerky. It is the outer muscle of the upper rear leg. This is the least tender of the rounds. Even though it is the least tender, it makes great jerky!

• Lean
• Possible interior marbling
• Flavorful
• Economical (relatively inexpensive)

Top Round -

Very similar to bottom round. The top round is cut from the inside leg muscle, opposite of the bottom round. This cut is more tender than the bottom round and less tender than the eye of round.

• Lean
• Flavorful
• Economical (relatively inexpensive)

Sirloin Tip - 

Second Most tender of the rounds. Not as popular, but still a very good piece of meat for making beef jerky.

• Very Lean
• Most tender
• A little more expensive

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Flank Steak -

More expensive than the rest but still a great meat for beef jerky. If sliced with the grain, your jerky will be extremely tough. Better to slice against the grain when using this piece of meat when making beef jerky.

• Lean (need to trim some fat)
• More interior marbling
• Flavorful
• Can be a tougher jerky

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Ground Meat -

If making beef jerky with ground meat, make sure to choose a lean package. Many people like ground meat jerky because it is easier to chew and less harsh on your teeth. The texture is VERY different from whole meat jerky though, so keep that in mind.

• Makes easier to chew jerky
• Choose the leanest ground meat available (at least 90% lean)
• Requires a jerky gun or flattened and cut into strips
• Visit my page on How to Make Ground Beef Jerky for more information

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Deer Meat -

Deer meat is GREAT for making jerky! Venison jerky is some of my favorite. It tends to be very lean meat and very tender. If you harvest your venison yourself during hunting season, it is also about as organic as you can get!

• Very Lean
• Very little interior marbling
• Organic
• Great Game Flavor
• Tender

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Elk Meat -

Just like Venison, Elk Roasts are very lean cuts of meat that are great for making jerky. Elk has a mild game flavor making it a fantastic option for even the pickiest of eaters in your family.

• Very Lean
• Very little interior marbling
• Organic
• No game flavor
• Tender

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Pork Loin & Tenderloin -

A little fattier of a cut, but my favorite when using pork. Great for making pork jerky. Goes really well with sweet recipes, but also turns out great with spicier recipes.

• Flavorful
• Tender Jerky
• Economical (relatively inexpensive)
• Great with sweet recipes

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💭 Tips When Buying Meat

There are some ground rules that will apply across the board. When shopping for your choice of meat, make sure to follow these tips:

• Join big box stores such as Sam's Club and Costco for great prices on the best meat for beef jerky, sometimes half price.
• Never purchase old or expired meats
• Purchase the correct amount of meat. After drying, jerky will lose about ⅔ of its weight. If you buy 3lbs, you will end up with a little over 1lb of dried jerky
• Inspect each specific cut to find the one with the least amount of fat
• Ask the butcher to slice the meat for you - Many butchers will slice the meat to your specified thickness at no cost. This saves a lot of time!

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask your local butcher. I am sure they will be more than helpful in getting you what you need.

🧾 Free Sam's Club Membership

Right now there is a promotion for Sam's Club where you can buy their membership for $45 and then receive a gift card for $45 to use at the store. So basically, the membership is free. We tested the offer and it worked as advertised!

Why get this deal?

Great prices! I found that locally the price of USDA Choice Beef Eye of Round Roast (one of the best cuts for jerky) at Sam's was $4.68. This is compared to $6.99 a pound at the local grocery store, that's a 33% savings!

Don't even get me started on the great price of USDA Prime Beef Brisket!!!

How to get this deal?

Click here for the $45 gift card with sign up. (Jerkyholic is in no way associated with this deal. We do not get anything from Sam's or you for you signing up. Just passing along a great deal!)

It will give you a coupon code when filling out information. Make sure to copy that code down and give it to the person at the membership table at Sam's. The lady we dealt with already had it, but make sure to write it down just to be sure.

Jerky Recipes and Information