Slicing meat when making making beef jerky is where you get to decide whether you want a chewy jerky or a more tender jerky. Here you will learn the different ways of slicing meat so you can get the best feel and taste out of your beef jerky!
So hopefully at this point you have decided what type of meat to use when making your homemade beef jerky, now you just need to trim and slice it! If you haven't picked a cut of beef yet, visit my page on Best Cuts of Beef for Jerky.
These instructions are the same if you are slicing venison for venison jerky as well. So get the deer roast ready and let's get started!
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🎥 Video - Slicing meat
🥩 Trim the fat
First, trim any visible fat from your cut of meat. Here is a lean Beef Eye of Round Roast before trimmed.
Use a sharp knife to cut away any fat. Fat makes beef jerky spoil faster, so it is best to trim as much as you can now to prevent your jerky from going bad.
🔪 Cut with or against the grain?
You have probably heard about the "grain" of meat; and depending on how you cut in regards to the grain will affect the texture of your jerky. The simplest explanation is:
- Slicing WITH the grain = Chewy / Tough Jerky
- Slicing AGAINST the grain = Less Chewy / Soft Jerky
So what exactly is the "grain" of meat? The grain of meat refers to the direction the muscle fibers run within a piece of meat. Okay, so how do you know what direction the muscle fibers run?
You will be able to see the lines of fibers that run parallel to each other along a cut of meat. In the picture below, the fibers are running vertically from bottom to top.
Slicing in the SAME direction of the fibers is called "slicing WITH the grain". The 3 slices of meat seen above were sliced WITH the grain at about a ¼" thick. As mentioned earlier, slicing with the grain will produce a more chewy / tougher piece of jerky.
In the picture below you will see the blue arrows again showing the direction of the grain of the meat. When slicing the meat perpendicular to the direction of the grain (in the direction of the black arrows), you will be slicing AGAINST the grain. Again, as mentioned earlier; this will produce a softer / less chewy piece of jerky.
Below is an example of slicing AGAINST the grain.
This is what a slice of meat looks like when it is cut against the grain at about ¼" thick. You can see that the muscle fibers are running in several directions. This makes the jerky easier to tear apart and less tough.
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Jerky slicer
You can also use a jerky slicer when cutting up beef jerky meat. I use a Westin Jerky Slicer to get even sized strips which is fantastic when drying your jerky. Since the strips are the exact same size, they dry evenly.
This means no more pulling several pieces of jerky off the dehydrator and leaving other pieces on to keep drying because they are a little thicker.
To use the Westin Slicer, cut the roast in 1 ¼" slabs and feed it through the machine. A couple turns of the handle feeds the piece of meat through and it slices it with ease.
Just feed the slabs through the slicer either with the grain or against the grain to achieve your favorite chew!
Tenderizing
Slice the meat WITH the grain and tenderize with a meat mallet (beat the hell out of it with the pyramid pointed side). This will break up the muscle fibers and make the jerky a little less chewy. (This will give you a chew not as tough as if you sliced only with the grain and not as soft as slicing only against the grain)
This technique works great when making The BEST Beef Jerky Recipe.
I hope this has helped you decide how to slice your beef for making beef jerky. Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below! Happy Jerky Making!!!
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Stanton Dawson says
I have made maybe 6 batches of jerky so far and tilapia is one of the best I made. Haven't found anyone selling venison for a good price but love deer jerky. Does it matter what type of dehydrater I used? Or can I used any that works? Also I am hoping to try new recipes soon, amd thanks for this website it is very informational.
Will says
Fish jerky is very good. I love a good salmon jerky. Check out my page on dehydrators. You definitely want to get a good dehydrator (not necessarily expensive) to make sure the meat is reaching a safe internal temperature.
Debbie Donovan says
Hi, Will so glad this blog is still active! My name is Debbie and I'm confused. I bought some top and bottom round roasts to make jerky but after reading all this I want to know if you can have a jerky that's chewy, not leather,and tender as being older my teeth are not the best, LOL. So which way is better to cut these against or with? Or is it just not possible to get chewy and tender at the same time? Appreciate any insight, you can give, the butchers around here have different advice. Thanks so much, Debbie
Will says
Hey Debbie! Slicing against the grain will still be chewy, it will just be MORE tender than slicing with the grain of the meat. Slice your top and bottom round against the grain.
Valerie says
Anyone have suggestions on how to prep beef tongue for jerky? Parboil? And peel the skin? Slicing?
Ron says
Hi Will / All,
I'm with Brandy on the appeal of chewing jerky for "30 minutes". As a young man from backwoods northern Michigan that's the kind of jerky I remember and enjoy. Just nothing like chewing on that meat and savoring the flavor for 5-10 minutes or so, it's just damn relaxing somehow and thought provoking
We normally made our own brine concoctions with a molasses and brown sugar base then spices and beer or whatever else your taste buds might desire. It's all trial & error a "Dr. Frankenstein" method to the brine but I could never get it chewy and leathery like, like I used to purchase in the stores back in the 70s.
I am now in California using a pellet grill I just made my first batch on the pellet grill over the holiday weekend, it turned out some amazing jerky, better jerky than my Mastercraft smoker has, which can be a bit of a hassle operating.
The pellet grill jerky was pretty chewy, but not the shoe leather chewy stuff. After reading your article & advice I am going for the (flank steak) next time and a "with the grain" cut, I am pretty sure I always cut with the grain anyway, but now, I will be sure to each time!!! I have seen similar advice here on the web but your article is very well done... Will. I am looking forward to reading more from you! Thanks...Will
Happy Smoking
-Ron
Will says
Thanks for checking out the site Ron! Good luck with that flank with the grain. your teeth must be better than mine! lol
Frank says
Same here, I still make it both, or,I should say all 3 ways. I go with, against, and at an angle. The stuff with the grain is nice on hiking and camping trips if you make a smoke and pepper. In a simple form like this we add it to stews we cook in the Dutch oven.
Brandy says
Thank you for your informative articles!
I'm a HUGE jerky fanatic, but I'm getting tired of spending about $175/monthly
on it. I used to make beef jerky back in the day with a dehydrator, but it was just too tender. I recently bought another dehydrator and am ready to try it again here in a couple of days.
So, I'm trying to get the toughest, leathery-like beef jerky possible, you know the kind you have to gnaw on for 30 minutes before you can finally swallow it, lol.
My question is, I understand cutting with the grain of meat, but I'm having a hard time figuring out exactly what cut of meat to use?
Any additional info would be greatly appreciated!!
Thank you so much!
Will says
Haha. Brandy, I have had this website a long time and have had thousands of comments and you are the first that has asked how to make such a tough jerky. The question is usually the opposite! I never advise people to use a certain type of meat sliced with the grain because it's borderline inedible. However, that sounds like that's what you want. So, try buying a flank steak and slicing with the grain. Start with just one steak to see if that is really how tough you want it. That should accomplish your chewing for 30 minutes request. Make sure to come back and let me know how it turned out!
Brandon Rivera says
I have been smoking jerky for 5 months now. I love your website and all the information you have posted. Recently started selling jerky to coworkers. Just bought a meat slicer today and 28lbs of eye of round from Sams Club. Thank you SOOOO much for all of the info and recipes you have provided. Your recipes are amazing and the knowledge I have learned from this page is priceless. Thank y’all so much. Much love and respect from the woods of Southeast Texas.
Will says
Thank you so much Brandon, that really means a lot to me. The reason I started this website is for exactly this reason. Big congrats as well on pretty much starting your own jerky business! Sam's Club is pretty much the best place to buy those eye of rounds too. Keep it up!
Robert Wayne Weatherall says
Excellent reading I need a little bit of jerky in the past improving every batch since I’ve started your reading has give me a lot more information in a short time like I say knowledge in reading Have a good day WW
Audrey L Westerman says
My daughter has autism & adhd, and wouldn't eat meat of any kind until I gave her some jerky @ age 5. I've been making it for her ever since then - she's now 17. Her favorite is venison BBQ Teriyaki. Slicing it against the grain got her through her years of wearing braces, just like you said.
I hope this helps someone else who may be as desperate as I felt when my daughter wouldn't eat any protein.
Will says
Thanks for sharing, I hope that helps someone in a similar situation. I appreciate you stopping by the site and leaving a comment!
Thomas Lanan says
I think my jerky is done, but I always have some meat that I have to spit out after chewy a piece. What have I done wrong that this happens ?
Will says
Why do you have to spit out the meat? Is it too tough?
Tony Baloney says
Going to slice up my eye of round roast here soon and get it brining/curing. Thinking slice some with and some against the grain to see what I like...this is my first time making jerky, visiting this site has given me more confidence! P.s. I like your choice in pellet cooker, will be smoking my jerky on an rt-700.
Will says
Definitely try different ways of slicing. Just have fun with it. Definitely remember to take a piece off the smoker and let it cool for about 5 minutes before testing to see if it's finished smoking. If you pull it straight off the smoker and test, it will still feel soft and unfinished. Because of this you will keep smoking and ultimately over smoke it. Good job choosing the 700! I love my 590, great for jerky, chicken, ribs, prime rib....
Paul says
I'm new to making Jerky so this site and comments is just what I need.
Many thanks.
Erik says
When it comes to dehydrating the meat (using Cabela's Harvest Pro 5-Tier), I've been dehydrating at 160 for 3 hours and it gets close to done, chewy and soft, but it gets rather tough to chew after about a week or so. Occasionally I'll go as long as 3.5 hours, but that is almost brittle. 4 hours is definitely too long.
Still trying to find that sweet spot, but not sure if I'm going too high and should do lower for longer.
Any advice would be great.
Will says
Hey Erik! Once the jerky reaches an internal temperature of 160F, you can turn the temperature of the dehydrator down to 145F and finish it off. I have not used that dehydrator and am not sure how long it takes to heat the meat to 160F. Also, the meat will get more touch and drier the longer you store it. I like to make small batches and eat them quickly or use a vacuum sealer when packaging to keep it fresh.
Mark Maki says
Hey Will, thanks for ALL the GREAT information on making beef jerky! You've saved us countless hours and bundles of money experimenting by reading your pages. We've tried a couple recipes and both were fantastic. On our third batch today and your recommendation of the Weston Jerky Slicer made it a breeze - it's the 'sliced bread' of making jerky! Keep up the good work and all the best to you!
Will says
I'm glad I was able to help Mark. That slicer is definitely a great piece of jerky equipment!
Katherine FAST says
Would grass fed beef be similar to deer meat?
Will says
Grass fed beef is not going to have the same taste as deer nor be as lean. Deer is going to have a little more of a game taste because they eat other stuff than just grass. Any recipe made deer on the site can be used for beef as well. So don't let a deer recipe stop you from making it with beef!
John says
Love your site. I've been doing jerky in the oven on skewers for years and just got a pellet smoker so was looking for some tips on how to do jerky in it. Found your site and got great tips, thanks. Something you might want to try, take your leftover spiral sliced ham from Christmas dinner and make jerky. It's already sliced to a uniform thickness and doesn't need any marinade or other seasonings. Just pull off the fat from between the muscle groups and smoke it with hickory pellets/chips in your smoker. Mine turned out so good I'm thinking about doing it again with the whole ham.
Will says
That is great advice John! I will have to give it a try. I am in the market for a pellet smoker as well... Can't wait!
Wes says
Saw your article on making jerky in a smoker.
Going to try it (have always used a dehydrator). I have a rum flavored beef jerky recipe I'm going to try.
Any recommendation on what wood to use?
Will says
I always like using hickory or apple wood, can't go wrong! Let me know how it turns out!
Chuck Hickl says
Maybe this tip has been shared as I did not have the time to read through all of the comments but I typically half freeze the cut of meat I am using for beef jerky which allows me to slice it thinner and more consistently.
Lisa White says
Can you make chicken jerky? Wanting to make healthy dog treats for training.
Will says
You can make chicken jerky. I would recommend pre-heating the meat to 165F in the oven before drying to make sure any bacteria is killed. I talk about jerky safety here, check it out.
Art Gnuvo says
Sorry if this is a dumb question but is there any reason not to just have the butcher use the meat slicer to slice the eye of round when purchasing it?
Will says
Not a dumb question at all Art. You can totally ask your butcher to slice the meat for you. Sometimes they will, sometimes they won't... It really just depends on your butcher. You also can sometimes find meat that is labeled "milanesa" which is normally a top round sliced very thin for Mexican dishes. I find this every once in a while already sliced in the 'meat cooler' of my super market.
Joanne Brill says
I bought my son a smoker and it came with a 4 tiered rack. I borrowed it and made jerky and it fit perfect in my oven after I took 1 rack out. My oven only goes down to 170 so your tip about putting the wooden spoon in was a great tip. thankyou
Tony says
Great site Will . I have a 2.5 pound round of eye in the freezer gonna smoke it on my traegar this weekend. Should I cut it frozen, slightly thawed or room temp?
Will says
I would put them in the fridge until they thaw out. Then place it in the freezer for 2 hours to slightly firm up the meat, then slice. You don't want it frozen, just firm so slicing is a little easier.
Michael says
A good way to make jerky is if you have an air fryer, I do it at 180 for 1 hour each side, the problem is I can only do 3 or 4 pieces at a time so I'm getting ready to buy an air fryer oven because it will hold much more..