You can make tender, delicious beef jerky using a range of cuts of beef. It is typically the top round, bottom round, pectoral, and lifter that make the best jerky, although other cuts such as flank and skirt steak can also work. Lean, affordable, and full of flavor, these cuts of beef are all excellent choices. Find out how to choose the best cuts of meat to make beef jerky by studying a few different cuts!
Beef Jerky Made From Tender, Delicious Meats
This cut is also known as “London Broil” or “Inside Round Steak” because it comes from the round primal region. This is an excellent source of economically priced, lean large cuts of beef for beef jerky. Commercial jerky companies also use this cut a lot. While it’s incredibly lean and affordable, it’s not particularly flavorful or tender.
- Round Roast—Included in the same cut family as the top round, this is usually referred to as “Bottom Round Oven Roast.”. Although slightly tougher than the top round roast, it still makes great jerky. There’s not much difference between the top round and this round.
- Eye of Round- Also located in the round primal region, eye of round is made of elongated muscles found in the center. Besides being more tender and flavorful, this cut of meat is also more expensive.
- “Sirloin Tip” is also referred to as “Knuckle” or “Round Tip,” and it is a less popular cut, but it is still an excellent choice. Compared to the others, it has more flavor, but it is less tender. It is in the middle of the price scale.
- Lifter Meat- Also referred to as “Blade Meat” or “Cap and Wedge Meat,” lifter meat is meat from outside the rib cage. As a result, this cut is less lean, but more flavorful and tender, resulting in a slightly higher price tag.
- Flank Steak — Also known as “Beef Flank” or “Plank Steak,” flank steak is derived from the flank primal. It has a long grain, making it a lean cut. The meat has very little fat. Compared to lifter meat, this cut has a much deeper flavor. It is also a very expensive cut for beef jerky.
- Occasionally referred to as “Special Trim” or “Pectoral Meat,” pectoral meat comes from the chuck primal. A little fatty and well marbled. A very tender and flavorless cut. A great affordable option for those looking to make jerky for the first time is pectoral meat.
- Deer Meat — Deer meat is also excellent for making jerky. Typically lean and tender, it is also very flavorful. People who love game flavors will love it.
- A great meat for making jerky is elk meat, which is very lean. As opposed to deer meat, it has very little game flavor and is extremely tender
- Loins and tenderloins of pork-These meats are slightly fattier but work well, especially for sweeter jerkies. The meat is tender, flavorful, inexpensive, and relatively inexpensive.
