Ground beef jerky in the oven? YES! This Midwest Ground Beef Jerky recipe delivers classic savory flavor with a softer, easier chew—perfect if you don’t like very tough jerky.
I made this batch a few weeks ago and realized I hadn’t posted the recipe yet. If you’d like more background on the process, I used the photos on another page that explains how to make ground meat jerky.
This version uses a touch of liquid smoke, brown sugar, black pepper, salt, and a few familiar spices common to Midwest-style jerky. I enjoy fancier spiced jerky occasionally, but sometimes you can’t beat a straightforward, classic flavor.
Choose lean ground beef — 10% fat or less. Mix the dry and liquid seasonings in a bowl before adding them to the meat. If you use curing salt, dissolve it in a small amount of liquid first so it distributes evenly.
After the meat and seasonings were combined, I refrigerated the mixture for about 12 hours to help the flavors meld and the mixture bind together. Then I rolled it flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly scored it so it would break into pieces more easily after drying.
This batch dried in my oven for about 4 hours. I flipped the meat after two hours and used paper towels to absorb excess liquid from the tray. At that point the strips were easy to move and could be transferred to a metal rack to finish drying evenly.
It made a tasty, satisfying jerky. While whole-muscle jerky is my favorite, ground beef jerky is a great, convenient salty snack when you want something with a softer bite.
Let the jerky cool and check doneness by bending a piece. It’s done when it bends without snapping and only cracks slightly. Properly finished ground jerky should still feel a bit soft to the touch rather than hard and brittle. Enjoy!
Pro Tips:
- Use corn syrup solids to help bind the meat and keep the jerky pliable rather than overly dry.
- A jerky gun speeds production when you make large amounts of ground jerky.
- Add finely ground fresh hot peppers for a bit of heat.
For more detailed directions on drying beef jerky, see the Jerky Making Methods page or explore the oven and dehydrator guides below.
Midwest Ground Beef Jerky
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30 minutes
4 hours
4 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
Lean Beef
- 1 lb Lean ground beef (10% fat or less)
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (hickory)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Prague Powder #1 (curing salt)
- ½ teaspoon corn syrup solids (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients and add them to 1 lb of ground beef.
- Mix the ground beef and seasonings thoroughly so the mixture is evenly seasoned.
- Spread the mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with wax paper, and roll with a rolling pin until the meat is about ¼” thick.
- Score or slice the pan of beef into jerky strips about 4–5″ long and 1″ wide.
- Dry using your preferred method. I used an oven set to 170°F (77°C) for roughly 4 hours, flipping halfway through.
- Ground jerky is finished when it starts to feel dry to the touch and bends without breaking. If it snaps cleanly, it is over-dried.
Pro Tips
- Use corn syrup solids to help bind the jerky and keep it pliable.
- A jerky gun helps when producing larger batches of ground jerky.
- For heat, add finely ground fresh hot peppers to the mixture.
Nutrition
Calories: 148kcal |
Carbohydrates: 5g |
Protein: 19g
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
For more in-depth directions on drying beef jerky, visit the Jerky Making Methods page or check the oven and dehydrator guides above.