Print

Air Fryer Beef Jerky

Print Recipe

Homemade beef jerky made in the air fryer using a classic soy-Worcestershire marinade. Chewy, smoky, and done in about 3.5 hours of cooking time — no dehydrator required.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs top round steak, trimmed of all visible fat
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Place the trimmed steak in the freezer for 45 minutes until firm but not fully frozen. This makes thin, uniform slicing much easier.
  2. Slice the beef against the grain into 1/8 to 1/4 inch strips, aiming for consistent thickness throughout.
  3. Whisk all marinade ingredients together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
  4. Add beef strips to a zip-lock bag, pour in the marinade, remove as much air as possible, and seal. Massage to coat all pieces, then refrigerate for 4–8 hours or overnight.
  5. Remove beef from the marinade. Lay each strip on paper towels and pat both sides completely dry — excess moisture creates steam and prevents proper dehydration.
  6. Arrange strips in a single layer in the air fryer basket without overlapping. Cook in batches if needed.
  7. Set to the dehydrate setting at 160°F (or the lowest air fry setting available) and cook for 2 hours.
  8. Flip each strip and continue cooking for another 1.5 hours.
  9. Test for doneness: jerky should bend and crack slightly without snapping. Cool completely before sealing for storage.

Notes

Partial freeze tip: 30–45 minutes in the freezer makes thin, even slicing much easier without a meat slicer.

Pat strips completely dry before cooking — any surface moisture steams rather than dehydrates, resulting in a softer, less shelf-stable jerky.

Do not overlap strips in the basket; overlapping traps moisture and causes uneven drying.

Per USDA guidelines, beef should reach an internal temperature of 160°F during the drying process for food safety.

Find it online: https://airfrycentral.com/air-fryer-beef-jerky/