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One of the most important decisions when making beef jerky is the cut of meat you are going to use. The right cut of meat makes all the difference when making great tasting beef jerky, and here I’ll show you which ones are the best!

You can’t start making jerky until you know what cut of beef you are going to use to make your jerky. The simple answer is, a cut that has the least amount of fat as possible. Fat will spoil and ruin jerky, avoid at all costs!

Don’t worry, I won’t leave you with such a vague answer though. Let’s narrow down your choices to some inexpensive and great cuts of meat for jerky.

There are several types of cuts you can try during your search for your favorite one. The list below refers to beef; when making wild game jerky, such as deer, you will find that the meat is VERY lean and great for jerky!

Before we get into specific cuts of beef, there are some ground rules that will apply across the board. When shopping for your choice of meat, make sure to follow these tips:

Never purchase old or expired meats

Purchase the correct amount of meat. After drying, jerky will lose about 2/3 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 less 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!

Below is a list of cuts of meat that work very well for 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 flavor of jerky!!!

Eye of Round – Going to be the most popular cut for making 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 for making 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 jerky.

Very Lean

Most tender

A little more expensive

Flank Steak – More expensive than the rest but still a great meat for 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

Ground Meat – If making 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

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

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

Pork Tenderloin – A little fattier of a cut, but my favorite when using pork. Great for making 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

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.

Check Out Our Reviews on the Best Dehydrators for Making Beef Jerky

Don’t forget to visit our fantastic Beef Jerky Recipes Page!

Learn how to slice meat for jerky! Like a chewy jerky? Soft Jerky? I’ll show you how to get the jerky chew that you want!