How is beef jerky made? Follow the process from lean cut selection to trimming, marinating, drying and NATA testing — the BEEF'D way.
Good jerky is 90% decided before the marinade ever touches the meat. If you’ve ever wondered exactly how is beef jerky made — from raw cut to shelf-stable snack — the short answer is: cut selection, trimming, marinating, low-and-slow drying, and (if the maker bothers) lab testing. Here’s the full process, and why it matters for what ends up in your bag.
Jerky starts with the cut, and the cut is non-negotiable. You need beef that’s naturally lean — high fat content doesn’t dehydrate properly, goes rancid faster, and leaves a greasy texture instead of a clean chew. That’s why serious jerky makers reach for cuts like Eye of Round, a lean, dense muscle from the hindquarter with minimal marbling. It’s exactly what BEEF’D uses: 100% premium Australian Eye of Round, thick-cut rather than shaved thin, because a thicker slice holds its bite and doesn’t turn into cardboard once dried.
Cheaper jerky often uses fattier trim or reconstituted “formed” meat (minced and pressed back into strips) to cut costs. It’s still technically jerky, but it’s a different product — softer, greasier, and generally lower in protein per 100g.
Whatever visible fat and connective tissue remains after butchering gets trimmed off by hand. This step is tedious and easy to skimp on, but it’s the difference between jerky that lasts on a shelf for months and jerky that spoils early. Fat is the weak point in shelf-stable meat — it oxidises, turns rancid, and shortens the product’s usable life. Lean meat, properly trimmed, is what makes long ambient shelf life possible at all. If you want the detail on how long a well-made batch actually keeps, we’ve covered it separately in how long does beef jerky last.
The trimmed meat is sliced into strips, either with or against the grain. Slicing against the grain gives a more tender, easier-to-bite piece; with the grain gives that classic chewy pull-apart texture a lot of jerky fans actually prefer. Thickness matters too — thin-sliced jerky dries faster but can end up brittle, while a thick cut (like BEEF’D’s) takes longer to dry properly but delivers a heartier, more satisfying chew and a bigger protein hit per piece.
This is where flavour happens. Strips go into a marinade — usually a mix of salt, spices, and flavouring agents specific to the variant (chilli, teriyaki, smokey, or nothing at all for an “original” style) — and rest long enough for the flavour to penetrate the meat. Salt does double duty here: it’s a flavour carrier, but it also plays a role in drawing moisture out and inhibiting bacterial growth, which is part of why jerky has historically been valued as a preserved food.
This is also where sodium content is largely set. Because salt is functional (not just for taste) in a dried, shelf-stable meat product, jerky as a category runs high in sodium — commonly somewhere in the 1500-1900mg per 100g range across the market. That’s worth knowing if you’re watching sodium intake: jerky is a genuinely useful high-protein snack, but it isn’t a low-sodium food, and no honest brand should tell you otherwise.
Flavour also changes the allergen picture. A plain/original marinade can be free of gluten-containing ingredients, while chilli, teriyaki, and smokey-style marinades typically bring in soy sauce, wheat-based thickeners, or sesame — all common allergens. If gluten-free matters to you, don’t assume it applies across an entire range; check the specific flavour’s label every time, because formulations (and allergen status) can differ flavour to flavour and even change between batches.
Marinated strips are laid out and dried — traditionally over low heat and airflow, commercially in temperature- and humidity-controlled dehydrators — for several hours, sometimes overnight for a thick cut. The goal is to pull enough moisture out of the meat to stop microbial growth without cooking it into something dry and chalky. Get the temperature too high and you cook the outside before the inside dries; too low or too short and you risk under-drying, which undermines shelf stability. This step is where “thick-cut” jerky takes noticeably longer than shaved jerky — there’s simply more meat to dehydrate evenly.
Done properly, this step is also what turns a fresh cut of beef into a genuinely shelf-stable, no-fridge-required snack — good for the pantry, a gym bag, a ute console, or a hiking pack, which is exactly why jerky has become a go-to for high protein gym snacks and tradies alike.
Once dried, jerky is cooled, portioned, and packed — usually in resealable bags to protect against moisture re-entering the pack after opening. What separates a careful producer from the rest is what happens before it ever reaches a shelf: lab testing. Every BEEF’D batch is NATA-tested, meaning the protein, sugar, sodium, and nutrition panel figures printed on the pack are independently verified in an accredited lab, not just estimated from a recipe. It’s why we can say BEEF’D’s protein figures — up to 62g per 100g depending on flavour, with low sugar (0.4g/100g in Original) — are accurate, not marketing rounding.
All of this — lean cut, proper trimming, careful drying, real testing — is why not all jerky is equal. A high-protein, low-sugar result isn’t an accident; it’s downstream of choosing Eye of Round over fattier cuts, trimming it properly, and drying it right. If you want to dig into the nutrition side specifically, see beef jerky protein or is beef jerky healthy for a broader look at where jerky fits in a balanced diet.
Curious how BEEF’D stacks up, or want to taste the difference thick-cut Eye of Round makes? Head to the shop or browse the full range of flavours.
It depends on the method, but most commercial jerky, including BEEF'D, is dried (dehydrated) at controlled low temperatures rather than fully cooked at high heat. The marinade and drying process together make it safe and shelf-stable without needing refrigeration.
Lean cuts with minimal fat and marbling work best, most commonly Eye of Round. Lean meat dehydrates evenly, holds up on the shelf longer, and delivers a higher protein-to-weight ratio than fattier cuts.
Salt is functional in jerky, not just for flavour — it's part of the marinating process that helps preserve the meat. Most jerky on the market, including high-protein options, sits in a similar sodium range, so it's worth checking the label if you're monitoring intake.
No — it depends on the flavour and marinade, not the meat itself. Plain/original-style jerky can be free of gluten, while flavoured varieties (chilli, teriyaki, smokey-style) often use soy sauce or other ingredients that contain gluten. Always check the specific flavour's label.
There's simply more meat to dry evenly. Thick-cut strips need a longer, more careful dehydrating process, but the trade-off is a heartier chew and more protein per piece compared with thin, shaved jerky.
Up to 62% protein, low sugar, NATA tested — proudly made in Geelong. Real meat, real thick.
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