Beef jerky has long been a favorite snack for its high-protein nutritional profile and convenient portability. Whether you’re a fan of making your own jerky or letting someone else go through the pains for you, selecting the best meat for beef jerky is crucial to achieving a delicious balance of flavor and texture. But beef isn’t the only meat you can smoke to make a tasty treat. Salmon, deer, turkey, and even ostrich make great jerky—if you know how to prepare them.

Best Cuts of Beef for Beef Jerky

The key to great beef jerky is choosing a lean cut with minimal fat. Fat doesn’t break down well during the jerky-making process and can lead to spoilage, shortening the shelf life of your jerky. The ideal meat for beef jerky includes cuts like:

• Top and bottom round: Lean and flavorful, top and bottom round are two of the best meats for beef jerky. 
• Eye of round: This is a popular cut for making homemade jerky, as it’s lean, affordable, and easy to slice.
• Sirloin tip: Though not quite as tender (and also a bit more expensive), sirloin tip’s lean structure makes it a great choice for jerky fans looking for subtle beef flavor.
• Flank steak: Also lean, flank steak can be a great option for those looking for bold flavor and who know how to slice the meat correctly. Because flank steak has strong muscle fibers, you need to be careful to cut against the grain with a sharp knife so your jerky doesn’t end up tough.     

Many commercial jerky makers use less expensive, fattier cuts of beef that have a fair amount of marbling. They add sugary fruit juices and chemical enzymes to tenderize the fat, which helps break it down but doesn’t always eliminate the grizzle. At Mountain America, we use only top and bottom rounds from Colorado cows. Their low fat content helps create a chewy and tender jerky texture rather than one that’s dry or tough. 

Other Meats for Jerky

While beef is the most popular meat for jerky, several other types of protein also make a delicious treat. If you want to try something different, consider these options:

• Turkey: Compared to beef jerky, healthy turkey jerky is still nice and high in protein but lower in fat and calories. It has a mild flavor that takes on seasonings like black or red pepper well.
• Venison: Those who love homemade beef jerky know they can also make the best deer jerky using this type of wild game. Venison is naturally lean and full of rich, earthy flavor. 
• Fish: If you’re looking for a quick way to increase your intake of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, adding a few of the best types of fish jerky might be a good solution. Tuna, trout, and salmon are popular choices, and there are many ways to enjoy smoked fish jerky if you’re new to this snack.
• Bison: This continent has a long bison jerky history that dates back well before European Americans settled the west. Bison jerky is lean and has a slightly sweeter and richer taste than beef jerky. 
• Ostrich: Exotic animals like alligators, kangaroos, wild boar, and yak may not be the first options that come to mind when you think jerky. Still, these meats and several others are gaining popularity, with favorites like antelope jerky and even ostrich jerky showing up in more and more pantries.  

While each of these proteins requires specific preparation techniques, they all make excellent choices. They follow the same formula to make the best possible product: select lean cuts, slice them properly, and use smoke rather than dehydration to lock in flavor and nutrients. 

Making and Storing Jerky

In addition to choosing the right cuts of meat and preparing them appropriately, you also need to know how to store your jerky for peak flavor and freshness. Since the best quality jerky isn’t full of preservatives like BHA and sodium erythorbate to chemically extend its shelf life, it’s best to keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Storing jerky correctly not only helps it stay safe and flavorful but also aids in preserving its texture and nutritional value. 

Let’s say you’re making jerky at home. Once you’ve combed the internet for the best beef jerky recipes, frozen your cut of beef to make slicing the meat easier, and whipped up a mix of brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings like onion powder and salt, you’ll need to spend the better part of the next day or two marinating and smoking the meat. Once that process is complete, it’s ideal to get out your vacuum sealer to preserve your efforts by creating an almost airless storage environment. 

Mountain America Uses Only the Best Meat for Beef Jerky

You’re right if you think the steps above sound like a lot of work. That’s why commercial jerky is such a popular alternative to making your own. But not every jerky maker puts equal attention and care into making high-quality jerky. 

At Mountain America Jerky, we use only premium top and bottom rounds from local Colorado cows. We skip artificial preservatives, sugar-laden fruit juices, and chemical tenderizers, remaining committed to traditional smoking methods that enhance the natural flavor and nutritional integrity of our meats. Our focus on quality extends from our seven beef jerky flavors all the way through to our selection of exotic jerky. If you want to explore the full range of jerky options and taste what handmade quality jerky is meant to be, visit our store.