Easy to make and full of flavour, this addicting Keto Beef Jerky is perfect for snacking, especially when the crave for something salty hits. Coming in at only 1.2 g net carbs for every two pieces, this jerky is not only a healthy Keto snack, it’s also totally delicious!
I promised you a jerky recipe months ago, yet it’s taken this long to perfect this delicious Keto Beef Jerky recipe! And let me tell you. It’s perfect. All of my jerky testers will definitly agree – it’s the best!
It was on my road trip this past summer when I realized how hard it is to find a sugar free beef jerky that didn’t taste like dog food. Almost every bag I picked up had sugar in the ingredients, and when I finally found one that wasn’t so bad, it tasted so terrible that I couldn’t even eat it.
One good thing came of it though – this smokey, salty, chewy and super easy to make Keto Beef Jerky. It, along with other delicious snacks like this Keto Trail Mix or Crunchy Keto Crackers, make road trips that much easier – and tastier 😉. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Why you’ll love it
- Loaded with flavour, this Keto Beef Jerky is so much tastier than the store bought stuff, you’ll never go back to buying it!
- Make it your own – slice it with the grain for a chewier jerky, or against the grain for Keto Jerky that is more tender. You can even toss in some red pepper flakes for a spicy flair.
- Take it on the road – homemade jerky is perfect for road trips or when you have a salty crave.
- It’s satisfying – I don’t know why, but making dried salty beef strips is fun and rewarding!
Ingredients
Soy Sauce – For strict Keto, soy sauce can be replaced with coconut aminos.
The Beef – My favourite cut of beef to use for jerky is Flank Steak. It makes long, thin strips, which I prefer. Other great cuts are top round or bottom round. You want a very lean cut of beef; trim any visible fat from it.
How to make Keto Beef Jerky
Prep the meat
First we are going to make a marinade for the beef, get our meat all sliced up and marinated, then dehydrate it. It doesn’t take a lot of work to make jerky, just a lot of waiting.
Grab a large mixing bowl and whisk together the soy sauce, worcestershire, liquid smoke, crushed garlic, onion powder, ground black pepper and sea salt. Remove all visible fat from the steak.
I like to use a meat slicer to slice the steak into 1/8-1/4 inch slices. Slice against the grain for more tender jerky, or with the grain for chewier Low Carb Jerky. Don’t have a slicer? That’s okay, it can be sliced with a sharp knife.
Mix the beef into the marinade, then place all of it inside a ziploc bag. Remove all of the air and then refrigerate for 30 minutes – 24 hours.
Make the Keto Jerky
Dehydrator
Fill the trays of the dehydrator with single layers of beef, leaving some space in between each piece.
Every dehydrator is different, so be sure to follow the instructions on your machine for making Jerky. The cooking time is going to vary depending on how your machine works and how thick you slice your jerky. I’ve had some batches ready after 5 hours, and some have taken 8.
Flip the trays around throughout the dehydrating process, every 1-2 hours, for even drying. Remove the Keto Beef Jerky piece by piece, continuing to dehydrate until every piece is done. The pieces should be firm and dry, yet still pliable.
Oven
Don’t have a dehydrator? No worries, you can make this Keto Jerky in the oven. Heat the oven to 175°F and cover baking sheets with aluminum foil to catch any drips from the jerky. Place racks over the baking sheets and add the beef in single layers. Bake for 3-4 hours, flipping the jerky halfway, until the Low Carb Beef Jerky is firm and dry, yet still pliable.
Watch the whole thing go down:
Expert Tips
- Refrigerate Keto Jerky up to 2 weeks. Get a longer storage life using these Storage Tips.
- Use a meat slicer for evenly dried Keto Beef Jerky. If you don’t have one, use a sharp knife or, better yet, ask your butcher to slice it up for you!
- Freeze the meat for 30 minutes to make it easier to slice.
FAQ
Is beef jerky Keto friendly?
Unfortunately most jerky you can buy from the grocery store has sugar in it’s ingredients. Luckily we can easily make our own Keto friendly beef jerky!
Beef jerky carbs
This homemade low carb beef jerky has only 1.2 g carbs for every 2 pieces! The carbs come mainly from the soy sauce and worcestershire. Swap out coconut aminos for the soy sauce and reduce the worcestershire for even less carbs!
Can I make this Keto Beef Jerky spicy?
You sure can! Try adding dehydrated red pepper flakes to the marinade for some heat. Start with 1 tsp and go from there 😉
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Keto Beef Jerky Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb flank steak *see note 1
- 6 tbsp soy sauce *see note 2
- 3 tbsp worcestershire
- 1 ½ tsp liquid hickory smoke or mesquite
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp coarse sea salt
Instructions
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Large ziploc bag
Directions
Prep the meat
- Peel and finely mince the garlic or press it through a garlic press. Combine soy sauce, worcestershire, liquid smoke, crushed garlic, onion powder, ground black pepper and sea salt in a large mixing bowl, then whisk to combine.
- Remove any visible fat from the steak and then slice into 1/8-1/4 inch slices. Slice against the grain for more tender jerky, or with the grain for chewier Keto jerky *see notes 4&5.
- Mix the beef into the marinade, then place all of it inside a ziploc bag. Remove all of the air and then refrigerate for 30 minutes – 24 hours.
Make the Keto Jerky
Dehydrator
- Fill the trays of the dehydrator with single layers of beef, leaving space in between each piece. Every dehydrator is different, so be sure to follow the instructions on your machine for making Jerky. The cooking time is going to vary depending on how your machine works and how thick you slice your jerky. I've had some batches ready after 5 hours, and some have taken 8.
- Flip the trays around throughout the dehydrating process, every 1-2 hours, for even drying. Remove the Keto Beef Jerky piece by piece, continuing to dehydrate until every piece is done. The pieces should be firm and dry, yet still pliable.
Oven
- Heat the oven to 175°F and cover baking sheets with aluminum foil to catch any drips from the jerky. Place racks over the baking sheets and add the beef in single layers. Bake for 3-4 hours, flipping the jerky halfway, until the Keto Beef Jerky is firm and dry, yet still pliable.
Video
Notes
- The Beef – My favourite cut of beef to use for jerky is Flank Steak. It gives me long, thin strips, which I prefer. Other great cuts are top round or bottom round. You want a very lean cut of beef; trim any visible fat from it.
- Soy Sauce – For strict Keto, soy sauce can be replaced with coconut aminos.
- Refrigerate Keto Jerky up to 2 weeks. Get a longer storage life using these Storage Tips.
- Use a meat slicer for evenly dried Keto jerky. If you don’t have one, use a sharp knife or, better yet, ask your butcher to slice it up for you!
- Freeze the meat for 30 minutes to make it easier to slice.
Nutrition
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I have never tried to make beef jerky. My son in law loves it. My air fryer also dehydrates….so I really need to give this a try.
I hope you both love it!
Oh yes I’m craving for this Keto Beef Jerky right now! It looks soooo delicious and it made my tummy growl.
I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for this recipe! My son is a college freshman, and often wishing for healthier, cleaner food options than what he typically finds in the cafeteria’s limited “covid-era” offerings. This is a protein-packed food I can slip into his care packages – and I had no idea how easy it was to make! I really appreciated that you included the oven directions, since I don’t have a dehydrator!
That’s awesome, you are a great mama and I hope he enjoys it!
I am worried that I got addicted before I have even tried this… An outstanding recipe for anyone who enjoys beef jerky. Delicious!
Thanks Elaine!
The ingredients for the marinade seems so savory! I’d love to try it on other stuff too. Thanks!
Beef Jerry is so addictive and I love whe it isn’t so dry and is cured but also moist. Yours looks incredible. I just nay have to give Jerky a try! Thanks for sharing!
I hope you love it!
I love all the wonderful flavors and spices used in this! It makes an incredible snack that’s perfect for watching my carbs!
Thanks Jamie 🙂
I never thought to make beef jerky at home. This tasted great! Will definitely be making it again.
Glad you liked it!
Oh yum, what a flavor. I never tried to make beef jerky at home but now I would definitely love to give it a try. Thanks for the recipe and step-by-step instructions.
Thanks Natalie, hope you love it!
That’s it! Now I definitely need a meat slicer and dehyfrater i my life… after all, I LOVE jerky and think it’s the perfect keto snack!
Thanks Kari, it’s been totally worth it for us!
So delicious and easy to make. I used carne asada steaks. They’re already sliced thin…just needed to cut in strips!
That’s perfect! Glad you liked it Valerie 🙂
Can’t wait to try this recipe! My husband has been hinting that he really wishes I could find a really good keto jerky “just like my mother used to make” ( it was really his dad making it, though I didn’t correct him ). I think he’ll love it! BTW, have you considered a sweet and spicy recipe?
Thank you. Yes, I would love to create a sweet and spicy recipe soon