Air Fryer Beef Jerky Recipe | Love Food Not Cooking (2024)

FAQs

How do you know when beef jerky is done in an air fryer? ›

USDA recommends the beef reach an internal temperature of 160° F. Switch air fryer to dehydrate setting for 2 hours. Remove from air fryer and store in resealable plastic bags.

There's a simple solution to combat this: add a little extra oil or butter before heating. It may seem counter-intuitive to add something wet to the air fryer, which is traditionally a dry-heat cooking appliance, but that bit of moisture and fat will keep the meat basted and prevent it from losing its flavor.

The Downside of Overhydration: Loss of Flavor and Texture

Dehydrating beef jerky for too long can lead to over-drying. While this may not pose as immediate a health risk as undercooking, the implications for your taste buds are dire. Over-dehydrated jerky loses its chewy and palatable texture.

After heating to 160°F or 165°F, maintaining a constant dehydrator temperature of 130°F to 140°F during the drying process is important because: the process must be fast enough to dry food before it spoils; and. it must remove enough water that microorganisms are unable to grow.

Dehydrating beef jerky in a dehydrator. Dehydrate the meat for anywhere between 3 and 6 hours. The drying time ranges due to several factors: ambient temperature and humidity, thickness of the meat, marbling of the meat, and the cut of meat to name a few.

Use Tinfoil As A Tool. Another tip that can help keep meats from losing moisture is to protect them with a physical barrier from the dry heat of the air fryer. Using tinfoil helps keep moisture locked in and around the meat, preventing over-evaporation.

Simmer in liquid. Just like for burnt meat, if your meat gets tough and dry then you can simmer it in a little bit of broth for a couple minutes. Don't allow it to overcook again but just allow the liquid to penetrate the meat.

Dry the outside of the food properly before you add oil. Do not use too much oil, as this will make the food less crispy and more fattening. Meat or poultry can be lightly brushed with oil or marinated to get the crispiest results.

But when you neglect beef jerky, it becomes hard and loses flavor. It can also get too dry if you leave it to dehydrate for just a little too long. As a result, it loses its chew. Want to know how to make beef jerky softer so you can still enjoy it?

Make the beef jerky.

Smoke/cook/dehydrate the jerky for 2-3 hours. This time will vary depending on how thick your jerky slices are. Thicker pieces may take up to 4-5 hours, so plan accordingly.

How to know if beef jerky is bad? ›

Mold, discoloration, or sliminess on the surface of the beef jerky are all signs of spoilage and should not be ignored. Fresh jerky should be uniform in color and free of any visible mold or growth. If you notice such signs on your jerky, it's best to dispose of it and find a replacement.

Cooking ensures that the meat reaches a safe and acceptable temperature where all pathogens and bacteria are killed. Typically, when the internal temperature of the meat hits a minimum of 160°F, the jerky is full cooked and safe to consume.

Dehydration time varies from processor to processor and depends on many variables such as dehydrator temperature setting, humidity control, jerky slice thickness and equipment configuration. Some dehydration cycles that include a lethality step take more than 12 hours.

Preheat air fryer to 160-degrees. Place beef in basket and cook for 3 to 4 hours. Checking the jerky periodically for desired doneness. Allow to cool completely and then store in an airtight container.

Dehydrating in the Air Fryer

Depending on the thickness of the slices and the power of your air fryer, the dehydration process can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. It's important to periodically check the beef and rotate the racks for even dehydration.

While jerky will typically take many hours to dry fully, begin checking it after about 3 hours to avoid over-drying. To test for doneness, remove a piece of jerky from the tray and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, the jerky should crack slightly but not break completely when bent.

Depending on the production process, beef jerky can be either raw or cooked beef. Some jerky is heated to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (thus cooked) before dehydrating the beef slices, while other jerky is simply dried at very low temperatures.

Select DEHYDRATE, set temperature to 150°F, and set time to 7 hours. Select START/PAUSE to begin. Check after 5 hours, then cook until desired texture is reached. 6 When cooking is complete, remove jerky and store in an airtight container.