The cut of meat you choose determines your jerky’s flavor, texture, shelf life, and cost per batch. Get this decision right and everything else — the marinade, the drying, the storage — falls into place.
After testing every commonly available beef cut in a dehydrator, I’ve ranked them by the factors that actually matter: fat content, ease of slicing, drying consistency, flavor, and price. This guide tells you exactly which cut to buy at the grocery store and why.
Why Fat Content Is Everything
Fat is the single most important variable when choosing meat for jerky. Here’s why: fat doesn’t dehydrate. While the lean muscle tissue in your beef loses moisture and transforms into shelf-stable jerky, the fat stays soft, moist, and biologically active.
This creates three problems:
- Spoilage. Fat turns rancid through oxidation. A jerky strip with visible fat can go bad in days, while a properly lean strip lasts weeks or months.
- Uneven drying. Lean areas dry at a different rate than fatty areas. This means some parts of a strip are done while other parts are still moist — a food safety risk.
- Texture. Dehydrated fat becomes gristly and waxy. It’s unpleasant to chew and ruins the clean, leathery texture that good jerky should have.
The rule is simple: the leaner the cut, the better the jerky. Everything else — flavor, tenderness, price — is secondary to fat content.
Always trim all visible fat before slicing, regardless of which cut you use. Even on lean cuts, there’s usually a fat cap or connective tissue that needs to be removed. Leftover fat is the number one reason homemade jerky spoils prematurely.
The Complete Rankings
| Rank | Cut | Fat % | Flavor | Price | Ease of Slicing | Dry Time (1/4″) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eye of Round | ~4% | Mild, clean | $$ | Excellent | 4-5 hrs |
| 2 | Top Round | ~5% | Classic beef | $$ | Excellent | 4-5 hrs |
| 3 | Bottom Round | ~6% | Slightly richer | $$ | Good | 4-6 hrs |
| 4 | Sirloin Tip | ~7% | Rich, beefy | $$ | Good | 5-6 hrs |
| 5 | Flank Steak | ~8% | Bold, intense | $$$ | Moderate | 5-6 hrs |
| 6 | London Broil | ~5% | Varies | $$ | Good | 4-6 hrs |
1. Eye of Round — Best Overall
Eye of round is the cut that professional jerky makers recommend more than any other. It checks every box: very lean, affordable, easy to find at any grocery store, and slices like a dream when partially frozen.
The muscle itself is a long, cylindrical shape that yields uniform slices with consistent thickness — critical for even drying. There’s minimal fat to trim, so your yield is high relative to what you paid. The flavor is mild and clean, which means it takes on marinades exceptionally well without competing with the seasonings.
Eye of round frequently goes on sale at warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s Club. When you find it at $4-5/lb, buy several roasts. Trim, slice, and freeze them in zip-lock bags. When you’re ready to make jerky, just thaw a bag and marinate — prep work already done.
Best for: Every jerky recipe, especially beginners. Its forgiving nature and consistent results make it the safest choice when you’re learning the process.
Dry time: 4-5 hours at 160°F for 1/4-inch strips — the fastest and most predictable of any cut.
2. Top Round
Top round is essentially tied with eye of round in overall jerky performance. It’s slightly larger as a roast, which makes it a better choice when you’re making big batches. The fat content is marginally higher than eye of round but still well within the lean range.
The main practical difference is size. A top round roast typically runs 3-5 pounds compared to the 2-3 pound eye of round. If you’re feeding a crowd or making jerky as gifts, top round gives you more volume from a single roast.
Best for: Large batches, bulk production.
Dry time: 4-5 hours at 160°F — nearly identical to eye of round.
3. Bottom Round
Bottom round comes from the same general area of the cow as top round (the rear leg) but has slightly more connective tissue and a bit more fat. In practice, this means a little extra trimming and a marginally longer drying time.
The flavor is slightly richer than eye of round, which some people prefer. The price is typically the lowest of the round cuts, making it the budget-friendly option.
Best for: Budget-conscious jerky making. When eye of round isn’t on sale, bottom round is the value pick.
Dry time: 4-6 hours at 160°F. The connective tissue can cause minor inconsistencies in drying time between strips.
4. Sirloin Tip
Sirloin tip has a bit more marbling than the round cuts, which means more flavor and more fat to manage. You’ll spend more time trimming, and the intramuscular fat you can’t trim will cause slightly uneven drying.
The trade-off is flavor. Sirloin tip has one of the most intense beef flavors of any jerky-appropriate cut. If you’re making a simple marinade and want the meat itself to carry the flavor, sirloin tip delivers.
Best for: Flavor-focused batches where you want the beef to be the star.
Dry time: 5-6 hours at 160°F. The extra fat content adds time and requires closer monitoring.
5. Flank Steak
Flank steak produces the boldest, most intensely flavored jerky of any cut on this list. The long, flat muscle fibers create a distinctive texture that’s different from round-cut jerky — it pulls apart in satisfying sheets when sliced against the grain.
The downsides are cost and fat. Flank steak runs $8-12/lb or more, making it the most expensive option. It also has visible fat seams that need careful trimming. And because it’s a flat cut rather than a cylindrical roast, slicing into uniform strips requires more attention.
With flank steak, grain direction is especially important. Cut against the grain for tender jerky that pulls apart easily. If you cut with the grain on flank, you’ll get very long, stringy fibers that are difficult to chew.
Best for: Premium batches, bold marinades (teriyaki, Korean BBQ), and when you want to impress.
Dry time: 5-6 hours at 160°F. Trim aggressively to minimize fat-related drying inconsistencies.
6. London Broil
London broil is a bit of a wild card. It’s not actually a specific cut of beef — it’s a preparation method that grocery stores apply to various cuts. Most commonly, “London broil” at the meat counter is either flank steak or top round, but it could also be bottom round or even chuck.
When it’s top round, it performs identically to the #2 pick on this list. When it’s flank, it behaves like #5. The variable is that you don’t always know what you’re getting. Ask your butcher which cut is being labeled as London broil before buying.
Best for: When it’s on sale and you can confirm it’s a round or flank cut.
Dry time: 4-6 hours at 160°F, depending on the actual cut underneath the label.
Cuts to Avoid
These cuts have fat content far above what’s suitable for jerky. The intramuscular marbling cannot be trimmed away and will cause your jerky to spoil quickly, dry unevenly, and develop a gristly texture.
| Cut | Fat % | Why It Fails |
|---|---|---|
| Ribeye | ~22% | Heavy marbling, extremely uneven drying |
| T-Bone / Porterhouse | ~18% | High fat, bone makes slicing impossible |
| New York Strip | ~15% | Significant marbling, fat cap |
| Chuck Roast | ~16% | Too much connective tissue and fat |
| Brisket | ~20% | Thick fat cap, heavy marbling throughout |
| Short Ribs | ~25%+ | Among the fattiest beef cuts available |
These cuts are outstanding for grilling, braising, and roasting — but they’re the wrong tool for jerky. Save your money and buy an eye of round instead.
Slicing Guide: Grain Direction & Thickness
Finding the Grain
Look at the surface of the raw meat. You’ll see parallel lines running in one direction — those are the muscle fibers, also known as the grain. Once you identify the grain direction, you can choose how to cut:
- Against the grain — slice perpendicular to the fiber lines. This cuts through the fibers, making the jerky tender and easy to chew. Best for snacking jerky.
- With the grain — slice parallel to the fiber lines. The fibers stay intact and create a chewier, more traditional texture. Best for a classic jerky feel.
Thickness
The ideal thickness for jerky is 1/4 inch. This gives you a satisfying chew while drying in a reasonable timeframe (4-6 hours). Thinner 1/8-inch strips dry faster but turn crispy. Thicker 3/8-inch strips take much longer and risk uneven drying.
Consistency within a batch matters more than hitting an exact number. Uneven strips mean some are done while others are still wet.
Partially freeze the roast for 1-2 hours before slicing. The firmness makes precision cuts dramatically easier. You want the meat firm enough to hold its shape under the knife but not frozen solid. Press your thumb in — it should barely give.
For complete temperature and timing data based on thickness, see our temperature and time chart.
Buying Tips
Where to Buy
- Warehouse stores (Costco, Sam’s Club): Best prices per pound, especially for eye of round and top round. Often sold in multi-packs.
- Grocery store butcher counter: Ask them to slice the meat for you. Many do this for free. Specify 1/4-inch thickness.
- Online meat suppliers: Good for specialty cuts or grass-fed beef, but shipping costs add up.
What to Look For
- Uniform shape. Cylindrical roasts (like eye of round) yield more consistent slices than irregularly shaped cuts.
- Minimal visible fat. Even on lean cuts, some roasts have more exterior fat than others. Pick the one with the least.
- Deep red color. Bright, deep red indicates fresh meat. Avoid cuts with gray or brown discoloration.
- Tight packaging. Check for excessive liquid in the package — this can indicate that the meat has been sitting for a while.
How Much to Buy
Plan for roughly 50% yield: 2 lbs of raw meat produces about 1 lb of finished jerky. Most dehydrators can handle 2-3 lbs of sliced meat per session (more on 9-tray models). Buy accordingly.
If you’re shopping for a dehydrator to go with your meat, our best dehydrator for jerky comparison covers the top models by capacity and performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pick Your Cut and Get Started
For 90% of jerky batches, eye of round is the right choice. It’s lean, affordable, easy to slice, and dries consistently every time. Top round and bottom round are interchangeable alternatives. Save flank steak for special occasions when you want the bolder flavor and are willing to pay the premium.
Once you have your meat, head to our classic beef jerky recipe for a foolproof first batch, or browse our 10 best marinades if you already know the process. For exact drying settings, our temperature and time chart has you covered.
