If you chill the meat and use a sharp knife, among other professional tips and tricks, you can slice meat to make jerky that is the right thickness and chew.
Consistent thickness is the name of the game when it comes to jerky slicing. Slicing your jerky evenly will ensure that each piece cooks and dries at the same rate. This prevents over-drying and under-drying.
For jerky, we suggest cutting the meat into slices that are between 1/8″ and 1/4″ thick, with 3/16″ being the best thickness.
Do you like your jerky tough and chewy or soft and fall apart? Cutting with the grain makes jerky that chews tougher and more traditionally. Cutting against the grain creates a jerky that is softer, and easier to chew.
Keep reading to find out more about how to slice meat and the grain, as well as other tips that will help you do it like a pro.
We’ve been making commercial beef jerky for over 90+ years and four generations. These insights and lessons have been passed down from generation-to-generation and we’re excited to share them with you.
Still want to know what the best beef jerky cut of meat is? Click here to read our full guide on the finest beef jerky cuts of meat.
Making delicious homemade beef jerky requires starting with the right cut of meat and slicing it properly. While there are many great options like flank steak or bottom round, eye of round is arguably the best cut for beef jerky. It’s affordable, lean, and slices beautifully.
But simply buying an eye of round roast isn’t enough. You need to know how to perfectly slice it to get the texture you want in your finished jerky. The way you slice eye of round can mean the difference between tender melt-in-your-mouth jerky and shoe leather!
In this ultimate guide, I’ll explain everything you need to know about prepping and slicing eye of round for beef jerky. You’ll learn:
- How to choose the best eye of round roast
- Trimming and prepping the meat
- Slicing with and against the grain (and why it matters)
- Using meat slicers and tenderizers
- My pro tips for success
Follow these steps and you’ll be ready to make the best homemade jerky you’ve ever tasted, Let’s get started!
Choosing the Right Eye of Round
First things first – start with a high-quality eye of round roast. Here’s what to look for:
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USDA Choice or Select grade – Go for Choice if you can find it for the most marbling and flavor. Select is fine too. Avoid lower grades.
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Even shape – You want an evenly shaped, cylindrical roast for the most uniform slices. Avoid oddly shaped or tapered roasts.
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Solid, bright red color – The eye of round should be a rich red with little to no fat marbling through it. Stay away from brown or gray colored roasts.
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Weight – Choose a 2-3 lb roast. Anything larger can be harder to slice evenly.
I like to pick up eye of round roasts at my local grocery store when they’re on sale for $5-6/lb. Ask the butcher counter if they have any fresh ones in back too.
Trimming and Prepping the Meat
Once you’ve got your roast, it’s time to trim it up:
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Trim the fat – Carefully trim away any thick sections of visible fat with a sharp knife. You want to remove as much fat as possible.
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Remove silver skin – Use your knife to peel off any silver skin or sinew. Removing this membrane helps your jerky marinate better.
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Pat dry – Blot the roast thoroughly with paper towels to remove any excess surface moisture.
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Chill slightly – For easier slicing, place the roast in the freezer for 30-60 minutes until slightly chilled but not frozen solid.
Now the eye of round is prepped and ready for slicing!
Slicing With or Against the Grain
Here’s where a lot of rookie jerky makers mess up. The direction you slice the meat in relation to the grain makes a BIG difference in the final jerky texture. You have two options:
With the Grain
Slicing eye of round with the grain means cutting parallel to the muscle fibers. This results in chewy, toothsome jerky with nice “bite” to it.
To slice with the grain, first identify the direction of the muscle fibers:
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Cut a small slice off the roast and hold it up – you should see faint lines running in one direction.
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Those lines are the muscle fibers or “grain”. Slice parallel to them for jerky with maximum chew.
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Cut your slices about 1/4 inch thick. Thinner slices = crispier jerky.
Against the Grain
For more tender, easier to chew jerky, slice the eye of round against the grain or perpendicular to the muscle fibers.
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Again, identify the grain direction first.
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Then position your knife at a 90 degree angle to those lines to cut slices against the grain.
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Cut slices around 1/4 inch thick.
Slicing against the grain gives you jerky that’s still chewy but much easier to tear and chew. Kids and folks with dentures often prefer this softer texture.
- With grain = tougher, chewier
- Against grain = more tender, easier to chew
Try it both ways to see what texture you like best!
Using a Jerky Slicer
While you can slice eye of round for jerky with a good sharp knife, a jerky slicer makes the job 10x easier. It gives you perfect, uniform slices in seconds.
My favorite is the Weston Jerky Slicer which comes with different thickness settings.
To use it:
- Partially freeze the trimmed roast for easier slicing.
- Secure the roast on the slicer platform.
- Adjust the thickness dial to around 1/4 inch.
- Turn the handle to slice off strip after perfect strip!
In just a couple minutes, you’ll have precision sliced meat ready for your marinade. It’s so much faster and more consistent than hand slicing.
If you make jerky frequently, a good jerky slicer is worth the investment. But you can also get by just fine with a good knife and some patience for less frequent jerky making.
Tenderizing the Meat
No matter how you slice it, eye of round is a naturally lean and slightly tough cut. To help tenderize it and make the jerky more tender, consider these tricks:
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Marinate longer – Let the meat soak in your marinade for 24-48 hours in the fridge. The acids will help tenderize.
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Use a tenderizing marinade – Look for marinades with fresh pineapple, papaya, kiwi or other tenderizing enzymes.
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Pound lightly – Use a meat mallet to very lightly pound the sliced meat. Don’t overdo it.
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Tenderize before slicing – You can also use a Jaccard or similar tenderizer on the roast before slicing it up.
Pro Tips for Slicing Eye of Round
Follow these extra tips and tricks for success:
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Always use a sharp, non-serrated knife for clean slices. Sharpness is key!
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Chill the meat slightly before slicing to firm it up. Frozen is too hard.
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Slice across the grain for tender batches kids will love.
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Add a splash of vinegar to your marinade to help break down fiber.
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Invest in a good jerky slicer if you make jerky more than 4x per year.
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Keep your knife very sharp or the roast edges will fray and shred.
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Cut strips a little thicker if you’ll be drying in a dehydrator vs smoker.
-Consistency is key! The more uniform your slices, the more evenly they’ll dry.
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Let the meat “rest” 5 minutes before slicing if it’s freshly thawed.
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Always slice on a clean cutting board for food safety. Avoid cross contamination.
Putting it All Together
Follow this complete process for perfect eye of round jerky every time:
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Select a 2-3 lb eye of round roast at the store.
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Carefully trim all fat and silverskin at home.
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Lightly pat the roast dry with paper towels.
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Place in freezer for 30-60 minutes until slightly chilled.
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Remove roast and let rest at room temp 5 minutes.
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Identify direction of the meat grain.
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Slice with or against the grain into 1/4 inch strips.
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Use a jerky slicer for fast, uniform slices (recommended if you make jerky often).
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Consider lightly tenderizing the meat if desired.
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Toss slices with your favorite marinade and refrigerate 12-48 hours.
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Dehydrate or smoke per your recipe instructions.
And that’s it! Follow these simple steps for tender, chewy DIY beef jerky from eye of round roast. Adjust the slicing technique to achieve your perfect texture.
Now that you’re a jerky slicing pro, try out some of my 50+ delicious beef jerky recipes! You’ll make the very best jerky on the block.
Step #1 – Chill Your Meat in the Freezer
The meat needs to be chilled first, so it’s easier to work with.
Cover with plastic wrap and place your meat in the freezer until its firm, but not frozen.
Anything less than almost-frozen or very cold meat can be difficult to slice. Room temperature meat is wobbly, wiggly, and unwieldy. A firm, cold piece of meat is easier to slice, especially when you’re aiming for thin, even slices.
You shouldn’t actually freeze the meat. The meat should stay in the freezer until just chilled and firmed. The time will depend on the temperature of the meat and freezer. Check the meat after 30 minutes. Depending on how cold it was to begin with, you could leave it in the freezer for up to an hour.
Take advantage of the chilling time to prep all your ingredients and equipment.
Step #2 – Trim External Fat
Once the meat has been chilled and firm to the touch, it’s time to trim the external fat.
One of the beautiful parts of working with natural ingredients when making jerky is the lack of uniformity. Every cut of meat is going to be different. That’s what makes it challenging and fun.
The amount of external fat will depend on the type of cut of meat. Some protein sources and cuts have more external fat than others.
Like, a venison loin is very lean compared to a beef brisket flat, which has a thick cap of fat. Regardless of the fat content, always make sure to remove as much external fat as possible.
The goal is to clean as much fat as possible without cutting into the lean meat. Don’t worry if there’s some fat remaining as most of it will render out during the cooking process. Plus, you can always trim the fat after the cooking and drying stage.
Beef Jerky Time from eye of round
FAQ
Is eye of round good for beef jerky?
Is it better to cut with or against the grain for beef jerky?
How long to freeze meat to slice for jerky?
How to slice meat for beef jerky?
How to Slice Meat for Beef Jerky: How-to Guide (with Pictures!) The general advice for slicing meat for beef jerky is to slice against the grain and to keep the meat thin at around 1/8 to 1/4″ thick. This thickness will allow the meat to dehydrate in 3-5 hours and cutting against the grain will offer a more tender texture.
How to make beef jerky eye of round?
In this blog post, we’ll show you how to make beef jerky eye of round. 1. Cut the beef into thin strips. 2. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt. 3. Place the beef strips in a large resealable bag and pour the marinade over them. 4.
What is beef eye of round?
Beef eye of round is a lean cut of meat that’s perfect for making jerky. We’ll walk you through the entire process, from trimming the meat to marinating it and drying it in the oven. We’ll also give you some tips on how to store your beef jerky so it lasts as long as possible. Beef jerky is a popular snack that’s easy to make at home.
Should jerky be sliced against the grain?
But most jerky lovers prefer more tender jerky, so we recommend slicing against the grain. Alternatively, if you’d prefer jerky that’s in between the two extremes, you can slice your beef with the grain, then tenderize it with a meat mallet. Use the pointed side of the mallet to break up the muscle fibers and make the jerky a little easier to chew.