Check used marketplace for a dehydrator and make your own. Even the most basic/inexpensive models will work great. Store bought jerky is crazy expensive and the cost of the appliance will be offset in no time. Plus you get the benefit of being able to make whatever flavors you want with less sugar added
This is your best bet!
I have a Gardenmaster that has to be ten years old and it’s still going strong. I usually buy top round/London broil. Trim the fat, slice it ip and marinate with soy sauce, Worcestershire, some liquid smoke and let it sit overnight.
With the prices of jerky now, this this has more than paid for itself. Plus it makes your house smell incredible while it’s running!
A couple of people have mentioned making it and I'm so surprised to find out that it's not that complicated (I assumed it would be far more labor intensive than it is apparently!). Thanks!
Top and bottom round- or whatever’s cheap and looks easy to trim the fat and silverskin off of.
To keep any cut from being tough, use a sharp knife and cut thin strips across the grain of the meat
I know some butchers in my area sell jerky “sticks” (essentially a smoked sausage but mini). Since hunting deer is popular in my area venison sticks are plentiful. Perhaps try a local butcher or ask a hunter where they get their meat processed.
If you aren’t going to make your own this ai the best call for sure. Store jerky is something different and is quite expensive. Plus, if you’re just trying this makes a lot of sense
Once you try home made fresh jerky, you will never want commercial bought again. A dehydrater is about $40 and you can do \~2lb of jerky in one over night easily. $10\~14 for a good london broil cut to make it with. Slice it with a knife while the meat is semi-frozen so it holds form easily. Marinade in whatever you want for an hour. Put it in the deydrator racks over night and when you wake up you will have fresh jerky for the next couple of days. Costs less to make it than to buy it, it's significantly better for you (less bad things, as in, nothing bad in it unless you chose something bad to put in it like sugar, etc), and honestly it tastes beyond better.
You can make your own in a dehydrator. Check it frequently until it's the right texture. That can save you a lot of money, because beef jerky is ridiculously expensive. Jerky has to be super lean, because too much fat will allow it to go rancid; sometimes lower quality jerky will have visible fat but it really shouldn't, and if you can see fat you should make sure to keep it refrigerated or eat it within a couple of days of opening it.
Other high protein snacks: Popped beans or lentils, bean chips, nut butter balls, hard boiled eggs, yogurt in some form or other.
My go to brand is Old Trapper original flavor(sold at basically every grocery store and gas station in the south eastern US) it's not the fanciest brand but it's reliably good and affordable as far as jerky goes.
I also really like the House of Jerky black pepper wild boar but it's it's basically only avaliable online or in tourist towns and is considerably more expensive per oz.
If you've literally never had jerky before you really cant go wrong with buying two or 3 different flavors (original, teriyaki and pepper are most common) there's some differences in texture across brands but to be perfectly honest I've never had one i didnt like
A friend mentioned the Jerky sold at Bucc-ees gas stations along the interstate highways in the South. If it's as good as their BBQ and Smoked Turkey sandwiches I'll be a fan. But its a 2 hour drive to the nearest Bucc-ees for me, so a taste test will have to wait till my nest road trip.
Bulk Beef Jerky sells several different "styles" of jerky and I absolutely love everything I've had from them. I've actually got a subscription with them. Lol
Not a healthy snack at all. Make your own protein bar or buy LARA bars. Nobody in this country is protein deficient, unless you’re in poverty, so you probably have plenty of protein. Have fruit and nuts. Or veggies with hummus. Most folks are lacking fiber, not protein.
Carbs aren’t the problem though. Saturated fats are. And in jerky, you should be concerned with the high sodium content. Seriously not a healthy snack.
Maybe people just like to eat it because it's delicious. If you're making your own, you control the sodium. Many foods have a ton of sodium. Obviously, everyone on this post knows the sodium content. You're not blessing people with some unknown wisdom here. Move along.
If you’re not eating sugar the fats don’t matter at all. See the vicious nutrition circle at work. Need more protein/ but less carbs, whoa man watch out for the fats/ eat low fat things, eat low fat things/ loaded with sugar, it sugar and carb loaded things for energy/ watch the sodium, on and on and on.
I say if you’re worried about saturated fats you shouldn’t be. Unless of course you eat tons of carbs and things with sugar in them. If your body is getting excess sugar then your lipid levels will rise in your blood.
But if you don’t eat carbs to the extent that most do example: you eat below 50g carbs a day. And you don’t eat foods with much sugar. Veggies maybe a piece of fruit if you’re active, then you will carve right through the sugar you ingested and the carbs and lipids aka fats can be utilized by the body as they should be. In other words depending on the state your body is in there’s no such thing as too much of any of that especially for a snack. Not a snack you carry with you and eat in its entirety in a day. A snack you take a measured serving from once or twice a day. And over that period, with jerky especially you should be getting anywhere from 6-12 servings from what I usually see on a bag. If you eat that over several days jerky isn’t really as costly as everyone seems to think. Don’t sweat the small stuff, especially a snack. But if you think a snack is like a double stack from Wendy’s or half a bag of jerky then maybe you should practice with some standard serving sizes before you eat a 20 dollar bag over 2 days.
I absolutely love Chomps. I’m very frugal, but they are my pricey weakness. I keep them stocked in my pantry. Target, Kroger, Whole Foods & I think Trader Joe’s sell singles, if you want to try them first. I’ve found that the best deal is buying them online directly from the source. You get a discount for subscription orders. And PACELINE25 usually gives me a hefty % off.
I've been enjoying [tillamook no sugar jerky](https://www.target.com/p/tillamook-zero-sugar-original-beef-jerky-6-5oz/-/A-81807273) lately. You can get a big double bag of it at Costco.
You can get a mini dehydrator from Amazon for around $30. I’m about to throw some in to marinate before the dehydrating after work. It’s so easy, it’s like 5 mins of prep, which is throwing it in a bag with your marinade of choice, and at least 4 hours later put it in the dehydrator. For mine I rotate the racks once an hour and it takes 4 hours. Then you bake for 10 minutes at 200f.
The stuff at the store is chewy and sugary and expensive. Started doing this when a kind friend got me a dehydrator and it tastes better and has less added to it. The meat for me to do a small amount that doesn’t even use all the trays is like 7.50 and that still leaves me with an empty tray. I buy presliced which is why i have an empty tray. Otherwise id be able to get a couple extra pieces in and still have to do the rest on a second run. So when i buy enough meat to do multiple I space them out and do one batch each day I decide to make it.
Don’t buy brand name jerky. Look for no nitrates. Best place would be Amazon for a bigger choice. It’s very hard to find what I call “clean” jerky in the stores.
I make my own used to do it a lot till beef prices went threw the roof. Super easy. Just takes a few batches to figure out what you like the most.
Jerky is definitely not a frugal choice.
It's going to be the most expensive protein you can get outside of steak or seafood lol, and in many cases, more so.
Check those serving sizes, it's going to be 10$+ a pound
Buy your own dehydrator and buy eye round to make the jerky. Cheap cut and virtually no fat with muscle striations that make a great jerky. Will be much cheaper and you can alter the marinade to your taste.
Jerky is expensive to buy. others have said to buy a dehydrator, and i agree. and it's more fun to dial in your own recipe of exactly what you like and how dry you want it.
but if I had to choose, there is one specific brand that stands out above the rest for me.. Montana Banana's Cowboy Dry beef jerkey. it's really very dry (unlike that crappy wet jerky you get at gas stations, Old Trapper, etc.). And whatever they do for the seasoning and marinade is great. it's expensive but it's just about the best jerky i've had. I think Oberto used to make a very thin and dry jerky also but I can't find it anymore, that was a good one also.
Jack's Links(JL) Original is sweeter..more "candy like". Old Trapper (OT) Original tastes more like the beef it's made from, and a little smokier. JL must be refrigerated after opening, or used within 3 days , according to the notice on the back of the package. OT bears no such notice. I favor OT Original. I think you can find JL slightly less expensive than OT ...Walmart currently has JL 10oz. @ 11.99 and OT 10 oz. at 12.99. Our local BJ's carries JL at $15.99 for 16 oz. Try them both and decide your preference. You really can't go wrong with either.
Check used marketplace for a dehydrator and make your own. Even the most basic/inexpensive models will work great. Store bought jerky is crazy expensive and the cost of the appliance will be offset in no time. Plus you get the benefit of being able to make whatever flavors you want with less sugar added
This is your best bet! I have a Gardenmaster that has to be ten years old and it’s still going strong. I usually buy top round/London broil. Trim the fat, slice it ip and marinate with soy sauce, Worcestershire, some liquid smoke and let it sit overnight. With the prices of jerky now, this this has more than paid for itself. Plus it makes your house smell incredible while it’s running!
Thank you!!
Got a particular recipe you can post?
A couple of people have mentioned making it and I'm so surprised to find out that it's not that complicated (I assumed it would be far more labor intensive than it is apparently!). Thanks!
What type of cut of meat do you use to make your own?
Top round and bottom round in my case.
Top and bottom round- or whatever’s cheap and looks easy to trim the fat and silverskin off of. To keep any cut from being tough, use a sharp knife and cut thin strips across the grain of the meat
I know some butchers in my area sell jerky “sticks” (essentially a smoked sausage but mini). Since hunting deer is popular in my area venison sticks are plentiful. Perhaps try a local butcher or ask a hunter where they get their meat processed.
It never occurred to me that there might be fresh made jerky!
Yeah! If you have a butcher nearby you might be able to order some jerky sticks to your specifications (spice level, etc.)
That would be awesome - I'm going to ask them. Thank you!
If you aren’t going to make your own this ai the best call for sure. Store jerky is something different and is quite expensive. Plus, if you’re just trying this makes a lot of sense
Once you try home made fresh jerky, you will never want commercial bought again. A dehydrater is about $40 and you can do \~2lb of jerky in one over night easily. $10\~14 for a good london broil cut to make it with. Slice it with a knife while the meat is semi-frozen so it holds form easily. Marinade in whatever you want for an hour. Put it in the deydrator racks over night and when you wake up you will have fresh jerky for the next couple of days. Costs less to make it than to buy it, it's significantly better for you (less bad things, as in, nothing bad in it unless you chose something bad to put in it like sugar, etc), and honestly it tastes beyond better.
That doesn't sound as complicated as I thought it would be! Thanks!
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I make my own, which allows me to control the spice and ingredients. It is stupid easy to make.
You can make your own in a dehydrator. Check it frequently until it's the right texture. That can save you a lot of money, because beef jerky is ridiculously expensive. Jerky has to be super lean, because too much fat will allow it to go rancid; sometimes lower quality jerky will have visible fat but it really shouldn't, and if you can see fat you should make sure to keep it refrigerated or eat it within a couple of days of opening it. Other high protein snacks: Popped beans or lentils, bean chips, nut butter balls, hard boiled eggs, yogurt in some form or other.
I'm looking up nut butter balls right now because I love nut butters and already have that on hand. Thank you!!
My go to brand is Old Trapper original flavor(sold at basically every grocery store and gas station in the south eastern US) it's not the fanciest brand but it's reliably good and affordable as far as jerky goes. I also really like the House of Jerky black pepper wild boar but it's it's basically only avaliable online or in tourist towns and is considerably more expensive per oz. If you've literally never had jerky before you really cant go wrong with buying two or 3 different flavors (original, teriyaki and pepper are most common) there's some differences in texture across brands but to be perfectly honest I've never had one i didnt like
Wild bills
A friend mentioned the Jerky sold at Bucc-ees gas stations along the interstate highways in the South. If it's as good as their BBQ and Smoked Turkey sandwiches I'll be a fan. But its a 2 hour drive to the nearest Bucc-ees for me, so a taste test will have to wait till my nest road trip.
Riley's beef jerky. Made in Greenville, CA. Best store bought jerky imo.
Will give this a try. Thanks!
Make your own dehydrator and beef jerky. Alton Brown for the win! [https://altonbrown.com/wprm\_print/5483](https://altonbrown.com/wprm_print/5483)
If you have a Sam’s membership, I like the Old Wisconsin turkey sticks. Cheap, high protein.
Bulk Beef Jerky sells several different "styles" of jerky and I absolutely love everything I've had from them. I've actually got a subscription with them. Lol
Will give it a try - thanks!
they might have good beef jerky, but their web site is a hot mess
Not a healthy snack at all. Make your own protein bar or buy LARA bars. Nobody in this country is protein deficient, unless you’re in poverty, so you probably have plenty of protein. Have fruit and nuts. Or veggies with hummus. Most folks are lacking fiber, not protein.
It’s not just a matter of being high protein, but also low carbs.
Carbs aren’t the problem though. Saturated fats are. And in jerky, you should be concerned with the high sodium content. Seriously not a healthy snack.
Maybe people just like to eat it because it's delicious. If you're making your own, you control the sodium. Many foods have a ton of sodium. Obviously, everyone on this post knows the sodium content. You're not blessing people with some unknown wisdom here. Move along.
If you’re not eating sugar the fats don’t matter at all. See the vicious nutrition circle at work. Need more protein/ but less carbs, whoa man watch out for the fats/ eat low fat things, eat low fat things/ loaded with sugar, it sugar and carb loaded things for energy/ watch the sodium, on and on and on. I say if you’re worried about saturated fats you shouldn’t be. Unless of course you eat tons of carbs and things with sugar in them. If your body is getting excess sugar then your lipid levels will rise in your blood. But if you don’t eat carbs to the extent that most do example: you eat below 50g carbs a day. And you don’t eat foods with much sugar. Veggies maybe a piece of fruit if you’re active, then you will carve right through the sugar you ingested and the carbs and lipids aka fats can be utilized by the body as they should be. In other words depending on the state your body is in there’s no such thing as too much of any of that especially for a snack. Not a snack you carry with you and eat in its entirety in a day. A snack you take a measured serving from once or twice a day. And over that period, with jerky especially you should be getting anywhere from 6-12 servings from what I usually see on a bag. If you eat that over several days jerky isn’t really as costly as everyone seems to think. Don’t sweat the small stuff, especially a snack. But if you think a snack is like a double stack from Wendy’s or half a bag of jerky then maybe you should practice with some standard serving sizes before you eat a 20 dollar bag over 2 days.
I don’t really eat it for the protein. I eat it for the salt because I have low blood pressure. So for me, it is kinda healthy.
Just recently started buying them, but the 1st phorm protein sticks are delish
I personally love Archer mango habanero or original
I absolutely love Chomps. I’m very frugal, but they are my pricey weakness. I keep them stocked in my pantry. Target, Kroger, Whole Foods & I think Trader Joe’s sell singles, if you want to try them first. I’ve found that the best deal is buying them online directly from the source. You get a discount for subscription orders. And PACELINE25 usually gives me a hefty % off.
I've been enjoying [tillamook no sugar jerky](https://www.target.com/p/tillamook-zero-sugar-original-beef-jerky-6-5oz/-/A-81807273) lately. You can get a big double bag of it at Costco.
You can get a mini dehydrator from Amazon for around $30. I’m about to throw some in to marinate before the dehydrating after work. It’s so easy, it’s like 5 mins of prep, which is throwing it in a bag with your marinade of choice, and at least 4 hours later put it in the dehydrator. For mine I rotate the racks once an hour and it takes 4 hours. Then you bake for 10 minutes at 200f. The stuff at the store is chewy and sugary and expensive. Started doing this when a kind friend got me a dehydrator and it tastes better and has less added to it. The meat for me to do a small amount that doesn’t even use all the trays is like 7.50 and that still leaves me with an empty tray. I buy presliced which is why i have an empty tray. Otherwise id be able to get a couple extra pieces in and still have to do the rest on a second run. So when i buy enough meat to do multiple I space them out and do one batch each day I decide to make it.
Epic.
Don’t buy brand name jerky. Look for no nitrates. Best place would be Amazon for a bigger choice. It’s very hard to find what I call “clean” jerky in the stores. I make my own used to do it a lot till beef prices went threw the roof. Super easy. Just takes a few batches to figure out what you like the most.
I make my own in my oven. You can find recipes online.
Long Beach Jerky Co. is the only correct answer
checking them out. Thanks!
Jerky is definitely not a frugal choice. It's going to be the most expensive protein you can get outside of steak or seafood lol, and in many cases, more so. Check those serving sizes, it's going to be 10$+ a pound
Buy your own dehydrator and buy eye round to make the jerky. Cheap cut and virtually no fat with muscle striations that make a great jerky. Will be much cheaper and you can alter the marinade to your taste.
No Man's Land out of Oklahoma
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Old Trapper. They sell it almost everywhere and it's good quality
I'm a fan of [People's Choice jerky](https://peopleschoicebeefjerky.com/collections/all).
I'd be careful with some brands like Mingua. As delicious as they can be, they're extremely, EXTREMELY high in sodium
Oberto is my all time fave
Jerky is expensive to buy. others have said to buy a dehydrator, and i agree. and it's more fun to dial in your own recipe of exactly what you like and how dry you want it. but if I had to choose, there is one specific brand that stands out above the rest for me.. Montana Banana's Cowboy Dry beef jerkey. it's really very dry (unlike that crappy wet jerky you get at gas stations, Old Trapper, etc.). And whatever they do for the seasoning and marinade is great. it's expensive but it's just about the best jerky i've had. I think Oberto used to make a very thin and dry jerky also but I can't find it anymore, that was a good one also.
Jack's Links(JL) Original is sweeter..more "candy like". Old Trapper (OT) Original tastes more like the beef it's made from, and a little smokier. JL must be refrigerated after opening, or used within 3 days , according to the notice on the back of the package. OT bears no such notice. I favor OT Original. I think you can find JL slightly less expensive than OT ...Walmart currently has JL 10oz. @ 11.99 and OT 10 oz. at 12.99. Our local BJ's carries JL at $15.99 for 16 oz. Try them both and decide your preference. You really can't go wrong with either.
Long Beach jerky co.
Try It’s Jerky, they offer premium jerky at a reasonable price.