This ground beef jerky recipe uses Nesco traditional jerky seasoning and ground beef. However, It’ll be equally good with your favourite ground jerky seasoning and meat of choice.
This ground jerky method works equally good, if not better, with game meats like ground venison, ground elk, oryx or buffalo.
After making jerky for years, both muscle and ground, I discovered a faster, easier way to make ground meat jerky. I used a jerky gun for a long time, but due to the time requirement and cleanup, I didn’t do it as often; now, I make jerky all the time. The forming tray (dehydrator drip pan) and stainless steel drying racks of the magic mill dehydrator allow making this ground beef jerky recipe and cleaning up a breeze.

Classic Ground Beef Jerky Recipe
Ingredients
5 pounds ground beef (minced beef) - lean
Instructions
- Mix jerky seasoning and cure with water and add to lean ground meat. Use 1/2 cup of water per pound of ground jerky meat. Mix well to distribute jerky cure and seasoning evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate ground meat according to cure directions. Typically 1/2 to 4 hours.
- Place wax paper on forming tray, then add about 3/4 pounds of ground meat. Place wax paper over ground meat and form to forming tray. Remove top wax paper and finish edges with a butter knife. Lightly spray rack with cooking oil and place dehydrator rack over meat and flip over. Remove the second sheet of wax paper.
- Apply additional spices or seasonings as desired. Popular flavours include – pepper, red chile flakes, green chile, jalapeno powder, powdered chile.
- Place racks in the dehydrator. Dehydrate for 7 to 10 hours or until desired dryness. Some prefer a moist jerky strip, while others prefer a dry strip, experiment for your preference. Either come out well with this recipe.
- When done, cut jerky into strips with kitchen shears. You can easily follow the lines made from the dehydrator racks. Package and store as desired.