How to Make Beef Jerky Chips | Crisp, Thin, and Done Right

Beef jerky chips are made by slicing beef thinly against the grain, then drying it with controlled heat until the pieces snap crisp.

Making beef jerky chips at home comes down one core idea: very thin slices, a light seasoning or marinade, and patient drying. The thinner the slice, the crispier the chip—. You can use an air fryer, a smoker, a food dehydrator, or a standard oven, so the method fits whatever equipment you already own. Here is the full process, plus the food-safety rules that keep your batch safe to store.

Slice Thin, Against the Grain

Start with a lean cut like top round or flank steak. Freeze it for about 30 minutes so it firms up—this makes slicing much easier and more consistent. Cut against the grain into pieces no thicker than 2 mm (about 1/16 inch). Slicing against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, so each chip snaps cleanly instead of tearing into chewy strings.

Keeping slices uniform matters as much as keeping them thin. , and mixed thicknesses mean some chips burn while others stay soft. Take your time on this step; it decides whether the final batch is uniform or frustrating.

Season or Marinate, Then Drain Well

Two approaches work here. For a dry rub, coat the slices lightly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. For a wet marinade, .

Whichever you choose, drain the slices thoroughly before drying. Excess liquid pools under the meat and steams it instead of crisping it, which turns chips soggy. Pat them dry with paper towels or let them sit on a rack for a few minutes.

Air-Fryer and Smoker/Dehydrator Methods

If you have an air fryer, set it to 200°F and arrange the slices in a single layer—overlapping pieces won’t crisp where they touch. Drying takes 45–60 minutes, but timing varies greatly with thickness, so check early and often. When the slices snap in half easily, they are done; let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving, since they firm up as they cool.

For a smoker or dehydrator route, a jerky-chip recipe finishes the product in an oven at 165°F or a food dehydrator at 140°F, checking every 15–20 minutes until the pieces snap. Either equipment works; the same doneness rule applies. .

Food Safety Rules You Should Not Skip

Jerky is a food-safety-sensitive process, and drying alone is not the recommended path. The USDA’s FSIS compliance guideline for meat jerky emphasizes a validated heat treatment followed by drying, rather than relying on dehydration alone to make the product safe. .

. This step kills pathogens that lower-temperature drying simply won’t eliminate.

. If you’re ready to compare your homemade batch against what’s on the shelf, our tested roundup of the best beef jerky chips on the market breaks down the top commercial picks.