Go Back Email Link
Ground beef jerky sticks in a mason jar.

Beef Sticks / Ground Beef Jerky

Allyson Letal
Ground beef jerky sticks are perfectly spice, deliciously smoked and really easy to make! This recipe can be cooked on the smoker, in the oven or in the dehydrator!
4.58 from 33 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Course Smoked
Cuisine American
Servings 48 8" sticks
Calories 59 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 2 lbs extra lean ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork

Spicy Ground Beef Jerky

  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha powder
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
  • ¼ cup sriracha

Mild Ground Beef Jerky:

  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • ½ tablespoon coarse kosher salt
  • ¼ cup maple syrup

Instructions
 

Cook it in the smoker:

  • Preheat smoker to 225f.
  • Meanwhile, add 2 lbs extra lean ground beef and 1 lb ground pork to the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until completely combined, about 1 minute.
  • With the mixer running on low speed, add the spice and again mix until completely combined, then add the sriracha or maple syrup, as above. Mix on high speed for 45 seconds to 1 minute once all ingredients are added to the bowl. This can also be mixed by hand.
    Spicy Sriracha Jerky:
    1 tablespoon ground black pepper,1 tablespoon onion powder,1 tablespoon paprika,2 teaspoons sriracha powder,2 teaspoons oregano,2 teaspoons garlic powder,2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt,1 teaspoon cayenne powder,¼ cup sriracha
    Mild Jerky:
    1 tablespoon ground black pepper,1 tablespoon onion powder,1 tablespoon garlic powder,1 tablespoon paprika,½ tablespoon coarse kosher salt,¼ cup maple syrup,
  • Fill the jerky gun by adding a small amount, then packing it with the plunger, then repeating until full.
  • Pipe the ground beef jerky onto wire mesh cooking racks. Keep the sticks all in one piece, they are easy to trim once cooked.

Cook it on the Traeger:

  • Smoke the ground beef jerky at 225f for 3 hours.
  • Remove the jerky from the smoker and allow it to cool to room temperature before packaging.

Cook it in the oven:

  • Preheat oven to 170f (or as low as your oven goes).
  • Follow mixing and piping directions as per recipe.
  • Cook the jerky sticks in the oven at 170f for 4 hours, or until completely cooked through.

Cook it in the dehydrator:

  • Follow mixing directions as per the recipe.
  • Pipe the ground beef jerky onto dehydrator racks.
  • Dehydrate the jerky at 160f for 5-6 hours, or until completely cooked through.

Notes

Batch:

This recipe yields ~48 8" ground beef jerky sticks when piped with a 1/2" round piping tip.

Storage:

Because this recipe does not contain curing salt, your beef jerky sticks should be kept in the fridge or freezer. Store them in the fridge for up to 5 days, or vacuum-sealed in the freezer for up to 6 months.

variations + substitutions

This recipe is delicious as written, but you can definitely make adjustments to suit your tastes or the ingredients you have on hand!
  • Instead of ground beef + ground pork, use all ground beef.
  • Swap out the beef and pork for wild game, like ground venison or moose meat!
  • Don't like it too spicy? Omit the ground cayenne and SRIRACHA POWDER.
  • Like it spicier? Add more spice.

Recommended Equipment + Ingredients

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 59kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 6gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 221mgPotassium: 116mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 166IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!