February 21, 2026 22 Comments Go to recipe
This air fryer jerky recipe is for anyone looking for a new project. If you’re like me, you’re looking for new projects.
Why fry beef jerky? Beef jerky is one of those foods that I would buy at the convenience store for a snack because of its high sodium content and questionable ingredients (mechanically separated chicken?).
Jerky is a simple lean meat that has been cut into strips and dried to prevent spoilage. We use marinades and flavorings to transform beef jerky into something more interesting.
With this project, you will likely have all the ingredients on hand (soy sauce, garlic, and sugar) except the beef.
I decided to use my Cosori Air Fryer because I’ve had so much success with it. I made a Bloomin’ onion air fryer and my family went crazy!
When I first bought the air fryer, I was thinking of returning it after the review because I don’t need another appliance (I own 2 Instant Pots and 3 slow cookers to name a few), but I found air frying fun.
The Cosori air fryer doesn’t have a “dehydrate” function like the Ninja air fryer but that didn’t stop me from trying (it worked great).
The key to this recipe is to buy thin slices of beef on the top or bottom.
I say “buy” because most of us don’t have knives sharp enough to slice beef thinly enough. I had my store butcher cut it into 1/4 inch slices and he had no problem with it.
You prepare the marinade and put it in a gallon Ziploc bag or a shallow casserole dish. Leave the beef there for at least 2 hours.
Finally, air fry it in a single layer at 180 F for 90 minutes. The Cosori air fryer only lets you set it for 60 minutes, so I had to add another 30 minutes after the first hour was up.
I made this air fryer beef jerky in two batches and the first batch disappeared before I could photograph it. I had to hide the second batch from my family.
This dried beef is so much better than what you can buy in stores. It’s not even comparable. It actually tastes like beef (not just salt) and you can have it as a quick snack when you finally leave your house.
Have you ever made air fryer jerky or beef jerky?
Air Fryer Beef Jerky Recipe
Makes 20 thin strips
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 90 min
Total time: 1h30 + 2h marinating
Ingredients
1 pound beef slice, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
Combine sugar, soy sauce, garlic and red pepper in a gallon Ziploc bag or shallow casserole dish. Add the beef and shake the bag to coat, making sure all the pieces are coated in the marinade. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Remove the strips and place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in two batches.
Set the temperature to 180 F and the time to 60 minutes. When finished, add another 30 minutes for a total of 1.5 hours.
Enjoy once cooled. Can be stored forever at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
For a slice = 43 calories, 0.4g fat, 0.2g saturated fats, 2.7g carbohydrates, 2.4g sugar, 7.3g protein, 0g fiber, 200mg sodium, 1 green, 1 blue, 1 purple SmartPt
Point values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for informational purposes only. See all Snack Girl recipes
