Tuscan Herb Beef Jerky Recipe

This Tuscan herb beef jerky recipe emulates the great flavors you find from an herb crusted roast beef. It combines many different herbs in the Tuscan paste and comes out with a very rich flavor.

If you like your beef jerky spicy you can add more black pepper to the recipe, or add some hot sauce to the rub. The white wine vinegar in the rub adds a nice tartness to the finished Tuscan herb beef jerky.

Tuscan Herb Beef Jerky Recipe

Tuscan Herb Beef Jerky Ingredients

For the Tuscan Herb Rub

1/4 cup fresh rosemary
1/4 cup fresh parsley
3 tablespoons fresh oregano
2 tablespoons fresh sage
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
1/4 cup white wine vinegar

For the Tuscan Herb Beef Jerky

3 pounds of meat (about 1360 grams), preferably eye of round or similar lean cut
1/2 to 1 cup Tuscan rub

Tuscan Herb Beef Jerky Instructions

For the Tuscan Herb Rub

First make the Tuscan rub by putting all of the rub ingredients into a food processor and process until mixed.

For the Tuscan Herb Beef Jerky

Trim all the fat, gristle, and silver skin from the beef. Slice the beef into thin strips against the grain. Set the strips down in a large container like a bowl or a flat tray.

Coat the beef strips with the Tuscan herb rub, mixing it all together well to be sure the beef strips are all coated.

Place the beef jerky strips in a plastic bag or bowl and refrigerate for several hours or overnight so the flavors can fully set in.

Making Tuscan Herb Beef Jerky in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 160°F / 71°C, or the lowest setting it will go.

Remove the flavored beef slices from the container and layer the strips in a single layer on a baking tray or drying rack on top of a cookie sheet. Make sure the beef strips don't overlap and have a little space between them to enable good air circulation.

Arrange the oven shelves leaving at least 4 inches of space from the top and bottom sources of heat to achieve even heating. Place the Tuscan herb jerky strips in the oven to start dehydrating them.

Making Tuscan Herb Beef Jerky in a Dehydrator

Preheat your dehydrator to at least 141°F / 60.5°C and up to 165°F / 74°C.

Place the strips in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Be sure to leave some space between the jerky strips for sufficient air flow. If you are not using wire or mesh trays you may need to turn the beef jerky over once in the middle of the drying process.

Dry the Tuscan herb beef jerky for 6 to 10 hours. If thicker strips of meat are used it may take longer.

Finishing the Tuscan Herb Beef Jerky

To test the beef jerky remove a strip or two from the oven racks or dehydrator trays with clean kitchen tongs. Dried beef jerky strips should be chewy but still tender. When bent, it should be flexible enough not to break but it should crack instead.

Once the Tuscan herb beef jerky is sufficiently dry, remove it from the dehydrator and let it cool for 30 to 60 minutes. If there is any oil or moisture on the beef jerky use paper towels to blot it dry.

Put the Tuscan herb beef jerky in tightly sealed containers then refrigerate or freeze. They will last in the refrigerator for a month or two and in the freezer for several months.