Most home jerky advice mixes up two different temperatures: the temperature the meat has to reach to be safe, and the temperature you set the dehydrator to. This planner keeps them apart. Pick your meat, weight, slice thickness and heating method, and it lays out the safe temperature, dryer setting, drying window, a step-by-step process and the jerky you can expect — each figure credited to the agency or extension service it comes from.
Plan a batch that is safe first and tasty second. Every figure below comes from USDA FSIS, the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) or Cornell Cooperative Extension, and each result shows where it came from. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
Your batch
Your plan
Working backwards
Buy about 4 lb of meat before trimming losses.
What this planner does not do
It cannot measure your meat. Use a probe thermometer to confirm the safe temperature, because dehydrators often never reach it: USDA FSIS notes that evaporating moisture absorbs most of the heat, so the meat only warms up once it is nearly dry — by which point bacteria have become more heat-resistant. The yield figure is a planning estimate; fat content, trim and how dry you like it all change the result.
- Expected jerky = trimmed raw weight ÷ 4 (Cornell Cooperative Extension)
- Meat to buy = target jerky × 4
- Done when a cooled test piece cracks but does not break when bent (NCHFP)
How the planner works
Three public sources supply every number. USDA FSIS sets the safety target: heat meat to an internal 160°F (poultry 165°F), then hold the dehydrator at a steady 130–140°F. The National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) supplies the method: slices no thicker than ¼ inch, a dryer preheated to 140°F, 10 to 24 hours for strips not heated in marinade, and the cracks-but-does-not-break doneness test. Cornell Cooperative Extension supplies the yield rule of thumb: about 4 pounds of fresh, trimmed meat makes 1 pound of jerky.
Why the heating step is not optional
A dehydrator is good at removing water and bad at heating meat. While the strips are wet, evaporation soaks up most of the heat, so the meat stays cool until it is nearly dry — and FSIS notes that by then bacteria have become more heat-resistant. That is why NCHFP builds in a separate step, either boiling the strips in their marinade for 5 minutes before drying or heating the dried strips for 10 minutes in a 275°F oven. Our guide to how long to dehydrate beef jerky walks through both.
Working out how much meat to buy
Jerky is mostly meat with the water taken out, so the finished weight is a fraction of what you start with. Using Cornell’s 4-to-1 ratio, 3 pounds of trimmed meat makes roughly three-quarters of a pound of jerky. Lean, well-trimmed cuts such as eye of round and top round lose less to trimming; fattier cuts lose more and keep less well, because fat does not dry.
Frequently asked questions
Does this work for venison and other wild game?
Yes, with an extra step at the start. NCHFP recommends freezing wild game (and pork) in pieces 6 inches thick or less at 0°F or below for at least 30 days to address trichinella before you make jerky. The planner adds that step automatically when you choose game or pork.
Can I make jerky from turkey or chicken?
You can, but NCHFP notes raw poultry is generally not recommended for jerky because of its texture and flavor. If you do, the safe internal temperature is 165°F rather than 160°F.
How long does homemade jerky keep?
NCHFP says properly dried jerky keeps for two weeks at room temperature in a sealed container, and that refrigerating or freezing it extends shelf life and keeps the best flavor.