The best cuts of meat for jerky are Top Round, Bottom Round, Lifter and Pectoral, but a variety of cuts can be used, such as flank steak and brisket steak. These cuts of meat meet all the requirements for dry meat to be economical, lean and full of flavor. The top and the round bottom are lean, tasty and, in our opinion, the best cuts of meat for jerky. The tip of the sirloin is extremely lean, but not as tender and a little more expensive.
Flank fillet is also lean (although you may need to cut back on some fat) and tasty, but can be tough if cut with the grain. But what makes these cuts fit well? Here's my breakdown of the four best cuts of meat for jerky and how each could be the right choice for you. However, it seems to vary from cow to cow, some are tender, others a little more chewable, but that doesn't really matter with jerky. The stem is located in the upper part of the cow's legs, both in the front and in the back, and under the breast, in the front of the round, in the back.
Most of the meat used in these ground beef blends comes from the rear sections of the cow, from the flank to the back. The sirloin sits toward the cow's hind legs, located close to where most of the animal's muscles are located. If you don't care what part of the cow you eat, I've had excellent results with veal hearts. After thinness, the final determining factor of which part of the cow is selected to make jerky is generally based on cost.
The hind legs of cows are one of their strongest parts, so it should come as no surprise that they are full of muscle.