Best beef jerky

Beef jerky is a high-protein snack you can toss in your bag to enjoy at work, school, on a hike, or on a road trip.

beef jerky
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When you think of snacks that are easy to pack, options with lots of carbs or processed sugars may come to mind. Beef jerky is a better alternative that is filled with protein and flavor. There are lots of different flavor profiles to choose from, like sweet, smoky, or spicy. We think you'll enjoy our favorite beef jerky options, so check them out.  

Staff pick

beef jerky

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Jack Link’s beef jerky variety pack

Both crowd favorites in one package

Enjoy two popular flavors from Jack Link's when you choose this option. There are five packs of the original and four teriyaki included, all made with lean cuts of 100-percent premium beef. Each bag is 1.25-ounces and provides 14 grams of protein per serving.  

Upgraded cuts

beef jerky

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Jack Link’s premium cuts beef steak

Single servings wrapped for easy travel

A bag of jerky may not be the best option when you're on-the-go. These beef steaks from Jack Link's are individually wrapped and ready to go on any daily adventure. There are 11 grams of protein in each serving, and you'll get twelve servings per package. Choose from original, peppered, sweet and hot, and teriyaki flavors.

So smoky

beef jerky

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Cattleman's Cut frontier-style beef jerky

Smoked to perfection, like the old days

Experience rich flavor with these Cattleman's Cut beef jerky strips. They are slowly dried to enhance the hardwood smoke taste profile and pack 15 grams of protein per serving. The pack is 6 ounces and resealable, so you don't need to consume it all at once. 

Old-fashioned

beef jerky

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Tillamook Country Smoker silver dollar beef jerky

Special shape fits on your palette

These silver dollar-shaped beef jerky pieces are praised for being easy to eat. They come in a large, resealable jar, which allows you to create your own serving sizes if you pack them up to go. Tillamook uses real hardwood to smoke their jerky on the Oregon coast and has been in business since 1975. 

Grass-fed

beef jerky

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Think Jerky beef jerky

Flavor profiles created by a celebrity chef

Made with ingredients you can pronounce, this delicious jerky is sure to please! Celebrity Chef Matt Troost has created several flavors to choose from, like sweet chipotle, sriracha honey, and ginger orange. Each 1.5-ounce bag is a single serving and delivers 16 grams of protein. 

Spice it up

beef jerky

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Katie's Carolina Reaper beef jerky

Jerky seasoned with incredibly hot peppers

Set your taste buds ablaze with super spicy Carolina Reaper peppers. There are 13 grams of protein in every ounce to help you get through your day. Additionally, this jerky is made from 100-percent USDA Choice Beef and doesn't include nitrates or MSG. 

A good chew

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Beef jerky is one of the tastiest snacks you can pack in your bag for later. Our favorite option is the Jack Link’s beef jerky variety pack. Two of their top flavors are included, so you can swap between them during the week. The protein per serving is very reasonable at 14 grams. It’s also made with lean cuts of meat, which keeps the fat content down.

For something a little less ordinary, we recommend the Tillamook Country Smoker silver dollar beef jerky. We found their unique shape really appealing for snacking since you won’t have to tear any pieces apart. They come in a large jar that you can close to keep them fresh, and their flavor comes from real hardwood smoke.

Freelance Writer

Nicole Cozma is a freelance writer for Future. She's known for being inquisitive and finding the tiny details that may otherwise go unnoticed. When she's not writing about products, she can be found playing Blizzard game titles, doing copy editing work, cooking, or expanding her photography skills.