Cannon or Plastic Barrel? The Best Jerky Gun for Home Batches

A jerky gun does for ground meat what a caulking gun does for a bead of sealant. You load a seasoned mix into the barrel, squeeze the trigger and lay out even strips or round sticks on a dehydrator tray. It saves the slicing and trimming that whole-muscle jerky needs, and it keeps a batch to the same thickness so it dries evenly.

Barrel size decides how often you reload, and barrel material affects the cleanup. Ground meat also needs more care than sliced strips, so this guide includes what extension food safety sources say about getting it to a safe temperature. Read that part before your first batch.

Julia’s earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no cost to you. Recommendations are based on what a restaurant kitchen looks for, product specifications and verified buyer reports.

Quick verdict: the best jerky gun for most home batches

Five jerky guns compared by capacity

One pick for each size of batch, with the capacity and barrel each maker or listing states.

Product images from Amazon. Capacities and materials are as stated by each maker or listing; check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best jerky gun

Seven picks. LEM and Weston each appear twice because their two models really are different sizes for different buyers. One pick, SIGVAL, is from an Amazon-first brand.

Food safety for ground meat jerky

This matters more than any feature on this page. Ground meat needs a clear safety step. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says an internal temperature of 160°F is necessary to eliminate disease-causing bacteria in ground-meat jerky. Read its jerky page before you start.

A dehydrator on its own is not enough. Penn State Extension says that using the dehydrator alone will inactivate microorganisms but not kill them, and advises checking with an instant-read thermometer that the meat has reached 160°F. Ohio State University Extension gives 160°F for meat and 165°F for poultry, and says to test your dehydrator with a thermometer, since built-in settings may be inaccurate.

Sources differ on some details. Ohio State says a dehydrator must reach a minimum of 145°F to be used safely for jerky, while Penn State and the National Center describe drying at 140°F, so use a dehydrator that can hold the higher figure if you can. The National Center also says raw poultry is generally not recommended for jerky, even though some gun makers list poultry as an option. Penn State suggests ground round, lean or extra-lean ground beef, since fat can turn rancid.

For storage, the National Center says about two weeks at room temperature in a sealed container, and Penn State says one to three weeks depending on the meat, with freezing for longer storage. Ohio State notes that ground-meat jerky uses a dry spice and curing mix. Follow the seasoning maker’s measure exactly. A good meat thermometer is part of this kit.

How to choose a jerky gun

Size it to your batch. Think in pounds per session, not the biggest number. A 1-pound gun needs three loads for 3 pounds. A 2.5-pound barrel saves reloads, but it is more to hold.

Weigh barrel material against cleanup. Aluminum and stainless barrels are sturdy, while plastic is lighter and lets you see the meat level. Check the care line: LEM says hand wash, Presto says dishwasher.

Look at the nozzles. Flat nozzles make strips and round ones make sticks. Double nozzles fill a tray faster. Sausage tips are a bonus if you want to try links.

Check parts and support. Threads, plungers and seals are what wear out. LEM says it carries replacement parts, which is a real advantage over a gun you may have to replace whole.

Match your dehydrator. The tray has to fit the strips, and your dehydrator has to reach a safe heat. Our guide to the best food dehydrator for jerky covers that side.

How we picked these seven jerky guns

We began with what a kitchen would want from the tool: even strips, a barrel that loads cleanly and parts that come apart for washing. We then looked at identifiable makers on Amazon US, confirmed stock and read each listing for capacity, materials and care. We read the National Center for Home Food Preservation, Penn State Extension and Ohio State University Extension directly for the safety section. The USDA’s jerky page would not open for us, so we do not quote it. We searched for independent reviews of these guns and found mostly affiliate lists, none of which we would rely on, so the picks rest on listing and maker details. We checked CPSC recall records by brand and found nothing on these products. We have not used these guns ourselves.

Jerky gun questions, answered

What is a meat jerky shooter?

It is another name for a jerky gun: a hand-held tube with a trigger or plunger that pushes ground meat through a nozzle into strips or sticks, ready for drying.

Can I use any ground meat?

Lean meat works best. Penn State suggests ground round, lean or extra-lean beef because fat can cause rancidity and off flavors. The National Center says raw poultry is generally not recommended for jerky.

Do I need cure in the mix?

Ohio State says ground meat is usually mixed with a dry spice and curing mix instead of a marinade. Use a kit from a known seasoning maker and follow its measure. LEM’s guns include its own seasoning.

Is drying alone enough to make it safe?

No. The extension sources above say a dehydrator alone does not kill bacteria, and they call for an internal temperature of 160°F. Check with a thermometer.

How do I clean a jerky gun?

Take it apart right after the batch and follow the maker’s line. LEM says warm soapy water and no dishwasher. Presto says its gun is dishwasher safe. Most kits include brushes for inside the barrel.

Our final pick for ground meat jerky

The LEM Jerky Cannon is the safest general buy, thanks to its build and parts support. Pair it with a good dehydrator from our jerky dehydrator guide and a thermometer. If you are grinding your own, see our electric meat grinder guide. If your plans change and you would rather have someone else cook, the menu at Julia’s is a call away: call to order.