What I use is sirloin tip, because for me ( I'm a butcher) it's the least expensive. I can seam out the best pieces, then slice it on a deli slicer. You can also use top round( without the lifter) or what people sometimes call a butterball or london broil. I don't weigh the meat, or anything else on my diet( probably should though). I also bought an Excalibur dehydrator, the biggest one they make. Pretty expensive but I can fit about 8 lbs of meat in there, which produces 3 lbs net when finished( takes about 5-6 hours). People love my jerky, but I don't know what recipe to use if I take out the soy sauce. Hope this helps ----Raw