with or against the grain

With is more chewy. Cross grain is more tender, easier to chew. Personally, I mix it up and cut all ways. I use pretty much any cut of round,top, eye, bottom..

Don is correct. Cut it for whatever way suits ya. Personally I prefer mine to go with the grain as I like my jerky with some fight & chew to it. I did a batch a few months back where the meat cutter neglectfully cut my order across the grain but I accepted it anyway. When it was all over & done I called it M&M jerky - "Melt in your mouth, not in your hand." Great flavor, just didn't last long enough. That's one of my beefs (pun intended) with ground meat jerky, it just doesn't last.

All for what it's worth!