Hybrids are at the forefront of the energy bar revolution. But some packaged options contain unnecessary additives, so you’re better off making your own tender, protein-packed bars instead.

There are two important ingredients that keep these bars from tasting like leftover meatloaf. First, cranberries offer up some of the sweetness you would expect in a bar.

And round steak, one of the leanest cuts available, is used to keep the fat levels low and help the mixture dry out in the oven. Too much fat will encourage the bars to turn rancid more quickly, but a longer cooking time at a low temperature helps with the drying process.

Consider opting for grass-fed or organic beef. Studies suggest that steaks from grass-fed cattle are more nutrient-dense than those from their grain-fed brethren, while organic beef is not administered with hormones or antibiotics.

These “Beast Bars,” from my new cookbook Rocket Fuel, are dairy-free, gluten-free, and Paleo-friendly. Cook ‘em up and make your mammoth-hunting cavemen ancestors proud.

(Recipe reprinted with permission.)

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Game Changers: 

Feel free to flip the recipe by trying dried cherries instead of cranberries; using liquid aminos or gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce; replacing sesame seeds with hemp seeds; or swapping out the orange zest for lemon zest.