This is the Jerky recipe that I started passing around while out on the drilling rig in South Texas. This was a bad decision as now many of the guys out here always ask if I have any Jerky on me while we are working. Making homemade jerky results in a big increase in popularity among work colleagues and family members! Ha.

*This recipe is updated with more photos of the jerky making process and finished jerky. Original Post: 2/19/2015*

I’m dedicating this recipe to the guys working on the rig; “Rig Hands”. Enjoy Rig Hand Jerky! Here is a picture of a drilling rig in South Texas for ya!

Slicing The Meat

Start with a great cut of beef when making this jerky. I used Beef Eye of Round, but you can find a complete list of the best cuts of meat to dry beef jerky by clicking here!

The first step of slicing meat for jerky is to trim the cut of meat of all visible fat. You can see the white fat in the picture below, just trim that off BEFORE you start slicing the meat. Fat spoils faster than meat, so the more you get off now, the longer your jerky will be shelf stable.

Slice the meat with a very sharp knife either with the grain for a more chewy jerky or against the grain for a more tender jerky.

Slice even strips so they will dry evenly and be finished at the same time. You can wrap the roast in plastic wrap and partially freeze for 1-2 hours to make slicing easier.

I didn’t use it on this recipe, but a jerky slicer is a FANTASTIC piece of equipment to help get even strips when slicing jerky.

Making The Marinade

This recipe tastes fantastic because of some of the great tasting ingredients such as soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes for a little bit of a spice!

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag and mix well. Since this recipe does not have any whole peppers, blending in a blender is not needed.

Related Page: Dozens of Great Tasting Jerky Recipes – Click Here

Add the earlier sliced meat strips to the marinade and mix around so all the strips are evenly covered. Allow the strips to marinate for 6-24 hours in the refrigerator. Do NOT marinate the meat at room temperature, always marinate in the fridge to prevent the meat from spoiling.

Drying The Jerky

Once the meat has finished marinating, strain any excess marinade in a colander. I marinated this beef for a total of 20 hours before straining. The longer the marinade process, the more intense flavor the jerky will have!

Before adding the meat to your dehydrator, oven, or smoker; lay out paper towels placing the meat strips on top. Pat dry the strips to remove even more of the excess marinade. This step will help speed up the drying process and prevent the meat from being ‘sticky’ after it has finished drying. 

I dried them in my Excalibur Dehydrator for a total of 3 hours at 165°F and 1 hour at 145°F. Make sure the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F to kill any potential bacteria. The 3 hours at 165°F in the dehydrator does the trick. You can also pre-heat the meat in an oven before drying if your dehydrator does not heat up to 160°F. Check out my page on jerky safety for more information on this process.

Related Page: Dehydrator Reviews

Testing For When The Jerky Is Finished

While drying the jerky, you want to start testing to see if it has finished at about the 3-4 hour mark. Take a piece of jerky out of the dehydrator, oven, or smoker and allow it to cool for 5 minutes to room temperature. Bend the jerky in half; it should bend and crack but not break in half. You will also see white fibers in the meat. The fibers are really visible when a piece is ripped in half.

If the jerky is not finished, continue drying for another hour and repeat the same process until the jerky is finished. 90% of the jerky i make is finished within 4-6 hours when using a dehydrator or oven and 6-9 hours when using a smoker. If pre-heating the meat in the oven, drying time can be as little as 2.5 hours.

This recipe tastes fantastic, that’s why there is not surprise that it is one of the top recipes on the site. It has that recognizable flavor of jerky you find at your local smokehouse or country store. The red pepper flakes gives it a little bit of a spice and the soy sauce the perfect amount of saltiness!

Storing Jerky

To make the jerky last as long as possible, curing salt will really help along with keeping in air tight containers. I have put together a page on storing jerky and steps you can take to make your jerky have an extended shelf life. Check it out!

Old Pro Tips:

• Trim all fat from the meat before marinating for longer lasting jerky once it’s finished drying
• Use curing salt or celery juice powder to extend the life of the jerky
• Marinate closer to 24 hours for the most intense flavor
• Sprinkle on more red pepper flakes before drying if desiring a spicier jerky

For more in depth directions on how to dry your jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods or click on the pictures below. 

4.38 from 24 votes

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Rig Hand Jerky

This is the Jerky recipe that I started passing around while out on the drilling rig in South Texas. This was a bad decision as now many of the guys out here always ask if I have any Jerky on me while we are working. This recipe is made of several ingredients that you can’t go wrong with.

Course Beef Jerky, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword beef jerky, Jerky, red pepper flakes

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 7 hours

Servings 5

Calories 151 kcal

Author Jerkyholic

Ingredients

Lean Beef

• 1 lb eye of round

Marinade

• 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp liquid smoke Do NOT add if using smoker
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Optional

• 1/4 tsp Curing Salt Prague Powder #1

Instructions

1. Pick a lean cut of beef. Trim the fat cap and other visible fat. After trimmed, place the meat in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until partially frozen. This will allow for more uniform slices when cutting your beef.

2. In a plastic container that has a tight fitting lid or ziplock bag, add the marinade ingredients and mix well.

3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky. 
   

4. Add the sliced meat to the marinade and shake well until all slices are covered evenly. Place in the fridge and allow to marinate for 6-24 hours. Shake the container/bag two or three times while marinating.

5. After marinating, dry slices with paper towels to remove any excess marinade.

6. Place strips on your dehydrator drying racks with plenty of spaces in between for easy air flow. Dry with your favorite jerky making method.

7. Dry for 3 hours at 165 degrees allowing the internal temperature to reach 160 degrees and then turn down to 145F. Check the meat after 4 hours and keep drying until the jerky bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

8. Allow jerky to cool for several hours before storing.

Recipe Notes

Old Pro Tips:

• Trim all fat from the meat before marinating for longer lasting jerky once it's finished drying
• Use curing salt or celery juice powder to extend the life of the jerky
• Marinate closer to 24 hours for the most intense flavor
• Sprinkle on more red pepper flakes before drying if desiring a spicier jerky

Nutrition Facts

Rig Hand Jerky

Amount Per Serving (70 g)

Calories 151 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4g 6%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Cholesterol 56mg 19%

Sodium 1310mg 55%

Potassium 451mg 13%

Total Carbohydrates 5g 2%

Sugars 2g

Protein 21g 42%

Vitamin A 2.6%

Vitamin C 2.2%

Calcium 3.4%

Iron 16.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

You Might Also Like:

Best Cuts of Beef for Jerky

How to Make Beef Jerky with a Dehydrator

The Best Dehydrator for Making Beef Jerky

Slicing Meat for Beef Jerky

Winter is upon us and a nice jerky with a little heat is just what you need. Fireball whisky and jerky seem to go hand in hand! I love taking shots of Fireball when it’s cold outside, it just warms your whole body. For those of you that don’t know about Fireball Whisky, you need to go to the liquor store and get some! Then make this jerky….

Using Fireball Whisky was the fantastic idea of Vince, one of the readers of this blog. He sent me a comment several months ago about his cousin wanting some Fireball Whisky and asked if I have ever made any. I remember sitting there thinking “That is an awesome idea!” That was followed up with “Why didn’t I think of that…”. Ha. Here’s to you Vince!

Making The Jerky

To get started making this great tasting jerky, choose your preferred cut of meat. If you are not sure what meat to use, check out my post on Best Cuts of Beef for Jerky. Here you will find the best cuts of meat to use when making jerky. I chose to use a beef top round that was purchased already sliced thin from my butcher for this recipe. When buying a full roast, make sure to read my techniques on slicing meat to make the perfect jerky here.

As I mentioned, I used pre-sliced meat for this jerky, but I wanted to show you another great way of slicing your meat. You can either slice it with a knife by hand, or use a jerky slicer like the one above. These are fantastic for slicing even width strips that will dry at the same rate and be finished dehydrating at the same time because they are the same size. I love using my jerky slicer!

After choosing and slicing your meat, assemble the ingredients from the recipe card below in a small bowl or ziplock bag. Place the meat slices in the bowl or ziplock bag that contains the marinade and marinate in the refrigerator for 6-24 hours.

Once the meat has finished marinating, strain any excess marinade in a colander and pat the strips dry with paper towels. Now the real fun begins, drying the jerky! You can dry this jerky using a dehydrator, smoker, or even your home oven. For more step by step instructions on how to dry this jerky with either of these methods, read my Beef Jerky Making Methods. If you are new to making jerky, this page is a MUST read.

I used my Excalibur Dehydrator when making this recipe. I love this dehydrator because it can handle a lot of meat and it dries the jerky very evenly. If you are in the market for a dehydrator, I have put together a review of the top dehydrators and how they stack up for making jerky.

I set the temperature at 165F and let it run for 4.5 hours. I checked the jerky to see if it was finished starting at the 4 hour mark. You can tell when the jerky is done by taking a piece out of the dehydrator, smoker, or oven and allow it to cool for several minutes. After cooling, bend the piece of jerky, it should bend and crack but not break in half. If you sliced the meat against the grain, you will also be able to see little white fibers of the meat. These are indications that the jerky is finished and ready to eat!

Doesn’t that jerky looking good?! It was! I love Fireball and love incorporating great ingredients into my recipes when making jerky. The cinnamon is the first thing you taste when biting into the jerky. The pineapple comes through towards the end of chewing the piece. The cinnamon is not overpowering though, the jerky has a nice smooth flavor. There is no spice and a mild sweetness from the pineapple.

Feel free to add or subtract ingredients when making this recipe or any of my recipes. The best part of making jerky is experimenting!

Once the jerky is finished and cool, store in an airtight bag or vacuum seal for longer storage. Read my tips on storing beef jerky for more information.

Old Pro Tips:

• Marinate for 24 hours for best flavor.
• Ziplock bags make the best container for marinating. Release all the air from the bag and roll up so all pieces are totally covered when marinating. Rotate several times throughout the 24 hours for even marinated jerky.
• Allow jerky to cool for 5 minutes before checking to see if it is finished drying.

For more in depth directions on how to dry your jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods.

3.38 from 8 votes

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Fireball Whisky Beef Jerky

Looking for a little cinnamon goodness? This jerky has you covered with the great tasting Fireball Whisky and sweet pineapple juice sure to produce a popular jerky. 

Course Beef Jerky

Cuisine American

Keyword beef jerky, Fireball Whisky, Jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 148 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Meat

• 1 lb Beef Top Round

Marinade

• 1/4 cup Fireball Whisky
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 tsp curing salt optional

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the beef and place in freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze.
2. While the meat is in the freezer, combine marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky. (I did not freeze the jerky since I bought already thinly sliced meat. I sliced the thin meat into 1" wide strips)
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in the ziplock bag or bowl and marinate for 6-24 hours in the refrigerator.
5. After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade in a colander and pat dry with paper towels.
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator and dried for 4.5 hours at 165F.

7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Recipe Notes

Old Pro Tips:

• Marinate for 24 hours for best flavor.
• Ziplock bags make the best container for marinating. Release all the air from the bag and roll up so all pieces are totally covered when marinating. Rotate several times throughout the 24 hours for even marinated jerky.
• Allow jerky to cool for 5 minutes before checking to see if it is finished drying.

Nutrition Facts

Fireball Whisky Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 148 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4g 6%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Cholesterol 56mg 19%

Sodium 516mg 22%

Potassium 324mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 5g 2%

Sugars 4g

Protein 20g 40%

Vitamin C 1.8%

Calcium 2%

Iron 10.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

You Might Also Like:

Best Cuts of Beef for Jerky

How to Make Jerky with a Dehydrator

The Best Dehydrator for Making Jerky

Slicing Meat for Jerky

Looking for a great peppered flavored jerky? Look no further, this tropic thunder beef jerky is bursting with flavor and is sure to impress.

I’m not sure if you could tell, but my wife loves the movie Tropic Thunder. You know, the one with Ben Stiller that takes place in the jungle. Yeah, she loves that movie… So when I made a jerky with pineapple juice she thought of tropical jungles and wanted to name the recipe, and here we are…. Tropic Thunder Beef Jerky.

This is an amazing tasting jerky, I like it a lot! However, it does not have a huge flavor of pineapple juice, but more of a soy sauce and black pepper flavor.

I started with beef top round steak that was sliced thin from the supermarket. Sometimes I feel a little lazy and can’t resist the already thin sliced meat that works so great for jerky!

After combining all of the ingredients in a ziplock bag, the beef top round was marinated for 12 hours in the refrigerator. I normally like to marinate my recipes for 24 hours, but anything over 6 hours will produce some great tasting jerky.

After straining the meat in a colander, I patted dry the jerky strips with paper towels to soak up any excess marinade. My Excalibur Dehydrator was used to dry this jerky. It heats the jerky to an internal temperature of 160F, so there was no pre-heating necessary. After 4 1/2 hours the jerky was just perfect! Visit my Jerky Making Methods page for in depth step by step directions on how to dry jerky!

Make sure to remove a piece and allow it to cool to room temperature before checking if the jerky is finished. It should bend and crack, but not break in half. White fibers will also be seen if the jerky is dried correctly.

As mentioned earlier, the jerky had a great soy sauce and black pepper flavor. I would categorize the spice as mild. There was a kick from the black pepper which I really enjoyed. The brown sugar balanced the spice however, making a great standard beef jerky flavor. I wish the pineapple would come through a little more, but have had a hard time getting that flavor without using an extract. Even without the pineapple juice, it has a great flavor.

Give this Tropic Thunder Beef Jerky a shot if you are looking for a great tasting traditional jerky, I highly recommend it!

For more in depth directions on how to dry your jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods or click on the pictures below. 

4.39 from 13 votes

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Tropic Thunder Beef Jerky

Looking for a great peppered flavored jerky? Look no further, this tropic thunder beef jerky is bursting with flavor and is sure to impress.

Course Beef Jerky

Cuisine American

Keyword beef jerky, peppered beef jerky, Spicy Beef Jerky

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 5 hours

Servings 5

Calories 161 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef top round
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp curing salt optional

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the beef and place in freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze.
2. While the meat is in the freezer, combine marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky. (I did not freeze the jerky since I bought already thinly sliced meat. I sliced the thin meat into 1" wide strips)
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in the ziplock bag or bowl and marinate for 6-24 hours in the refrigerator.
5. After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade in a colander and pat dry with paper towels.
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator and dried for 4.5 hours at 165F.

7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Tropic Thunder Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 161 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4g 6%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Cholesterol 56mg 19%

Sodium 700mg 29%

Potassium 349mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 7g 2%

Sugars 6g

Protein 21g 42%

Vitamin A 2.3%

Vitamin C 1.4%

Calcium 2.4%

Iron 12.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

You Might Also Like:

Best Cuts of Beef for Jerky

How to Make Beef Jerky with a Dehydrator

The Best Dehydrator for Making Beef Jerky

Slicing Meat for Beef Jerky

Yuzu is a tart and citrus fruit which grows in East Asia that resembles a small grapefruit. Yuzu Kosho (seen below) is a pasty Japanese condiment that is made of three ingredients: yuzu zest, salt, and chiles. 

My wife is the brains behind this jerky, and keeping with her tradition of making food with either a zillion ingredients or steps; this jerky recipe is no exception. It’s inspired by a Chilean Sea Bass dish that was served at our wedding, so it reminds us of a special time whenever we make it. So if you are ready to take some time and put in some hard work in the kitchen, this amazing jerky will not disappoint!

Using a Tri-tip roast, it was sliced with my Weston Jerky Slicer making all the strips an even width which is great for drying. The Tri-Tip had a little too much fat for my liking, but had wanted to try that cut for a while now. I would recommend sticking with an eye of round roast which has less fat.

After slicing your beef, set it in the fridge while you prepare the marinade. The main ingredients in this marinade are the Red and Green Yuzu Kosho. The red yuzu is made from red chiles and the green from green chiles. The red yuzu is very spicy, so use sparingly! You can find these in an Asian supermarket or buy purchase online at the link I provided. The marinade is made up of two broths; a Dashi broth and a mushroom broth. 

The mushroom broth is quite simple with 1 packet of dried shiitake mushrooms bathed in hot water. You dispose of the mushrooms, the only thing you want from this is the amazing mushroom flavor.

The Dashi broth consists of kombu (dried seaweed) and katsuobushi (dried fish flakes). Okay, so maybe there aren’t a zillion ingredients and making the broth isn’t exactly a huge amount of steps. But i’m used to throwing some ingredients in a ziplock bag, adding meat, and you are immediately marinating some jerky! This recipe has a couple more steps, but not too bad…

Just like the mushroom broth, all you want is the liquid and none of the seaweed or fish flakes. Once finished; several cups of both broths are blended together, yuzu added, and brought back to a boil in order to make sure they are well blended. After they have blended, allow them to cool and your marinade is ready. Make sure not to add the meat until the broth has cooled down to room temperature or below.

I have detailed instructions on how to make these two broths in the recipe card below. Don’t let the ingredients turn you off from making this jerky. As I mentioned earlier, they can be found online or at a local Asian supermarket.

So how does it taste? GREAT!!! The first thing you notice is a great Asian flavor followed by an orange and chili spice at the end. For such a small amount of red yuzu this jerky has a lot of spice, yet is also savory. So order your ingredients and get to making some Yuzu Beef Jerky!

For more in depth directions on how to dry your turkey jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods or click on the pictures below. 

0 from 0 votes

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Yuzu Beef Jerky

Yuzu is a tart and citrus fruit which grows in East Asia that resembles a small grapefruit. This yuzu is the main ingredient which is blended with several broths making a fantastic Asian jerky.

Course Beef Jerky

Cuisine American

Keyword beef jerky, Jerky, yuzu

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 5 hours 40 minutes

Total Time 6 hours

Servings 5

Calories 207 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb eye of round

Dashi Broth

• 2 3.5" pieces kombu dried seaweed
• 1/2 cup katsuobushi dried fish flakes
• 4 cups water cold

Mushroom Broth

• 1 oz shiitake mushrooms dried
• 4 cups water

Yuzu Dashi Mushroom Marinade

• 2 tsp yuzu kosho green
• 1/2 tsp yuzu kosho spicy red
• 3 cups dashi broth previously prepared
• 1/2 cup mushroom broth previously prepared

Instructions

Dashi Broth

1. In a small pot, soak kombu for 20 minutes in 4 cups of cold water.

2. Bring water and kombu to a boil and add the katsuobushi.

3. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Do not remove the pot from burner.

4. Strain the broth in a bowl, removing and discarding kombu and katsuobushi. Set broth aside.

Mushroom Broth

1. Place dried mushrooms in a bowl.

2. In a separate pot, bring 4 cups of water almost to a boil.

3. Before it boils, pour just enough of the hot water over the mushrooms until they are just covered and let sit for 15 minutes.

4. Remove and dispose of mushrooms. Set broth aside.

Yuzu Dashi Mushroom Marinade

1. In a pot, combine 3 cups of dashi broth, 1/2 cup of mushroom broth, 2 tsp of green yuzu, and 1/2 tsp of red yuzu.

2. Heat on high to almost a boil and stir until ingredients are well incorporated.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature or below. Place marinade in a ziplock bag or bowl.

Prepare Beef and Marinate

1. Trim all visible fat from the beef and place in freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze.
2. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky. (I did not freeze the jerky and used my Jerky Slicer with the grain)

3. Add sliced beef to the yuzu dashi mushroom marinade and marinate for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator.

4. After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade in a colander and pat dry with paper towels.
5. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator and dried for 4 hours at 165F.

6. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Yuzu Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 207 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4g 6%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Cholesterol 72mg 24%

Sodium 135mg 6%

Potassium 531mg 15%

Protein 36g 72%

Calcium 2.9%

Iron 10.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

You Might Also Like:

Best Cuts of Beef for Jerky

How to Make Beef Jerky with a Dehydrator

The Best Dehydrator for Making Beef Jerky

Slicing Meat for Beef Jerky

This jerky recipe is a great one that has an amazing sweet flavor followed by a spicy zing at the end. Rave reviews were received when I passed this jerky around at home and work. Everyone loved it!

I made this jerky AFTER I got back from a week long camping trip up in Canada. My wife and I went to Banff and Jasper National Park just west of Calgary. It was a fantastic trip in which I wish I had this jerky with me for all the amazing hikes we did.

Making the Jerky

I bought jerky while I was in Canada and was very unimpressed. I’m not saying that Canadians can’t make jerky, because I know they can throw down some jam up dried meat, but unfortunately I didn’t find any on my trip.

Being short on time, I purchased already thinly sliced Beef Top Round. This helped since I didn’t have to break out my jerky slicer and slice the meat myself. It also was perfect because my local grocery store was selling these packages as ‘buy one get one free’. Can’t beat that!

I also marinated for about 7 hours instead of my usual 20+. Since the meat was so thinly sliced, the lower marinating time was more than enough to give this jerky an amazing flavor. After marinating, the meat was drained in a colander and patted dry with paper towels.

I used my Excalibur Dehydrator when making this jerky. I love using this dehydrator. It’s very quiet, has a very large capacity, and produces some really tasty jerky!

It took a total of 4 hours at 160°F to turn out just perfect. The thinly sliced meat was the perfect size for jerky and the flavor was on point.

The brown sugar and honey give this jerky a nice sweet flavor when you first start to chew. After a couple of seconds the salty soy sauce flavor will come out making it very savory. Finally, when you are finishing up your piece the heat from the red pepper flakes and black pepper will have you reaching for some water.

This jerky was very popular at home as well as at work. Everyone that tried it LOVED it. It’s easy to see why with the ingredients and flavors that are packed into this meaty snack. Definitely put this recipe on the top of your ‘to try’ list!

Cooks Tips:

• Marinate for 24 hours for full flavor.
• Sprinkle on extra red pepper for more spice!
• Don’t leave out the sesame oil, it really adds a great flavor to this recipe.
• Allow jerky to cool for 5 minutes before checking to see if it is finished drying.

For more in depth directions on how to dry your jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods or click on the pictures below. 

4.15 from 34 votes

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Spicy Sweet Beef Jerky

This jerky recipe is a great one that has an amazing sweet flavor followed by a spicy zing at the end. Rave reviews were received when I passed this jerky around at home and work. Everyone loved it!

Course Beef Jerky

Cuisine American

Keyword beef jerky, Spicy Sweet Beef Jerky

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 267 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

• 1 lb Beef Top Round
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp ginger ground
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup water cold

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the beef and place in freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze.

2. While the meat is in the freezer, combine marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag. 
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky. (I did not freeze the jerky since I bought already thinly sliced meat. I sliced the thin meat into 1" wide strips)
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in the ziplock bag or bowl and marinate for 6-24 hours in the refrigerator.
5. After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. 
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator and dried for 4 hours at 165F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Recipe Notes

Cooks Tips:

• Marinate for 24 hours for full flavor.
• Sprinkle on extra red pepper for more spice!
• Don't leave out the sesame oil, it really adds a great flavor to this recipe.
• Allow jerky to cool for 5 minutes before checking to see if it is finished drying.

Nutrition Facts

Spicy Sweet Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 267 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9g 14%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Cholesterol 88mg 29%

Sodium 884mg 37%

Potassium 301mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 12g 4%

Sugars 10g

Protein 32g 64%

Vitamin A 5.9%

Vitamin C 1.8%

Calcium 1.8%

Iron 18.3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The silk road was a trading route that ran from Europe around the Mediterranean eventually all the way to China and beyond. This recipe has Sumac as the star ingredient, which is from the Mediterranean…

You might be asking, “so was Sumac traded along the silk road?” Uh, I don’t think so. But I needed a name for this jerky, and since I already have a Mediterranean Jerky, I named it Silk Road Beef Jerky.  See how simple my mind works? Ha.

As I mentioned before, Sumac is the star ingredient for this recipe. I bought mine at a spice shop down the road in Boulder. You can find some at a local store near you or buy some Sumac on amazon. 

Sumac is a spice from the middle east that has a tangy lemony flavor. It’s normally found and used ground, not whole. It’s fantastic!!! I also used some tomato powder that you can find at a local spice shop or online, of course…

After marinating for 12 hours, I strained in a colander and patted dry with paper towels.

After patting dry with paper towels, sprinkle on extra sesame seeds to enhance the flavor and make it look that much better! I put the strips on my Excalibur Dehydrator trays and dried for 4 hours at 165°F.

This jerky turned out VERY yummy! A great flavor comes through that is tangy and tart. The sumac really steals the show adding a little lemony flavor. This is followed by a hint of cinnamon that rounds out the jerky making it a definite keeper! There isn’t much of a tomato flavor, so if you like tomato you might need to add a little more. VERY GOOD!!!

For more in depth directions on how to dry your jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods or click on the pictures below. 

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Silk Road Beef Jerky

Jerky with a great flavor that is tangy and tart. The sumac really steals the show adding a little lemony flavor. This is followed by a hint of cinnamon that rounds out the jerky making it a definite keeper!

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword beef jerky, sumac

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Servings 5 servings

Calories 173 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Beef Eye of Round or Venison

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp ground sumac
• 2 tsp tomato powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/4 tsp curing salt optional

Topping

• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the beef and place in freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze.
2. While the meat is in the freezer, combine marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag. Only use 1/2tsp of sesame seeds and keep the other 1/2tsp to sprinkle on the strips after marinating.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky. (I did not freeze the jerky and used my Jerky Slicer with the grain)
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in the ziplock bag or bowl and marinate for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator.
5. After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle strips with the remianing ½ tsp sesame seeds.
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator and dried for 4 hours at 165F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Silk Road Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving (70 g)

Calories 173 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7g 11%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 267mg 11%

Potassium 208mg 6%

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin C 1.8%

Calcium 0.8%

Iron 12.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Who’s ready for some Margaritas?!?!?! Unfortunately it is Monday, but the taste of frozen margaritas you probably drank this weekend can stay fresh in your mind while at the office with some margarita beef jerky!

This is a pretty simple recipe that produces a almost candy like jerky. I used a Beef Top Round and marinated the meat for a total of 16 hours before drying.

You will more than likely have most of the ingredients for this recipe in your pantry, just grab a bottle of margarita mix and some meat while you are at your grocery store and you will be good to go! It doesn’t really matter what mix you get, they will all be about the same. I grabbed Mr. & Mrs. T’s margarita mix. Not sure who the T’s are, but their mix is pretty tasty!

I used my Weston Jerky Slicer to get nice even strips. This thing is great if you start making a bunch of jerky. I use it just about every time I make jerky.

After marinating 16 hours, I strained the jerky strips in a colander and placed on my jerky trays. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator when making this batch. If you are in the market for a dehydrator or aren’t sure which one to get, check out my dehydrator reviews.

I dried these for 3 hours at 165°F and turned down for 2 hours at 145°F. After 5 hours, this sweet meat candy was dried to perfection. So did it taste like a margarita? YES! It really does have a sweet margarita flavor with just enough saltiness. If you are looking for a flavorful and sweet jerky, look no further.

The weekend may be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in this margarita flavor jerky to hold you over until NEXT weekend!

For more in depth directions on how to dry your jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods or click on the pictures below. 

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Margarita Beef Jerky

Who's ready for some Margaritas?!?!?! Unfortunately it is Monday, but the taste of frozen margaritas you probably drank this weekend can stay fresh in your mind while at the office with some margarita beef jerky!

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword margarita beef jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 5 hours

Total Time 6 hours

Servings 4

Calories 267 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb of Beef Top Round or Venison

Marinade

• 1 cup margarita mix
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp curing salt optional

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the beef and place in freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze.
2. While the meat is in the freezer, combine marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky. (I did not freeze the jerky and used my Jerky Slicer with the grain)
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in the ziplock bag or bowl and marinate for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator.
5. After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade in a colander and pat dry with paper towels.
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator and dried for 3 hours at 165F and 2 hours at 145F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Margarita Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 267 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 8g 12%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Cholesterol 88mg 29%

Sodium 955mg 40%

Potassium 251mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates 13g 4%

Sugars 13g

Protein 30g 60%

Calcium 0.7%

Iron 15.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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I have a lot of people ask me what my all time favorite jerky recipes are, and you can see a list on my Beef Jerky Recipe page. But we are starting a new year and I can’t help but look back at some of the Top Jerky Recipes of 2017!

What really happened was my wife called me and told me that I should put together a list of my Top 3 Jerky recipes of 2017. Since that was a great idea, like most of her ideas, I put together a list!

So here are some of my favorite and readers favorite jerky recipes from this past year!

Jimmy’s Teriyaki Deer Jerky

My highest visited and tried recipe of this past year came at the beginning of 2017. It was right after hunting season and I was given a tried and true recipe from my hunting buddy Jimmy. It’s an easy recipe to make since the base is a marinade you can find in your local grocery store called Allegro Teriyaki Marinade.

I made this jerky with venison, but it works great for beef jerky as well! The number 1 recipe of 2017 is Jimmy’s Teriyaki Deer Jerky.

The sweet flavor of the marinade married with the spice of the fresh cracked black pepper makes this jerky very satisfying to make and eat. So slice up your harvest from this year or grab a beef roast from the store and make a batch of Jimmy’s Teriyaki Deer Jerky!

Korean BBQ Beef Jerky

The second recipe that made the Top 3 Jerky Recipes of 2017 was the very last recipe made last year. The inspiration for this recipe came from a very popular Asian cuisine that I am sure ALL of you have eaten at some point in your life. That’s right, it’s Korean BBQ Beef Jerky!

Why did this recipe make the top 3? It tasted exactly like the amazing Korean BBQ pork dish you can get at any local Korean Restaurant. That pork is addicting, and this jerky is just as addicting!

The soy sauce was not overpowering and it wasn’t really salty either. The flavors turned out just perfect. Most regular super markets have all of the ingredients needed, but you might have to make a special trip to an Asian super market if you live in a small town. However, don’t let this deter you from making this recipe, it probably will be one of your favorites too!

Dragon Fire Beef Jerky

The third recipe to round out the Top Recipes of 2017 has a little spice to it. You have to end 2017 and start 2018 with a little bit of a kick! This recipe has become one of my all time favorites and if you like spicy jerky, will be on your top list of jerky as well. My wife helped me pick out the name and even gave me a little figurine to put in the pictures. Rounding out 2017 is Dragon Fire Beef Jerky!

Man was this a great tasting jerky! I love spicy jerky and the Habanero peppers really made this jerky a winner. The sea salt also gave it the perfect amount of saltiness that I love in jerky.

Don’t forget to blend the Habanero peppers along with the other ingredients in a blender to get the full flavor and fire of the Habaneros.

Dragon Fire Beef Jerky jumped into my wife’s all time top 3 jerky recipes; I could also tell that she loved it because she almost ate it all before I could take these pictures. Do yourself a favor and add this recipe to your list to try in the upcoming weeks.

A Look into 2018

I am super excited about the jerky recipes to come in 2018, and I hope that you keep checking in or sign up for my newsletter to get those new recipes as soon as I post them.

As a teaser, I just finished drying some Elk Jerky today and it was AMAZING! A quick trip into Oklahoma City to visit my local spice shop, Savory Spice, I scored some Ghost Peppers and a Carolina Reaper Puree which churned out some great Elk Jerky. So stay posted for those recipes and many many more to come! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

A very popular Korean dish you can find just about anywhere and tastes FANTASTIC is BBQ pork. This jerky recipe is a take of that dish and turned out tasting just as great!

I sliced the Beef Tri-Tip with my Weston Jerky Slicer making all the strips an even width which is great for drying. The Tri-Tip had a little too much fat for my liking, but had wanted to try that cut for a while now. I would recommend sticking with an eye of round roast which has less fat.

The jerky strips were marinated for a total of 16 hours in the soy sauce based marinade. This popular korean bbq recipe consists of soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, garlic, sesame seeds, and sesame seed oil. Most of these ingredients can be found in your local super market in the Asian food section.

It took a total of 4 hours at 165F to dry this to my liking. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator, but you can use a smoker or oven if you don’t have a dehydrator. You can see the Korean Recipe on the center rack in the picture below. I was making 3 different recipes…. I love trying different jerky!

This Korean BBQ Beef Jerky turned out awesome! It really tasted just like the Korean Pork dishes you get in restaurants. The soy sauce flavor was light and NOT overpowering like many other soy sauce based recipes. It was not too salty and the sesame oil flavor really stands out. I highly recommend trying this recipe.

For more in depth directions on how to dry your jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods or click on the pictures below. 

3.12 from 34 votes

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Korean BBQ Beef Jerky

A very popular Korean dish you can find just about anywhere and tastes FANTASTIC is BBQ pork. This jerky recipe is a take of that dish and turned out tasting just as great!

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword korean bbq jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Servings 5

Calories 210 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Beef Eye of Round or Venison

Marinade

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 1/2 tsp sesame seeds divided
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil
• 1/4 tsp curing salt optional

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the beef and place in freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze.
2. While the meat is in the freezer, combine marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag. Only use 1tsp of sesame seeds and keep the remaining to sprinkle on the strips after marinating.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky. (I did not freeze the jerky and used my Jerky Slicer with the grain)
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in the ziplock bag or bowl and marinate for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator.
5. After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle strips with the remianing 1 1/2 tsp sesame seeds.
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator and dried for 4 hours at 165F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Korean BBQ Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving (70 g)

Calories 210 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 8g 12%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 897mg 37%

Potassium 241mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates 4g 1%

Sugars 2g

Protein 26g 52%

Calcium 1.8%

Iron 14.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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My family has used Dale’s Steak Seasoning when marinating steaks for as long as I can remember. I am not sure why it took me this long to make some beef jerky with it…. So here is Dale’s Steak Seasoning Beef Jerky!!!

I always feel a little bit lazy when I make a jerky from an already made marinade, but this stuff is SOOOOO good! My father has marinated steaks with Dale’s the whole time I grew up and still uses it to this day. It’s mainly made from soy sauce, so it definitely starts with one of the most popular jerky ingredient.

I decided to use my favorite cut of meat, Beef Eye of Round, when making this batch. After trimming off a little fat, it was sliced in about 1″ slabs that would be fed through my Jerky Slicer.

After feeding the meat slabs through my Westin Jerky Slicer, they were ready to be marinated. I don’t always use a jerky slicer, but I love the fact that all the strips are the same size and dry evenly in the dehydrator. If you are making a bunch of jerky, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Only two ingredients went into this marinade, Dale’s Steak Seasoning and Hickory Liquid Smoke. I told you it was easy! I let this batch marinade for 18 hours in the fridge.

After straining and patting dry the strips with paper towels, they were arranged on my Nesco Dehydrator to be dried. It took 3 hours at 160F and 1 hour at 145F for these bad boys to be done.

They turned out great! Because of the soy sauce, these had a great saltiness taste to them. I am a big fan of salty jerky and this recipe fit the bill. If you are looking for a great tasting, quick, and easy recipe that you can’t screw up, this one is calling your name!

For more in depth directions on how to dry your turkey jerky, visit my page Jerky Making Methods or click on the pictures below. 

3.42 from 24 votes

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Dale's Steak Seasoning Beef Jerky

My family has used Dale's Steak Seasoning when marinating steaks for as long as I can remember. I am not sure why it took me this long to make some beef jerky with it.... So here is Dale's Steak Seasoning Beef Jerky!!!

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword Dales beef jerky

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 226 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Beef Eye of Round or Venison

Marinade

• 3/4 cup Dale's Steak Seasoning
• 2 tsp liquid smoke hickory
• 1/4 tsp curing salt optional

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the beef and place in freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze.
2. While the meat is in the freezer, combine marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky. (I did not freeze the jerky and used my Jerky Slicer with the grain)
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in the ziplock bag or bowl and marinate for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator.
5. After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade in a colander and pat dry with paper towels.
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Nesco Dehydrator and dried for 3 hours at 160F and 1 hour at 145F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Dale's Steak Seasoning Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 226 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6g 9%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 707mg 29%

Potassium 221mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 11g 4%

Sugars 9g

Protein 26g 52%

Calcium 0.5%

Iron 12.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

You Might Also Like:

Best Cuts of Beef for Jerky

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Slicing Meat for Beef Jerky