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.

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!

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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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.

   While the meat is in the freezer, combine marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag. 

   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)

   Add sliced beef to the mixture in the ziplock bag or bowl and marinate for 6-24 hours in the refrigerator.

   After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. 

   Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator and dried for 4 hours at 165F.

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

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.

There is nothing better than some trout fishing in the mountains of Colorado. Unfortunately I bought this trout at the super market because I didn’t have a chance to go fishing…. Soon though, Soon!

I have been making a bunch of fish jerky lately and decided to make some trout jerky instead of my go to salmon jerky. I am living in Colorado now, so rainbow trout is what my local super market had. You can make this out of any kind of salt or fresh water trout though; silver, brown, cutthroat, speckled…

Preparing the Fish:

The first thing you want to do is scale (or de-scale) the trout. This is the process of scraping off all the little scales that cover it’s body. These trout already came gutted, but it is not necessary to gut it first. You can use a whole trout, scale it, and then fillet it without gutting.

To scale the trout start by placing it on butcher paper or a cutting board (this will get kinda messy)! I did this in my kitchen with my wife looking over my shoulder making sure none of those little scales were flying on the floor… Sorry L….

Start with a butter knife and scrape the fish from the tail end towards the head. As you can see above, this will scrape off all the little scales. You want to get these off now that way your jerky isn’t covered with scales after you take it out of the marinade. Spend some time here and make sure to get off as much as you can from both sides of the fish.

After you have scaled the trout, fillet it so you have two fillets from each fish. Do not cut the skin off after you have filleted the fish, you are going to want to keep the skin on so that the meat stays together during the marinading and drying process.

Cut away the rib bones after filleting leaving only a clean trout fillet. Run your finger from the tail end of the fillet to the head and check for any pin bones. They will be white bones that will feel hard on your fingers. I did have a couple on these trout, although they were not as hard as the ones you find in salmon. Pluck any pin bones out with needle nose plyers and discard. This might not be a problem when filleting salt water trout, I have never had to remove pin bones from speckled or silver trout.

Using a very sharp knife, slice the trout fillets into 1/4″ – 1/2″ wide strips lengthwise making long skinny strips. Notice that the skin is still on the fish preventing the meat from falling apart. The skin will be kept on throughout the marinating and drying process but can easily be removed right before eating.

Making the Jerky:

After the fillets have been sliced into strips, you are going to marinate it in the refrigerator for 6-24 hours. The marinade I used for this recipe is listed below. It’s a simple recipe with some great flavors including cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. TASTY!

After the trout strips have marinated, strain them in a colander and then pat dry on paper towels to remove any excess marinade.

Place the strips in your dehydrator or on a baking rack if you are going to dry in your oven. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator when making this jerky. You can find detailed information on different ways of dehydrating jerky here. After setting my dehydrator to 150°F and drying for 4 hours, this jerky turned out perfect.

The trout jerky had a little bit of a kick to it from the cayenne pepper and chipotle chili powder. It had a nice salty flavor from the kosher salt and that fish flavor you would expect from fish jerky. A little stronger of a fish flavor than salmon jerky, so if you love fish this is your jerky!

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This Malaysian Pork Jerky has a great flavor with a little sweetness that is found all across the Asian continent. My co-workers couldn’t put this jerky down. It lasted about 3 minutes…

I made this jerky out of pork loin. Just make sure to trim as much fat as you can before marinating. 

I also sliced the pork against the grain for an easier chew.

After slicing I let it marinade for 21 hours in the refrigerator. This recipe has a lot of great ingredients such as sesame oil and chili garlic sauce that led to an amazing flavor. Try to marinate for at least 6 hours, but longer is better! 

After marinating, strain the pork of any excess marinade and pat dry with paper towels. I dried this jerky or 4 1/2 hours at 165°F with my Nesco Dehydrator, you can see the pork on the dehydrator trays above. You can also make this jerky in the oven or smoker if you choose. 

This recipe turned out tasting amazing. The sesame oil really comes through and the spice from the chili garlic sauce and black pepper really adds to the flavor. Even though soy sauce was used in the recipe, it does not over power the jerky at all, comes across very mild.

I asked a guy I work with for a description and his response was “perfect”. That really sums it up. There is nothing that needs to be changed or altered with this recipe. Let me know how you like it in the comments below!

This recipe doesn’t have to be used on Pork only. Make this with beef or venison and it will also turn out really good! Enjoy!!!

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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The Best Dehydrator for Making Beef Jerky

Slicing Meat for Beef Jerky

Love salmon? Well then you are going to LOVE this salmon jerky! This recipe has a light fish flavor with a nice smokey and salty finish. Just perfect!

When it comes to fat content in fish, salmon ranks on the higher end. If you have been reading about jerky, fat is not a good thing…. But salmon still makes GREAT jerky!

I started with a wild caught sockeye salmon fillet that I purchased from my local grocery store. I always buy wild caught salmon when cooking or making jerky. The taste is sooo much better when it is wild caught. You can tell wild caught from farm raised because of the dark red color of the meat.

Run your fingers over the meat to feel for any pin bones. I have had salmon fillets with a lot of pin bones (see above) and others that don’t have any. They will feel hard and be white in color. I use standard needle nose pliers to pull them out. They should pull out easily with a little wiggling. Don’t forget this step, no one likes bones in their jerky!

Here is where you can either skin the fillet or leave the skin on. I like leaving the skin on because it keeps the meat together. If you remove the skin now, the strips can break apart easily during marinating. Once you are done drying, the skin will peel off easily before you eat the jerky.

Using a very sharp knife, slice 1/4″ – 1/2″ wide strips down the length of the fillet. Slicing from the “head” of the fillet to the “tail”.

After all the strips are sliced lengthwise, cut across the strips to your desired length. I normally cut mine between 3-4″ long.

I marinated my strips with the recipe below for 18 hours in a ziplock bag stored in the fridge. Mix up the strips in the bag several times during marinating to ensure all strips are evenly marinated.

Strain strips in a colander and pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess marinade.

Lay the strips on a dehydrator tray or a cooling rack if drying with your oven. Make sure none of the pieces are touching and there is amble room in between for air to circulate. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator when making this recipe.

Dry at 150°F or as low as your oven will go if using an oven until the strips are finished. Since salmon is high in fat I like to dry my salmon jerky more than a non fatty fish such as trout. It took this jerky 9 hours to be just perfect.

It turned out GREAT! The smoke flavor from the liquid smoke and the saltiness from the soy sauce really makes this jerky taste amazing. If you love salmon, you HAVE to make this jerky. Now all you have to do is peel the skin off and eat!

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Tasty Salmon Jerky

Love salmon? Well then you are going to LOVE this salmon jerky! This recipe has a light fish flavor with a nice smokey and salty finish. Just perfect!

Course Snack

Cuisine Salmon Jerky

Keyword fish jerky, salmon jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 9 hours

Total Time 10 hours

Servings 5

Calories 155 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Fish

• 1 lb Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon can use any salmon

Marinade

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp curing salt optional

Instructions

1. Remove pin bones from fish fillet with needle nose pliers. Leave skin on fillet.
2. With a sharp knife, slice long strips lengthwise 1/4"-1/2" thick from the "head" of the fillet to the "tail".
3. Slice across the previously sliced long strips cutting into 3"-4" pieces.
4. Assemble all the ingredients of marinade in a bowl or ziplock bag and mix well.
5. Add the salmon strips to the marinade and marinate for 6-24 hours in the refrigerator. Mix the strips several times during marinating for evenly coated strips.
6. Strain jerky strips in a colander and then dry with paper towels to remove any excess marinade.
7. Place strips on a dehydrator tray or oven cooling rack on top of a oven pan to catch any drippings.
8. Dry at 150F if using a dehydrator or as low as your oven will go if using an oven.
9. Jerky will be done when it is completely dry and to your texture liking. It took me 9 hours to dry this jerky in my Excalibur Dehydrator.
10. Remove skin from jerky and eat!

Nutrition Facts

Tasty Salmon Jerky

Amount Per Serving (70 g)

Calories 155 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 5g 8%

Cholesterol 49mg 16%

Sodium 1341mg 56%

Potassium 504mg 14%

Total Carbohydrates 4g 1%

Sugars 2g

Protein 20g 40%

Vitamin A 0.7%

Vitamin C 1.4%

Calcium 1.9%

Iron 7.5%

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

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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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Can you make jerky out of Pork? YES!!! It tastes great too! This sweet recipe worked very well with pork, you will definitely love it…

As you can see from the picture above, there aren’t many ingredients when making this recipe. First off, you have to start with a piece of pork.

I used a pork tenderloin from my local grocery store. Tenderloin is a pretty inexpensive cut but does have a decent amount of fat on it. Make sure to trim as much fat as possible before slicing into strips and marinating.

After mixing the ingredients and marinating for 20 hours, the pork was strained in a colander and patted dry with paper towels. The maple syrup in the marinade made the strips very slick and hard to pick up. When it was done dehydrating though, it had that sticky shiny appearance a lot of sweet pork jerky recipes have. Delicious!!!

I used my Excalibur Dehydrator when making this recipe. I love this dehydrator, it really turned out some great pork jerky with this recipe. It took a little more than 4 hours at 165°F to finish this jerky to perfection.

I made three different pork recipes with this one tenderloin and this Sweet Maple Pork Jerky was my wife’s favorite. There is good reason for that, it tastes great! There isn’t any spice at all, just sweetness from the sugar and maple syrup. For such a simple recipe, the jerky really turns out fantastic!

This recipe doesn’t have to be used on Pork only. Make this with beef or venison and it will also turn out really good! Enjoy!!!

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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Sweet Maple Pork Jerky

Can you make jerky out of Pork? YES!!! It tastes great too! This sweet recipe worked very well with pork, you will definitely love it...

Course Snack

Keyword Pork Jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Servings 5

Calories 161 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Pork Tenderloin can also use beef or venison

Marinade

• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 tsp curing salt optional

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the meat 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 cut some with and some against since I like both! You can also skip the freezing and use a Jerky Slicer.
4. Add sliced meat 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 4 hours at 165F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Maple Pork Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 161 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 3g 5%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Cholesterol 58mg 19%

Sodium 747mg 31%

Potassium 392mg 11%

Total Carbohydrates 13g 4%

Sugars 11g

Protein 18g 36%

Calcium 2.3%

Iron 4.9%

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

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Bugling Elk Jerky is a great tasting sweet and salty jerky that will not disappoint! Didn’t harvest an Elk this year? No worries, make with beef or venison too!

I sliced up this elk roast that I got from a buddy at work. Bugling Elk Jerky is one of the recipes I made with this roast. Why did I call it bugling elk jerky? I remember camping with my wife in Yellowstone and hearing the elk bugling throughout the night. It was amazing, and I thought the name just fit…

I sliced this roast with my Weston Jerky Slicer into perfect jerky slices. You don’t need a jerky slicer; but if you are going to start making a bunch of jerky, it makes it sooooooo much easier to get even strips!

This recipe is a VERY easy one to make. With only 2 ingredients, 3 if you add curing salt, it’s an easy recipe to make that comes out tasting fantastic! I like using pre-made marinades when I am feeling a little lazy… Ha.

After marinating for 16 hours, the meat was drained in a colander and patted dry with paper towels. I made this recipe while I was at work, so I filled up the drying racks on my Nesco Dehydrator.

Just look at those great looking jerky strips about to turn into some amazing tasting elk jerky! These took 4 hours at 160°F to finish with a perfect texture. Drying times may vary depending on how thick you slice your jerky. Mine normally take between 4-6 hours.

When I tasted this jerky the first flavor that hits you is the soy sauce from the Allegro Original Marinade. It has a very bold flavor that is sweet and salty. The pepper added a great peppery flavor that goes great on any kind of jerky. I really enjoyed this batch and recommend you trying it.

This recipe doesn’t have to be used on Elk only. Make this with beef or venison and it will also turn out really good! Enjoy!!!

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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Bugling Elk Jerky

Bugling Elk Jerky is a great tasting sweet and salty jerky that will not disappoint! Didn't harvest an Elk this year? No worries, make with beef or venison too!

Course Snack

Cuisine elk jerky

Keyword elk jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Servings 5

Calories 160 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Elk Venison, or Beef (Best Slices of Meat for Jerky)

Marinade

• 3/4 cup Allegro Original Marinade
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp curing salt optional

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the meat 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 meat 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 4 hours at 160F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Bugling Elk Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 160 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1g 2%

Cholesterol 49mg 16%

Sodium 723mg 30%

Potassium 302mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 12g 4%

Sugars 9g

Protein 22g 44%

Calcium 0.4%

Iron 14.1%

* 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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How to Make Beef Jerky with a Dehydrator

The Best Dehydrator for Making Beef Jerky

Slicing Meat for Beef Jerky

I had a buddy hook me up with an Elk Roast from this past hunting season. So what did I decide to do with it? Make some Elk jerky!!! This is the first time I have made jerky out of Elk and was very happy with the flavor and texture of the meat. Check out one of the recipes I made below.

The roast was very lean with only a little bit of fat to be trimmed. I trimmed the fat and cut into several chunks in preparation for slicing.

I used my Weston Jerky Slicer to slice this elk roast into even and consistent strips. I love using this jerky slicer and haven’t sliced meat by hand since I purchased it.

The only problem I had when slicing this roast is that the meat was not as firm as most beef roasts I use which made the slicer have a hard time pulling the roast through the blades. The next time I slice elk I will make sure to place the meat in the freezer for about an hour to just firm up the meat.

So why is this called Grim Reaper Elk Jerky? It’s because I finally got my hands on some Carolina Reaper peppers, the hottest pepper in the world! ***Spoiler Alert – This jerky was HOT!***

Okay….. So I did not get the whole or dried peppers, but I did get this Reaper Puree which is made up of the peppers and some vinegar. I got it from my local Savory Spice Shop. You can order this puree online at their website if you don’t have a store near you. It is about $20, but will last a LONG time!

After marinating for 20 hours I strained the jerky strips in a colander before dehydrating. I did not need to use gloves when removing the strips from the colander and placing on the dehydrator. I was worried it might burn or leave residue on my fingers, but this did not happen.

I used my Nesco Dehydrator when making this Elk Jerky. It took about 4 hours at 160°F to get it just right. This is one of my favorite dehydrators to use when making jerky. The smell of this jerky made my house smell fantastic! I couldn’t wait for it to finish…

This recipe is super easy to put together! It only has two ingredients, but it produces an AMAZING tasting jerky!

At first I was amazed it wasn’t that spicy, but then the heat crept up on me and revealed it’s full flavor! The saltiness from soy sauce based Allegro Original Marinade compliments the peppers and makes this a very tasty jerky.

If you follow the recipe below, you will have some VERY spicy jerky. When I and friends ate this jerky, we all started sweating. I could only eat one piece and had to wait about another 30 minutes before eating another.

If you do NOT want this spicy of jerky, cut the amount of Reaper Puree by half. This will still produce a spicy jerky, but won’t have you raiding your fridge for some milk!

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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Grim Reaper Elk Jerky

At first I was amazed it wasn't that spicy, but then the heat crept up on me and revealed it's full flavor! The saltiness from soy sauce based Allegro Original Marinade compliments the peppers and makes this a very tasty jerky.

Course Snack

Cuisine jerky

Keyword elk jerky, Jerky

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 159 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Elk Venison, or Beef

Marinade

• 3/4 cup Allegro Original Marinade
• 1 1/2 tsp Carolina Reaper Puree
• 1/4 tsp curing salt optional

Instructions

1. Trim all visible fat from the meat 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 4 hours at 160F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Grim Reaper Elk Jerky

Amount Per Serving (70 g)

Calories 159 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1g 2%

Cholesterol 49mg 16%

Sodium 722mg 30%

Potassium 302mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 11g 4%

Sugars 9g

Protein 22g 44%

Calcium 0.4%

Iron 13.9%

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

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Slicing Meat for Beef Jerky

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!!!