The best homemade beef jerky recipe made with Habanero Peppers is bound for greatness! The spicy kick of the peppers and the saltiness of the Sea Salt really makes this the top jerky recipe ever! This Dragon Fire Beef Jerky recipe quickly jumped to the top of my list of hundreds of jerky recipes I have made over the years.

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 jerky recipe has some great ingredients including: garlic powder, sugar, fresh cracked black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and of course some fresh Habaneros! To make the marinade, just combine all the ingredients that are listed on the recipe card below in a blender and add the fresh Habaneros.

Readers Tip: Substitue 1/3 cup of the water for 1/3 cup of soy sauce for a more salty intense flavor.

Blend until the peppers are fully incorporated into the marinade. Smelling this marinade made me say “Oh Wow!” after blending these habanero peppers you see in the picture above. It was a STRONG smelling of fire, heat, and goodness! Ha.

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

Combine the jerky slices and marinade in a bowl or ziplock bag and marinate for 6-24 hours. I like using a ziplock bag as it seems to allow the marinade to fully coat the meat. Mix the bag up a couple times during the marinading process to also make sure each piece gets an even amount of these great tasting spices!

Drying The Jerky

After marinading, strain the jerky strips in a colander to remove any excess marinade. Place the strips on a paper towel and pat dry to remove even more of the excess marinade that is sitting on the surface. Doing this will help speed up the drying process.

Transfer the strips to your dehydrator trays, oven rack, or smoker racks to dry. I used a dehydrator, but you can also use an oven or smoker when making this jerky. Check out my page on different ways to make jerky to find the best one for you!

The beef marinated for a total of 18 hours before 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.

Related Page: Dehydrator Reviews

The jerky will be finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half. You will also see white fibers within the meat when bent. How did it turn out?! AWESOME!!! It’s the best beef jerky you will find! My wife always wants me to make this jerky for her, it is just THAT GOOD!

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 for longer lasting jerky
• Use fresh Habaneros for the best flavor, and cut the stem off each pepper. Use 1 pepper for mild spice, 2 for medium, and 3 for HOT!
• Use a blender to blend the peppers into the rest of the marinade for more spice and even flavor.
• Use gloves when handling spicy peppers.

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

4.56 from 29 votes

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Best Beef Jerky Recipe

The best beef jerky recipe made with Habanero Peppers is bound for greatness! The spicy kick of the peppers and the saltiness of the Sea Salt really makes this the top jerky recipe ever! This Dragon Fire Beef Jerky recipe quickly jumped to the top of my list of hundreds of jerky recipes I have made over the years. 

Course Beef Jerky, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword beef jerky, best beef jerky, Habaneros, Jerky, jerky recipe

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Servings 5

Calories 184 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Eye of round

Marinade

• 1 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 whole habaneros 3 if extra hot is wanted
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 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 blender and blend until the peppers have been chopped into very small pieces. Place 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. 
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 4 hours at 165F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Recipe Notes

Cook's Tips:

• Use fresh habaneros for the best flavor, and cut the stem off each pepper
• Use a blender to blend the peppers into the rest of the marinade for more spice
• Use gloves when handling spicy peppers

Nutrition Facts

Best Beef Jerky Recipe

Amount Per Serving (0.15 lb)

Calories 184 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6g 9%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 683mg 28%

Potassium 268mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 4g 1%

Sugars 2g

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin A 0.8%

Vitamin C 8%

Calcium 1.3%

Iron 14.5%

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

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I know what you are thinking; “Vinegar Horseradish Beef Jerky, what the hell?!” That’s what I was thinking when I made the recipe, but I just can’t help but trying new and crazy recipes. P.S. – It turned out great!

I made this batch of jerky on the flavor recommendation from my wife. I try to probe her brain for crazy flavors to try when coming up with beef jerky recipes. I was hesitant, but this turned out really good!

A Beef Bottom Round Roast was used when making this batch. I sliced it at about 1/4″ with the grain for more of a chewier jerky. I am not sure why, but I feel like horseradish is a tough and robust flavor that needed to be paired with a tough jerky. My Excalibur Dehydrator dried this jerky to perfection in 4 hours.

I used prepared horseradish that I had hanging out in the fridge which gave this jerky a great flavor. I was surprised that it had more of a tangy flavor than a really potent horseradish flavor. My wife informed me that after heating and cooking the horseradish the taste becomes subtle and isn’t as sharp as when eaten raw.

The subtle horseradish flavor turned out to work great as jerky. It wasn’t spicy and would be a great jerky to take while hunting or hiking. I know this because that is exactly what I did! I took this jerky on an 8 day camping trip around the west. My wife and I left Colorado and went to Antelope Canyon, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Vegas, Zion NP, Arches NP, Bryce Canyon NP, & Canyon Lands NP. Well the jerky only made it to about the Hoover Dam… Ha.

This picture was taken at one of my camp sites. You can see I have my stove out about to cook up a little soup for dinner. I love camping!

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

4.17 from 6 votes

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Vinegar Horseradish Beef Jerky

I know what you are thinking; "Vinegar Horseradish Beef Jerky, what the hell?!" That's what I was thinking when I made the recipe, but I just can't help but trying new and crazy recipes. P.S. - It turned out great!

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword horseradish beef jerky

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 177 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb beef bottom round or venison

Marinade

• 3 tbsp prepared horseradish
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cracked 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 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 sliced beef to the mixture in a 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 myExcalibur 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

Vinegar Horseradish Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 177 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7g 11%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 303mg 13%

Potassium 223mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 1g 0%

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin C 2.7%

Calcium 1%

Iron 12.5%

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

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This Beef Jerky Recipe has the flavors you would find in your backyard garden. The intense flavors found in this jerky are sure to please your family and friends!

This garden fresh tasting beef jerky is sure to hit the spot when hiking the trails this fall! I’m leaving on an 8 day camping trip tomorrow and you better believe that this jerky will be making its way with me.

The star of this jerky is the Spice Islands Garden Seasoning. I found this at my local grocery store, it features onion, garlic, bell peppers, carrots, etc…. Stuff you would find in your garden. Ha.

The Beef Top Round that I purchased at the grocery store was already sliced thin at about 1/8″. This saved some time slicing the meat. Top round is my second favorite cut of beef to use when making jerky, eye of round being my favorite.  After marinating for 18 hours, the jerky was strained and dried with my Nesco Snackmaster Pro dehydrator.

This recipe turned out tasting VERY good. It has an intense flavor that wakes up your taste buds. The salty taste is just perfect and goes great with the little bit of spice it carries as well. My wife said it even has a little bit of a tangy taste too! These pictures were taken at a local park in Boulder, CO. It is a beautiful place that we enjoy hiking and it felt like the perfect place to showcase this jerky.

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

4 from 2 votes

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Garden Beef Jerky

This Beef Jerky Recipe has the flavors you would find in your backyard garden. The intense flavors found in this jerky are sure to please your family and friends!

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword beef jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 4 hours

Servings 5

Calories 179 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Beef Top Round or Venison

Marinade

• 2 tsp Spice Island Garden Seasoning
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp marjoram leaves
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 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 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. Or skip the freezing phase and use a Jerky Slicer.
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in a 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 2 hours at 160F and 1 hour at 145F. (This jerky dried fast per the 1/8" slices)
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Garden Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving (70 g)

Calories 179 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6g 9%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 265mg 11%

Potassium 250mg 7%

Total Carbohydrates 2g 1%

Sugars 2g

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin A 1%

Vitamin C 15%

Calcium 0.8%

Iron 12.4%

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

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This Bayou Cajun Beef Jerky has a little spice and the zest of New Orleans. If you’re looking for a great flavor that will please all, this is your jerky! I lived in New Orleans for a while several years back and loved all the flavors found in the cooking.

This recipe is inspired by the people and cooking found in the Bayou of Louisiana.

This jerky recipe has some great base flavors of salt, onion, garlic, and red pepper. I spiced it up with a little Zatarain’s hot sauce (My Favorite) and this recipe turned out perfect! I used Beef Top Round which was thinly sliced at my grocery store when making this jerky. If your butcher or meat department doesn’t have thinly sliced meat, you can ask them and most of the time they will help you out.

I decided to use my new Chef’s Elite Vacuum Marinator to speed up the marinating process. Normally my jerky marinates in the fridge for 8-24 hours, but a quick 30 minutes with this machine turned out a great flavor. It recommends to marinate for 15 minutes, but I doubled the time to make sure the jerky had a good flavor. Easy cleanup and little hassle makes using this nice too. If you are short for time and don’t want to marinate your jerky over night, I would recommend this marinator to speed things up!

After marinating, I dried in my Nesco Dehydrator for 3 1/2 hrs at 160F. Since the meat was sliced very thin, it dried very quickly to a perfect finish.

This recipe first has the Flavor of an original jerky but then finishes with a kick from the hot sauce. If you are looking for a really spicy jerky, I would recommend adding another TBSP of hot sauce and a little more ground red pepper. Enjoy!

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

4 from 3 votes

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Bayou Cajun Beef Jerky

This Bayou Cajun Beef Jerky has a little spice and the zest of New Orleans. If you're looking for a great flavor that will please all, this is your jerky! I lived in New Orleans for a while several years back and loved all the flavors found in the cooking.

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword cajun beef jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Servings 5

Calories 172 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Thinly Sliced Beef Top Round or Venison

Marinade

• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground red pepper
• 3 tbsp Zatarain's hot sauce
• 1/4 cup cold water

Optional

• 1/4 tsp Curing Salt Prague Powder #1

Instructions

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag and mix well.
2. Slice ¼" strips of beef against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky. (I bought already sliced jerky for this recipe, so this step can be skipped)
3. Add sliced beef to the mixture in a ziplock bag or bowl and marinate for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator. (If using a vacuum marinator, marinate for 30 minutes)
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 Nesco Dehydrator and dried for 3.5 hours at 160F.
6. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Bayou Cajun Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 172 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7g 11%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 472mg 20%

Potassium 219mg 6%

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin A 5.5%

Vitamin C 7.4%

Calcium 0.5%

Iron 12.6%

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

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East side beef jerky is a salty and flavorful jerky that combines the great flavor of soy sauce with the much loved fish sauce of the East.

I used some local honey and fish sauce from my local Asian marketplace. You should be able to find fish sauce in your local supermarket as it has become much more popular over the last 10 years. For you that have never had fish sauce before…. A little goes a long way…. Ha.

Chop the scallions in very small pieces, this will help them adhere to the jerky much more than if they were large. I recommend 3 tbsp of fish sauce, but you might want to taste the marinade with 2 tbsp and decide if you want to add the third. The fish sauce can over power the jerky if you are not used to eating it, so make sure you like the flavor before adding it all. 

Strain the jerky strips and pat dry after marinating for 6-24 hours. I used my Excalibur Dehydrator when making this jerky.

It took 4 hours at 160°F to finish this jerky to perfection. This East Side Beef Jerky turned out with a salty yet sweet flavor that would be sure to please everyone!

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

0 from 0 votes

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East Side Beef Jerky

East side beef jerky is a salty and flavorful jerky that combines the great flavor of soy sauce with the much loved fish sauce of the East.

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword beef jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Servings 5

Calories 270 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Eye of Round or Venison

Marinade

• 2 scallions finely chopped
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/3 cup soy sauce

Optional

• 1/4 tsp Curing Salt Prague Powder #1

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 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 sliced beef to the mixture in a 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 160F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

East Side Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 270 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6g 9%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 1746mg 73%

Potassium 290mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 25g 8%

Sugars 24g

Protein 27g 54%

Vitamin A 1%

Vitamin C 1.1%

Calcium 1.7%

Iron 15.7%

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

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I have made jerky with Allegro products before, so I decided to make a real simple recipe with their Gold Buckle Brisket Marinade. It turned out just like the Allegro Teriyaki recipe I made months ago, very tasty!

This recipe was made at the same time as my Steak Dry Rub Beef Jerky, as well as with the same cut of beef. I used a rump roast that had a little too much fat. Oh well, you make do with what you have, right?

Two ingredients is all that is needed to make this Gold Buckle Brisket Beef Jerky. One is the Allegra sauce and the other is hickory liquid smoke. If you are making this recipe in a smoker, you can leave out the liquid smoke and use hickory wood chips instead. That’s it! Soooooooo simple!

After 12 hours marinating in the fridge the jerky was strained, getting rid of any extra marinade. I patted the strips dry with paper towels and placed on my Nesco Dehydrator.

I dried these jerky strips in my Nesco Snackmaster Pro Dehyrator for 6hrs at 160°F. Because this meat was very fatty, I had to blot dry the jerky every hour with a paper towel to soak up any liquid fat. 

It turned out tasting really good. It had that smokey taste from the liquid smoke and a nice saltiness from the brisket marinade. If you are wanting a real simple jerky marinade, this is a good one to try! So warm up that dehydrator and get to making some jerky!

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

5 from 1 vote

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Gold Buckle Brisket Beef Jerky

I have made jerky with Allegro products before, so I decided to make a real simple recipe with their Gold Buckle Brisket Marinade. It turned out just like the Allegro Teriyaki recipe I made months ago, very tasty!

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword beef jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 7 hours

Servings 5

Calories 246 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Lean Beef or Venison Best Cuts of Beef for Jerky

Marinade

• 1 cup Allegro Brisket Sauce
• 2 tsp Liquid Smoke Hickory

Optional

• 1/4 tsp Curing Salt Prague Powder #1

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 the marinade ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag and mix well.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips with the grain for a chewy jerky. Cut against the grain for less of a chew.
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in a 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.
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Nesco Dehydrator and dried for 6 hours at 160F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Gold Buckle Brisket Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 246 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6g 9%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 930mg 39%

Potassium 227mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 15g 5%

Sugars 13g

Protein 27g 54%

Calcium 0.5%

Iron 12.1%

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

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This easy to make steak dry rub jerky utilizes an already made seasoning rub saving you loads of time! Every so often I like making a very easy and simple beef jerky, and this is one of those recipes!

I was at work on the rig in Oklahoma when I started getting a craving for some beef jerky. I wasn’t planning on making any this time at work, but I leave a dehydrator on the rig just in case a craving like this pops up. 

I went to a small grocery store called Homeland just outside Oklahoma City which didn’t have much of a selection on meat. I picked up the only roast they had, a rump roast that had way to much fat. This cut has a lot of marbling, which is not good for making jerky! I was craving jerky though, so it had to do…

Here is the roast sliced. You can see all the marbling in the slices. This is not good for jerky because fat goes rancid fast, which will shorten the life of your jerky. I was sharing this batch with the rig crew, so I wasn’t too worried about a long shelf life.

You can see the McCormick Grill Mates Steak Rub that I used when making this jerky. I put 1/4 cup of seasoning in a bowl and dredged the slices of beef coating each on both sides. There is no need to ‘marinate’ these like you do with a traditional wet marinade. 

I dried these jerky strips in my Nesco Snackmaster Pro Dehyrator for 6hrs at 160°F. Because this meat was very fatty, I had to blot dry the jerky every hour with a paper towel to soak up any liquid fat. 

The jerky turned out pretty good. It would have been better if I used an Beef Eye of Round, but even with the fatty cut the taste was still very pleasing. Don’t be shy when dredging the pieces in the spices. The spice wasn’t over powering, so don’t worry about over seasoning the jerky.

The guys on the rig enjoyed this jerky. If you are looking for a quick jerky without much prep or marinating time, this is the recipe for you!

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

5 from 2 votes

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Steak Rub Beef Jerky

This easy to make steak dry rub jerky utilizes an already made seasoning rub saving you loads of time! Every so often I like making a very easy and simple beef jerky, and this is one of those recipes!

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword dry rub beef jerky

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours

Total Time 6 hours 30 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 137 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Lean Beef or Venison Best Cuts of Beef for Jerky

Dry Rub

• 1/4 cup McCormick Grill Mates Steak Rub

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 1/4 cup of dry rub in a shallow bowl.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew or with the grain for more of a chew.
4. Coat both sides of each piece of sliced beef with the dry rub mixture and set aside.
5. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my dehydrator and dried for 6 hours at 160 degrees.
6. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Steak Rub Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 137 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4g 6%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Cholesterol 56mg 19%

Sodium 51mg 2%

Potassium 333mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 2g 1%

Protein 20g 40%

Vitamin A 1.8%

Vitamin C 0.5%

Calcium 5.2%

Iron 17.2%

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

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

This Vietnamese style beef jerky has several great flavors that will have your taste buds saying WOW!

My wife loves Vietnamese style beef jerky and buys some every time we go to get some pho at our favorite local pho spot. The main ingredient that is undeniably present in this type of jerky is the turmeric powder. This is the dominant flavor which lets you know exactly what type of beef jerky you are eating.

She has been asking me to make a Vietnamese style beef jerky for some time now. So…… Since Happy Wife = Happy Life; I made some!

I used a beef bottom round when making this jerky. It was sliced against the grain making large jerky pieces as most Vietnamese style beef jerky is. Some call these large pieces “elephant ear” beef jerky.

Another important flavor that is part of this jerky is the Lemon Grass and Garlic. I love using my Garlic Press shown in the picture above when adding real garlic to my recipes. Pressing the garlic really gives a strong flavor, more than if just finely chopped. You just can’t beat the flavor!

When making Vietnamese style beef jerky, you do not have the traditional “wet” marinade that is seen in most of my recipes. The “dry rub” is made of spices and a little bit of oil to help bind these ingredients and allow it to stick to the meat.

Coat each piece with the dry rub and then place in a bowl, cover with saran wrap, and allow to “marinate” in the fridge for 6-24 hours.

After marinating, place on a cooling rack and baking pan for the initial heat treatment and drying process. Bake in the oven with the door closed at 300°F for 10 minutes to bring the internal temperature of the jerky to 160°F.  After 10 minutes, lower the temperature to 170°F, prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon, and continue drying until finished.

I dried for 2 hours, flipped the pieces of jerky, and then finished it off for about another 2 hours. You can read more about making jerky in an oven here.

My wife helped me stage this beautiful picture. She insisted on having her little plant in the picture to give it that little extra. Note: that plant is NOT part of the ingredients!

I love this Vietnamese Beef Jerky! It starts with a hint of the lemon grass which gives it almost a Thai flavor. Towards the end you will get a spicy kick your butt flavor start to creep in. If you want to sweeten this jerky up (it is not sweet), you can add a little more sugar.

If you have never tried this type of jerky, I think that you will be pleasantly surprised by the amount of flavor it has!

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

4.5 from 2 votes

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Vietnamese Beef Jerky

My wife loves Vietnamese style beef jerky and buys some every time we go to get some pho at our favorite local pho spot. The main ingredient that is undeniably present in this type of jerky is the turmeric powder. This is the dominant flavor which lets you know exactly what type of beef jerky you are eating.

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword vietnamese beef jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 5 hours

Servings 5

Calories 231 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Beef Bottom Round or Venison

Dry Rub

• 3 tbsp lemongrass minced
• 2 tbsp garlic minced
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp five spice powder
• 1 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp vegetable oil

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 all ingredients of the dry rub in a shallow bowl.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain in large pieces for an easy chew.
4. Coat both sides of each piece of sliced beef with the dry rub mixture and place in a bowl. Marinate for 6-24 hours in the refrigerator.
5. After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and place the jerky pieces on a cooling rack atop a lined baking sheet.
6. Heat in a pre-heated oven with the door closed at 300F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, prop the door open with a wooden spoon and lower the temperature to 170F. Dry for about 4 hours, flipping the jerky pieces half way through the drying process.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Vietnamese Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving (70 g)

Calories 231 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9g 14%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 525mg 22%

Potassium 320mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 11g 4%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 7g

Protein 25g 50%

Vitamin A 9.5%

Vitamin C 2%

Calcium 2.8%

Iron 21.2%

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

Everyone loves Jerk Chicken, and everyone is going to love this Jamaican Jerk Beef Jerky!

The other day I went with my wife in search for a little food truck she has been wanting to try near downtown Austin. It’s a Venezuelan food truck called Four Brother ATX, it’s know for their Arepas. Okay, I’m game – Let’s roll…

Well, when we got to the food truck, there was another food truck right next to it pumping out an amazing smell. This food truck was painted the colors of the Jamaican flag and was called ATX Jamaican Grill. Uh, sorry Arepa lady, I’m sure you are good, but this jerk chicken is calling my name!

Inspired by this truck and the AMAZING jerk chicken I had that day, I decided to make a Jamaican Jerk Beef Jerky.

I started with my favorite cut, Beef Eye of Round, and grabbed some island flavored spices in an attempt to replicate the oh so delicious jerk chicken I had from that food truck. (It came with rice and fried plantains too!)

After giving it my best shot, I would have loved to have some fresh Scotch Bonnet Peppers to add, in the marinade the strips went and they sat in the fridge soaking up all that Jamaican flavor for 18 hours. 

It took 5 hours to dry the jerky with my Nesco Dehydrator, and it turned out Fantastic!

The Cayenne and Thyme add great flavor to this jerky. The flavor of the thyme comes across your taste buds first followed by the kick of the cayenne pepper a couple seconds later. 

You can also tell that the jerky is finished here because when it was ripped in half, you can see the white fibers of the meat. This is a great way of telling when your jerky is finished.

I was extremely happy with how this jerky turned out. I can’t say that it was a more authentic flavor than the food truck I ate at, but it is Damn Good!

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

4.88 from 16 votes

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Jamaican Jerk Beef Jerky

Everyone loves Jerk Chicken, and everyone is going to love this Jamaican Jerk Beef Jerky!

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword jamaican Jerky Beef Jerky

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 5 hours

Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes

Servings 5

Calories 177 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Beef Eye of Round or Venison

Marinade

• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Optional

• 1/4 tsp Curing Salt Prague Powder #1

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 all the ingredients in a bowl or ziplock bag 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. Or skip the freezing phase and use a Jerky Slicer.
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in a 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 and pat dry the beef strips with paper towels
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my Nesco Dehydrator and dried for 2 1/2 hours at 160F & 2 1/2 hours at 140F.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Jamaican Jerk Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving (70 g)

Calories 177 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7g 11%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 499mg 21%

Potassium 201mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 2g 1%

Sugars 1g

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin A 2.5%

Calcium 0.9%

Iron 13.7%

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

This Jalapeno Lime Beef Jerky is an easy to make jerky with a little spice from the jalapenos, sweetness from the honey, and a strong citrus flavor from the fresh limes. Who doesn’t love jalapenos and limes? 

I have been cooking a lot with jalapenos lately, I just LOVE how they taste! Everything from my omelets in the morning to my favorite corn bread get a heavy dose of jalapenos these days.

I do leave the seeds out when making my jalapeno and lime beef jerky, but feel free to leave some in for a hotter flavor. With the seeds out, this jerky doesn’t have much of a spice, just a little bit of a kick. So definitely leave the seeds in if you are wanting to sweat a bit!

I blended the ingredients in my blender to give everything a good mix before adding my beef eye of round to marinate.

After marinating for 12 hours, I dried the jerky with my Nesco Dehydrator. With the temperature set at 160°F, I had amazing tasting beef jerky in 4.5 hours!

I was happy with how these turned out. I am not usually a honey fan when it comes to beef jerky, but the local honey added a great sweet flavor that worked great in this marinade.

For more in depth directions on how to dry your beef jerky, visit my page How to Make Beef Jerky or click on the pictures below.

4.8 from 10 votes

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Jalapeno Lime Beef Jerky

This Jalapeno Lime Beef Jerky is an easy to make jerky with a little spice from the jalapenos, sweetness from the honey, and a strong citrus flavor from the fresh limes. Who doesn't love jalapenos and limes? 

Course Snack

Cuisine Beef Jerky

Keyword Jalapeno beef jerky

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 5 hours

Total Time 6 hours

Servings 5

Calories 214 kcal

Author Will

Ingredients

Lean Meat

• 1 lb Beef Eye of Round or Venison

Marinade

• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice freshly squeezed
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 jalapenos Diced

Optional

• 1/4 tsp Curing Salt Prague Powder #1

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 the orange juice, lime juice, honey, ground cumin, salt, garlic, and diced jalapenos in a blender until jalapenos are cut small and the honey is evenly mixed. Add to a bowl or ziplock bag.
3. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew or with the grain for a more chewier jerky. Or skip the freezing phase and use a Jerky Slicer.
4. Add sliced beef to the mixture in a 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 and pat dry the beef strips with paper towels
6. Dry with your favorite jerky making method. I used my dehydrator and dried for 4.5 hours at 160 degrees.
7. The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.

Nutrition Facts

Jalapeno Lime Beef Jerky

Amount Per Serving

Calories 214 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7g 11%

Saturated Fat 2g 10%

Cholesterol 70mg 23%

Sodium 267mg 11%

Potassium 302mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 12g 4%

Sugars 10g

Protein 25g 50%

Vitamin A 2.5%

Vitamin C 32.5%

Calcium 1.3%

Iron 13.9%

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

For more in depth directions on how to dry your beef jerky, visit my page How to Make Beef Jerky