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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.
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
- 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 4.5 hours at 165F.
- The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.
Pro Tips
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
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How to Make Jerky with a Dehydrator
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