Spicy Sweet Beef Jerky

Thisbeef 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!

Why this recipe works

The brown sugar and honey give this spicy beef 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!

Choosing and slicing the meat

Using lean cuts of meat for jerky is the #1 rule to remember when making beef jerky. Fat spoils faster than meat, so the less fat you have the longer shelf life the finished jerky will have.

Best meat for beef jerky

• Beef eye of round roast
• Beef top & bottom roasts
• Flank steak
• Ground beef (10% fat or less)

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. A lot of times butchers will slice meat for you if you ask. ⅛" to ¼" is the best thickness when slicing the meat.

Once you have finished slicing the meat, place it in a gallon size zipper top plastic bag.

Making the marinade

This spicy beef jerky recipe has a lot of ingredients, but they are all needed to create the amazing flavor this beef jerky has to offer. Simply add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly, using a blender can be used to really help get the honey mixed in well.

Pour the sweet and spicy jerky marinade over the previously sliced meat in the plastic bag and mix around making sure the marinade is evenly distributed throughout the bag. Marinate in the fridge for 6-24 hours mixing up the bag several more times while marinating.

Drying the jerky

After marinating, strain the meat in a colander to remove any excess marinade. Patting dry with paper towels will also remove extra marinade and speed up the drying process.

Removing this extra marinade on the surface will also prevent the jerky from having a sticky feel when finished drying. Don't worry, most of the red pepper will remain and you will still have a nice spicy beef jerky.

Decide how you want to dry your jerky, whether it be in a dehydrator, smoker, or oven. A Excalibur Dehydrator was used when making this jerky.

If using a dehydrator, place the strips on the trays making sure no pieces of meat are touching and leaving a little space in between to allow air to flow around freely.

Dry on the high setting (165°F) for about 4 hours for a perfect finish. Start checking 3 hours into drying to see if it's finished.

This spicy beef jerky will be finished when it bends and breaks, but doesn't break in half. White fibers will also be seen when ripping the piece of jerky apart. These are all signs that the jerky is finished.

FAQ

Old Pro 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.

Other spicy jerky

Spicy Sweet Beef Jerky

This spicy beef 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!

4.2 from 124 votes

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Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

Course: Beef Jerky

Cuisine: American

Type: Beef Jerky

Flavor: Sweet

Servings: 4

Calories: 267kcal

Author: Will

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 lb Beef Top Round
• ▢ 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ ¼ cup soy sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ginger (ground)
• ▢ 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
• ▢ ¼ cup water (cold)

Equipment

Excalibur Dehydrator

Colander

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 Dehydrator, Smoker, or Oven. 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.
• Store jerky in air tight containers in a cool, dark, and dry place such as a fridge or cabinet.

Pro 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

Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 884mg | Potassium: 301mg | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 3.3mg

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