Spicy Dr. Pepper Beef Jerky

Spicy Dr. Pepper Beef Jerky is delicious, Sweet and tender With a low, subtle heat and a bold beefy flavor. Easy to make and preservative free!

Beef Jerky is one of our favorite things to experiment with. Way better (and cheaper) than store bought with SO MANY FLAVOR POSSIBILITIES!

Our little tribe of camping friends and neighbors are our regular taste testers and this latest flavor combination got a big thumbs up from all of them!

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The Secret to Making Flavorful Beef Jerky

The thing with beef jerky is that it requires both a flavorful marinade and soak time.  The meat needs to be in that marinade for long enough that it will soak in all of those flavors. Sometimes the flavors need some tweaking and refinement and a few retries before it is just right and I’m not going to lie – getting jerky just right is kind of an art.

The first time that I made jerky, I was so excited to make it that I only let it marinate about 12 hours. The result was that the jerky was fine but it wasn’t flavorful. Like not at all. It was just kind of… boring.

Now when I make jerky I put the meat into the marinade and put it into the refrigerator and leave it for an absolute minimum of 24 hours, sometimes up to a week! Typically, around the 48-72 hour mark I am super happy with the result.

You need to find what’s right for you but the longer in has time to take in the marinade, the deeper the flavors of the jerky! Don’t be afraid to experiment and find your happy place!

The UDSA has a great page with all sorts of facts about Beef Jerky here.

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TEN TIPS FOR MAKING BEEF JERKY:

1. London Broil (Top Round) makes a very tasty jerky. Strips need to be cut between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. NO THICKER THAN THAT.
2. How you cut the meat determines the final result. Evenly, thinly, and against the grain are key.
3. Marinate, marinate, marinate. What you put the meat in and how long you leave it there for really determine the final result. Marinating under 12 hours is not going to get you the taste you want. You have to let the meat take in the flavor. You can’t rush it. You have to pay attention. Move the meat around while marinating and turn the bag repeatedly while it marinates. A ziploc bag is a great thing for marinating as it is pliable and the meat can be moved around without opening the bag.
4. Be careful with salt. Salt seems to be the first thing that gets soaked up into the meat. You can’t take it out once it’s in. Too salty = bad. Use garlic POWDER and onion POWDER, not the salt versions.
5. Taste and smell your marinade. If it is tasty before adding the meat, the jerky will turn out great.
6. Marinate in the refrigerator. No one wants food poisoning.
7. A food dehydrator is a good investment. The oven can be used but it is harder to get a great end product and it takes longer.
8. When a recipe says it’ll take 5 hours, start checking it at an hour and a half. Timing depends on temperature, thickness and moisture, not what a cookbook says.
9. Don’t be afraid to move the meat and the trays around. Also, don’t be afraid to remove the thinner pieces that are done before the thicker ones. No one is perfect when cutting meat into strips. Check often!
10. And finally, don’t ever put meat in the dehydrator and go to bed, thinking it will be done in the morning. If you do this, you will get over dried jerky that will most likely be inedible. After all that marinating time, it is really sad to have to throw it out!

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What if I don’t have a Dehydrator?

I get asked a lot if you can make jerky in an oven. Of course you can! You would prepare and marinate the meat exactly as above but instead of putting it onto dehydrator trays, preheat the oven to the lowest temperature it will preheat to. Usually this is 170 – 175 degrees F. Position the racks to the upper-middle position.  

Line two large baking sheets with foil and then place a wire cooling rack onto each. This allows the meat to have some air flow. Lay the marinated beef strips out onto the wire racks and bake until it is dryer and considerably less spongy than it was going in.

Much like a dehydrator, it is important to pay attention to the meat by moving the jerky around and rotating the trays. Feeling the jerky with your fingers is the best gauge of doneness. Cooking times vary upon the thickness of the meat and this process can take anywhere from 2-5 hours. Enjoy!

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About the Ingredients:

• London Broil or Top Round Roast – Cutting the meat into jerky strips is easier when it is partially frozen. Cutting it against the grain will make it more tender. You can also ask any grocery store butcher to cut it into jerky strips for you, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
• Dr. Pepper soda – Coca Cola or even Root Beer can be substituted if you don’t have Dr. Pepper. Be sure not to use diet soda as the artificial sweeteners don’t work well in this recipe!
• Worchestershire sauce – We love this in jerky but if you don’t have any, just add more soy sauce.
• Soy sauce – Coco aminos can be substituted for the soy sauce in this recipe if you prefer.
• Kosher salt – Coarse sea salt or Himalayan Pink salt can be substituted for the Kosher salt in this recipe. If you need to use iodized (regular) table salt, only use half as much (1/2 tablespoon).
• Garlic powder – 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic is a great substitute for garlic powder.
• Onion powder – Dried onion flakes can be substituted 1:1 instead of using onion powder.
• Ground black pepper – seems silly when you are using jalapeno peppers but black pepper shouldn’t be skipped in the marinade. It offers it’s own flavor profile.
• Jalapeno peppers – Even if the jalapenos are spicy, boiling them with the soda and other ingredients translates them into a much more subtle heat. Feel free to substitute any peppers you like or have on hand for the jalapenos. If you don’t have access to fresh peppers, then use 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes instead.

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How to make Spicy Dr. Pepper Beef Jerky

Beef Jerky is so simple to make. It can be made in the oven, but we prefer to use an electric food dehydrator. I’ve included oven guidelines in the notes, just in case you don’t have a dehydrator and want to give this recipe a try!

In a medium saucepan, combine all marinade ingredients other than the Jalapeno peppers. Whisk together until well combined.

Stir in the sliced jalapeno peppers and then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture has thickened to a syrupy consistency and has reduced by half.

Remove the marinade from the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.

In the meantime, trim off any excess fat or connective tissue from London Broil or Round Roast and slice the meat into jerky strips 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick. This is easier to do when the meat is slightly frozen!

Place jerky strips into a bowl or large zip top bag and pour the marinade over them. Stir or squeeze to distribute marinade, making sure the meat is coated evenly.

Refrigerate for 24 – 72 hours, stirring or turning the bag occasionally.

Lay the jerky strips out on paper towels to remove excess moisture. Blot tops of strips with paper towels, removing as much as possible.

Lay jerky strips on dehydrator trays with room between for air flow. Use as many trays as necessary.

Turn dehydrator on to highest setting and allow to dehydrate according to manufacturers directions, rotating trays periodically.

When jerky has been dehydrated sufficiently, remove from trays and allow to cool. Enjoy!

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Here’s Our Other Favorite Jerky Recipes So Far:

Worcestershire Beef Jerky – Our most requested jerky recipe with a a bold flavor that is undeniably good!

Sweet & Spicy Beef Jerky – Deliciously balanced between sweet & Spicy!

Teriyaki Sweet Hot Beef Jerky – Jerky with a sweet Teriyaki flavor and just the right amount of heat.

Herbed Beef Jerky – Marinated in fresh onion, horseradish, herbs and soy sauce… YUM!

Black Pepper Beef Jerky – Easy to make with a low, subtle heat. Tender and flavorful!