Teriyaki Sweet Hot Beef Jerky

The Secret to Making Flavorful Beef Jerky

It can be an art to get beef jerky just right. The first time that I made this version, I worried it would be too spicy so I had cut the spicy stuff in half and I only marinated it for 12 hours. This was a mistake! Once I dehydrated it, I realized that the flavors didn’t have enough time to really develop.

Flavorful beef jerky needs both a flavorful marinade and a long soak time. The meat needs to be in the marinade for long enough that it can soak in all of those flavors.

I learned my lesson. 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, even up to a week! The longer the marinate, the better the jerky!

The USDA has a great page on Jerky and Food Safety if you want to check it out!

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!

The best meat to use for Beef Jerky

Beef Jerky begins with a lean cut of meat, cut into strips. We use London Broil, which is a fancy name for a smaller beef top round roast (eye of round). It is important that the meat is lean and that it does not contain bones.

We use about 1 1/2 pounds at a time, sliced into strips between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick, any large fatty parts removed. You can cut it yourself or ask the supermarket butcher to do it for you.

Cut it against the grain because it makes the jerky more tender. Once it is cut, set it aside until the marinade is ready.

What you’ll need to make Teriyaki Sweet Hot Beef Jerky

• London broil (Top Round beef roast) sliced into jerky strips
• Brown sugar
• Teriyaki Sauce
• Cholula hot sauce
• Liquid smoke
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Red pepper flakes
• Salt & pepper

How Do You Make Teriyaki Sweet Hot Beef Jerky?

Beef Jerky is so simple to make! Our recipe for Worcestershire Jerky is the one that our family is probably best known for, but the Herbed Beef Jerky and Black Pepper Beef Jerky are all pretty good too.

Our latest offering, Teriyaki Sweet Hot Beef Jerky, has a bold sweet Teriyaki flavor and just the right amount of heat in the background. Another delicious and flavorful easy homemade jerky!

This can be made in the oven, but we prefer to use an electric food dehydrator. We have included oven guidelines on the recipe card just in case.

Slice the meat into strips against the grain, making them between 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Trim excess fat, large gristle and connective tissue from jerky strips and discard. Set the jerky strips aside.

Create the marinade by placing all of the remaining ingredients into a large zip top bag. Stir or shake until well blended.

Add the meat and push it around to get it well coated.

Place the bag into the refrigerator and marinate the meat for at least 12 hours, moving the meat around in the bag and flipping the bag occasionally to ensure that all meat gets flavored.

Remove the meat from the marinade and lay it out onto paper towels.

Use other paper towels to blot off excess marinade from the tops of the strips.

Lay out on dehydrator trays, leaving space between for air flow.

Set the dehydrator to highest temperature (typically 160 degrees F). Begin checking jerky after 60-90 minutes. Flip the jerky around, rotate the trays, feel the jerky and remove it one it no longer feels spongy (or considerably LESS spongy than it did going in).

Once sufficiently dried, remove to resealable container or large zip top bag and allow to rest and cool before sealing.. Store in a cool place or the refrigerator for up to a month. Enjoy!