This jerky is all about black pepper. A light, salty marinade seasons the beef, then a thick coat of fresh cracked pepper goes on right before drying. It's simple, savory and has a warm bite that builds as you chew.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef eye of round or top round, trimmed of all visible fat
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp finely ground black pepper, for the marinade
- 3–4 tbsp coarsely cracked black peppercorns, for the crust
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Steps
- Put the beef in the freezer for 1–2 hours, until it is firm but not frozen hard. Firm meat is much easier to slice evenly.
- Cut the beef into slices 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut across the grain for a tender chew or along the grain for a tougher, classic chew.
- In a bowl, whisk the soy sauce, Worcestershire, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, ground pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Place the slices in a zip-top bag, add the marinade, squeeze out the air and refrigerate 8–24 hours. Turn the bag once halfway through.
- Drain the beef and blot each strip dry with paper towels.
- Lay the strips on a cooling rack set over a sheet pan. Press the cracked peppercorns onto one or both sides of each strip.
- Heat the strips to 160°F before drying: bake in a 275°F oven for about 10 minutes, then check the thickest strip with an instant-read thermometer. Give it a few more minutes if it is under 160°F.
- Move the strips to dehydrator trays in one layer, with a little space between them.
- Dry at 160°F (or your dehydrator's highest setting, at least 145°F) for 4–6 hours, until a cooled strip bends and cracks without snapping.
- Blot off any oil, let the jerky cool all the way, then store it in an airtight bag or jar.
Why this works
The marinade is light on sugar on purpose. Too much sweetness would fight the pepper. Soy sauce and Worcestershire bring salt and savory flavor, and a splash of vinegar keeps the taste bright. The cracked pepper goes on after the marinade, so it sits on the surface and forms a crust instead of washing off.
Crack your own pepper
Pre-ground pepper is too fine for the crust and tastes flat. Put whole peppercorns in a zip-top bag and roll over them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan. You want rough, uneven pieces. A coarse setting on a pepper mill works too, but it takes a while for this much pepper.
The 160°F heat step
The USDA recommends heating beef jerky to 160°F before or at the start of drying. Low dehydrator heat can dry the meat before it gets hot enough to kill germs. The quick oven step handles that. You can learn more in our main homemade beef jerky guide, and a fast instant-read thermometer makes the check easy.
How to tell it's done
Take out one strip and let it cool for about five minutes. Bend it. It should crack along the bend but stay in one piece. If it bends without cracking, keep drying and check again every 30 minutes. Thin strips may finish in 3 1/2 hours, so start checking early.
Storage
Keep the jerky in an airtight bag or jar. It lasts about 1–2 weeks at room temperature, 1–2 months in the fridge and up to a year in the freezer.
Variations
Pepper and garlic: add 1 tsp granulated garlic to the cracked pepper crust.
Three-pepper: mix black, white and pink peppercorns for the crust.
Spicy pepper: add 1/2 tsp cayenne to the marinade.
Gear for this recipe
- A dehydrator with a rear fan for even drying
- A meat slicer if you make big batches
- An instant-read thermometer for the 160°F check
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