This jerky starts sweet from honey and brown sugar, then the chili heat kicks in. It uses the same lean beef and safe method as our classic jerky, with a bolder marinade. Adjust the heat up or down to suit your crowd.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef eye of round, top round or bottom round, trimmed of all visible fat
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (or low-sodium soy sauce)
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
- 3 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp chipotle chile powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional, for extra heat)
Steps
- Freeze the beef for 1–2 hours until firm but not frozen solid, so it's easier to slice thin.
- Slice the beef 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut against the grain for tender jerky or with the grain for a chewier bite.
- Whisk the soy sauce, Worcestershire, honey, brown sugar, sriracha, vinegar, red pepper flakes, chipotle powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and cayenne until the honey dissolves.
- Put the beef in a zip-top bag, pour in the marinade, press out the air and refrigerate 8–24 hours, flipping the bag once or twice.
- Drain the strips well and pat them dry with paper towels. Discard the used marinade.
- Heat the strips to 160°F before drying: bake on a rack set over a sheet pan in a 275°F oven for about 10 minutes, then check a thick piece with an instant-read thermometer.
- Lay the strips on dehydrator trays in a single layer, not touching. Sprinkle with a few extra pepper flakes if you like.
- 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 or sticky spots, let the jerky cool completely, then store it in an airtight bag or jar.
Why heat to 160°F first?
The USDA recommends heating jerky meat to 160°F before drying. A dehydrator's gentle heat may not kill bacteria before the meat dries out, and dry meat protects germs from heat. The short oven step takes care of that. If your dehydrator reaches 160°F and you confirm the meat temperature with a thermometer, you can do the heat step in the dehydrator instead. See the full method in our homemade beef jerky recipe.
Sweet jerky dries a little differently
Honey and sugar hold on to moisture, so sweet jerky can feel tacky even when it's done. Judge doneness by the bend test, not by how sticky the surface feels. Let a strip cool for five minutes, then bend it. It should crack on the surface without breaking in half. Start checking around 3 1/2 hours.
Make it in a smoker
Skip the dehydrator if you like. After the 160°F heat step, smoke the strips at 160–180°F with hickory, cherry or mesquite for 1–2 hours, then finish in the dehydrator or keep going in the smoker until the bend test passes. Our smoker vs. dehydrator guide explains the trade-offs.
Heat levels
| Heat | Change |
|---|---|
| Mild | Use 1 tbsp sriracha, skip the cayenne and red pepper flakes |
| Medium | Make as written, without cayenne |
| Hot | Add the cayenne and 1 extra tbsp sriracha |
| Extra hot | Add 1–2 tsp habanero powder or hot chili flakes |
Storage
Because of the sugar, keep this jerky in the fridge if you won't finish it within a week. Sealed, it lasts about 1–2 weeks at room temperature, 1–2 months in the fridge, and up to a year in the freezer.
Gear for this recipe
- A rear-fan dehydrator for even drying
- A meat slicer if you make big batches
- Want a different flavor? Try teriyaki beef jerky.
Keep reading
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Cajun Beef Jerky
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