Seeking a scrumptious and simple beef jerky recipe? Look no further! This delightful recipe features brown sugar for a touch of sweetness, coupled with a smoky essence that elevates its taste. It’s an ideal snack to keep on hand for those unexpected hunger pangs.
Not only will this recipe appease your appetite, but it’s also a breeze to prepare.
Beef Jerky with Brown Sugar Ingredients
- 1 lb. of beef
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup water
Selecting the Beef
If you’re searching for the ideal meat to make beef jerky, consider using eye-of-round beef. With its minimal fat content, eye-of-round allows you to create a beef jerky that is both high in protein and low in calories. Additionally, it offers a leaner alternative compared to cuts like sirloin or chuck roast.
I bought my eye-of-round beef at Walmart for $6.61/lb.
Preparing the Beef to Make Jerky
Some types of beef are often considered fatty food. However, removing the fat from the meat leaves you with a lean and healthy protein.
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Weighing the meat is an important step if you want to make sure that you have enough meat for the recipe and also how much beef jerky we’ll get after dehydration.
Freezing the Beef
Here is a tip for making jerky: freeze the beef before you slice it (from 1 to 2 hours). The beef will be firmer and easier to cut if it has been in the freezer for a little while. Make sure you take the meat out of the freezer when the ice starts to form on its surface. If you leave it in longer, it will be too hard and difficult to cut.
Slicing the Beef
When ready, cut the beef into strips not wider than ¼ inch. The thinner the strips, the less time it will take for your jerky to get dry.
Suppose you want a more pleasant texture, cut across or against the grain. Cutting with the grain will make jerky harder to chew and tougher.
Marinating the Beef
The next step is to gather all the ingredients and make a marinade. You’ll need to mix the ingredients we listed above in the proper proportions. I use a measuring cup for the perfect proportions.
Now put your beef in the marinade. It should sit for 6 to 24 hours (in a refrigerator). The longer you let it sit, the stronger the flavor would be.
Drying the Beef
You can take the excess marinade off beef by putting them on paper towels. This will make the drying process faster.
There are three ways to dry beef jerky. One way is to use anoven, another way is with an electric smoker, and the last way is with a food dehydrator. We used a food dehydrator because it is small and easy to use.
To do the job, you just have to lay meat strips on the trays of the dehydrator and let it work for 5 – 8 hours at 160 degrees F.
Ours took 7 hours in the dehydrator (I bought mine on Amazon), but yours might take less time if the meat is thinner or more time if the meat is thicker.
- EVEN HEAT DISTRIBUTION: 600 watts of drying power provides even heat distribution; consistent drying that is four times faster than other food dehydrators
- ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE CONTROL: The adjustable temperature control (95°F -160°F) gives you the flexibility to achieve the best results when drying different foods that need varying temperature settings
- EXPANDABLE TO 12 TRAYS: Comes with five (13 1/2″ diameter) trays and expands up to 12 trays so you can dry large quantities at once with no tray rotation needed; additional trays sold separately
- EXPANDABLE TO 12 TRAYS: Comes with five (13 1/2″ diameter) trays and expands up to 12 trays so you can dry large quantities at once with no tray rotation needed; additional trays sold separately
- ACCESSORIES INCLUDED: (2) Fruit Roll Sheet, (2) Clean-A-Screens, a sample of Jerky Seasoning & Cure, and (1) Care & Use Guide
You will end up with ⅓ of your weight as jerky. Look at the scale below: we started with 1 pound of beef and ended up with 6.63 oz of beef jerky.
Recipe
This recipe serves 5 people.
- preparation time: 30 minutes
- marinade time: 8 hours
- drying time: 7 hours
| Ingredients | Cost | |
| 1 lb. of beef; I chooseEye of round, but any could work | $6.61 per 1 lb. at Walmart | |
| 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard | $3 – 4 dollar range for an 8 oz. container ( 6 tsp. per one oz. means that 1 teaspoon equates to 0.06 cents ) | |
| 1/4 cup soy sauce | $1.52 for a 5 oz. container at Walmart (1/4 cup or 2 oz. = 0.61 cents) | |
| 1/4 cup water | I used tap water so it was essentially free | |
| 1 teaspoon salt | 1 cent for 1 teaspoon of salt | |
| 1/2 cup dark brown sugar | $2.17 for 2lb. a container at Walmart (1/2 cup or 4 oz. = 0.27 cents) | |
| 2 teaspoon black pepper | $3.98 for 3.12 oz. a container at Walmart (6 tsp. per oz. means that 1 teaspoon equates to 0.21 cents or 0.42 cents per 2 teaspoons) | |
| 2 teaspoon onion powder | Between $4 and $5 for a 1.73 oz. container (6 tsp. per oz. means that 1 teaspoon equates to 0.38 cents or 0.76 cents per 2 teaspoons) | |
| 2 teaspoon garlic powder | Between $4 and $5 for a 2.33 oz. container (6 tsp. per oz. means that 1 teaspoon equates to 0.28 cents or 0.56 cents per 2 teaspoons ) | |
| 1/4 cup soy sauce | $1.52 for a 5 oz. container at Walmart (1/4 cup or 2 oz. = 0.61 cents) | |
| 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce | $1.00 for a 10 oz. container at Walmart (1/4 cup or 2 oz. = 0.20 cents) | |
| 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper | $3.97 per a 1.7 oz. container at Walmart (6 tsp. per oz. means that 1/4 tsp equates to 0.10 cents ) | |
| Total Cost: | $9.6/6.63 oz. (full cost: meat + ingredients) |
Shot Instruction
- The first step is to trim the fat from your beef.
- Next, cut it into slices that are no more than ¼ inch thick and then slice against or across the grain.
- Mix all of the marinade ingredients.
- Then put beef and marinade in a container or Ziploc bag and place it in the fridge for 6-24 hours.
- Remove excess liquid from the beef with a paper towel.
- Dry your beef in a food dehydrator, oven, or electric smoker at 160 degrees F for 5 – 8 hours; when the beef bend and crack without snapping, it’s ready!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef; I choose Eye of round, but any could work
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
- The first step is to trim the fat from your beef.
- Next, cut it into slices that are no more than ¼ inch thick and then slice against or across the grain.
- Mix all of the marinade ingredients together.
- Then put beef and marinade in a container or Ziploc bag and place it in the fridge for 6-24 hours.
- Remove excess liquid from the beef with a paper towel.
- Dry your beef in a food dehydrator, oven, or electric smoker at 160 degrees F for 5 – 8 hours; when the beef bend and crack without snapping, it’s ready!
Nutrition
"You might be a redneck if you think that beef jerky and moon pies are two of the major food groups."
-- Jeff Foxworthy
