This spicy smoked beef jerky recipe is irresistibly delicious! In fact, many who try it say it's the best jerky they've ever tasted. It's packed with smoky, spicy goodness and bursting with flavor! If you're a jerky connoisseur, I highly recommend trying my smoked pork jerky too!
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My family absolutely LOVES jerky-especially when it's extra spicy! To keep the peace, I always weigh and divide the smoked beef jerky into equal portions to prevent any squabbles.
I believe the key to its incredible flavor lies in the sesame seed oil, just like in my elk jerky recipe. The marinades for both recipes are quite similar because, when you've perfected something, there's no need to change it!
I prefer savory jerky to sweet (unless it's smoked candied salmon), so I usually don't add brown sugar or honey. If you do, feel free to add some. A little goes a long way!
If the word "spicy" scares you, just reduce the amount of cayenne pepper or leave it out entirely. You can enjoy the wonderful flavor without the heat.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You can save a ton of money by making smoked beef jerky at home instead of buying it.
- This recipe uses simple ingredients that deliver a ton of flavor!
- This smoked jerky is easy to chew and makes a great, on-the-go snack!
- If you want to ship jerky to family or friends, I recommend that you add some pink curing salt to the marinade to keep it from spoiling.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Beef: Our favorite cut of beef to make beef jerky is beef top round roast. Another option is flank steak. We use our meat slicer to slice it into ⅛" strips, then freeze it in 4 lb portions, perfect for when we want to make jerky!
- Liquids: To make the marinade, you'll need soy sauce, sesame seed oil, and Worcestershire sauce. Although I usually add liquid smoke when I'm using a dehydrator, I leave it out when I'm smoking jerky. The natural smoke will give it plenty of smoky flavor!
- Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, ground coriander, crushed red pepper, and cayenne pepper.
- Optional: If you prefer your jerky a little sweet, feel free to add a touch of brown sugar or some teriyaki sauce to the marinade. I also like to sprinkle the jerky with either sesame seeds, cayenne, or crushed red pepper once I add it to the smoker.
How to Make Smoked Beef Jerky
Step 1: Slice beef into thin ⅛" slices, against the grain, using a meat slicer (preferably) or with a very sharp knife.
Step 2: Whisk marinade ingredients together in a measuring cup or bowl. Add meat to a bowl or ziplock bag and pour the marinade over it. Make sure all the slices are submerged in the marinade. Marinate for a minimum of 12 hours, and up to 48 hours.
Pro Tip: I like to alternate the slices with the marinade to make sure each piece gets fully submerged.
Smoking Instructions
Step 3: Turn the smoker on and add pellets. I prefer to use hickory or mesquite, but you can use your favorite wood pellet flavor. Set smoker to 180°F. Select super smoke if you have that option.
Step 4: Remove marinated meat from the bag and arrange it directly on the grill grates. Do not overlap. Close the lid and smoke for approximately 5 hours or until the jerky reaches the desired texture.
Storage Suggestions
Once the smoked beef jerky has completely cooled off, I like to add it to either quart-sized Ziploc bags or portion it into food-saver bags and toss it in an oxygen absorber for longer storage. Either way, keep the bags in the fridge or freeze up to 3 months.
Looking for more beef recipes? Try this classic beef Salisbury steak!
Recipe FAQs
Depending on the temperature of your smoker, it takes around 4 hours to smoke beef jerky at 180 degrees F.
A lower temperature, right around 180 degrees, ensures even, slow smoking.
The jerky should be firm but not brittle. When bent, it should crack slightly but not break completely in half. If it's too soft, it needs more time; if it snaps easily, it may be overdone.
One way to accentuate the smoked flavor in beef jerky is to add liquid smoke to the marinade. The other is to use "super smoke" while smoking the beef jerky.
It is not necessary to flip beef jerky during the smoking process unless you want to!
Pro Tips
- Keep in mind that the beef round will be easier to slice if it's slightly frozen.
- A meat slicer makes slicing the meat much easier!
- Store smoked beef jerky in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.
- This smoked beef jerky recipe freezes well, especially when vacuum-sealed in food-saver bags before being stored in the freezer.
More Smoker Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, check out these other smoker recipes!
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Slice beef into thin ⅛" slices, against the grain using a meat slicer (preferably) or with a sharp knife.
- Whisk marinade ingredients together in a measuring cup or bowl. Add meat to a bowl or ziplock bag and pour the marinade over it. Make sure all the slices are submerged in the marinade. Marinate for a minimum of 12 hours, and up to 48 hours.
- Turn smoker on and add pellets. I prefer to use hickory or mesquite, but you can use your favorite wood pellet flavor. Set smoker to 180℉. Select super smoke, if you have that option.
- Remove marinated meat from the bag and arrange directly on the grill grates. Do not overlap. Close lid and smoke for approximately 5 hours or until the jerky reaches the desired texture.
Nutrition
Notes
- Keep in mind that the beef round will be easier to slice if it's slightly frozen.
- A meat slicer makes slicing the meat much easier!
- I like to alternate the slices with the marinade to make sure each piece gets fully submerged.
- Store jerky in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.
- Jerky freezes well, especially when vacuum-sealed in food-saver bags.
Cindy says
Thank you for sharing this great recipe, we loved it!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Cindy, my pleasure!
Luke says
Awesome recipe. First time smoking anything. Came out perfect.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Luke, welcome to the smoking club!
HEIDI Belton says
Do you have instructions for temp and cooking time for a dehydrator?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Heidi,
Since this is a "smoked" beef jerky recipe, I haven't included dehydrator steps. However, you can follow the same steps I use in my elk jerky recipe, which is dehydrated. Here's the link: https://hildaskitchenblog.com/recipe/elk-jerky/
Hungry4Hucks says
Oh my!!! This recipe should be the standard by which all jerky is compared. I followed your recipe to a T and ended up eating the (roughly) 1 1/2 pounds of finished product in 2 days. All too eager to start the next batch, I decided to be a little bit me with the recipe and doubled the cayenne. Smokey, hot, delectable jerky... the search is over! Thank you Hilda for the PERFECT jerky! God bless you.
Hilda Sterner says
Your comment made my day, thank you so much!