A traditional BBQ sauce already features most of the common ingredients found in common jerky marinades.
Adding it to your marinade is one of the easier ways to incorporate flavors and humectants needed for good jerky.
What Type of Meat to Use for Beef Jerky
This recipe uses Flank steak.
If you don’t have flank steak, any of the following will suffice:
- Top round/london broil
- Bottom round
- Eye of round
- Brisket flat
- Round tip
Any cut that’s lean and cheap works well. If your goal is preservation, look for a cut that is as lean as possible.
Slicing the Meat for Jerky
The way you slice will depend on your taste preferences.
- If you prefer Soft Jerky – slice against the grain.
- If you prefer jerky with a Tug – slice with the grain.
If you’re unsure of what “grain” means with respect to meat – read this article.
You also want to slice the meat to around 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick.
This ensures that the meat dehydrates in a timely manner and is easier to chew.
BBQ-Sauce Beef Jerky Marinade Ingredients
This marinade is for ~1 lb of meat.
- 1/2 Cup Sticky Fingers Carolina Sweet BBQ Sauce*
- 2/3 Cup Water
- 1/4 Cup Molasses
- 0.75 Tbsp of Morton Kosher Salt
- 1 Tsp Paprika
- 1 Tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Cloves (Nail removed and flower ground)
- 1 Tbsp 16 Mesh (Coarse) Black Pepper
- 1 Tsp Onion Powder
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tbsp Vinegar
*Use your favorite BBQ Sauce – the goal of the other ingredients is just to build on the flavors of the sauce.
If you want to add “smoke” flavor, add 1/2 tbsp of Liquid smoke to the marinade.
Marinating the Beef Jerky
Ensure the marinade ingredients are well combined – especially the molasses and the kosher salt.
To a gallon storage bag or non-reactive container add your sliced meat and then your marinade.
Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight – I prefer overnight.
Heat Treating the Beef Jerky
I like to heat treat my beef jerky so that I can dehydrate at a lower temperature – I find the jerky is much softer this way.
Set your oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then put oven-safe cooling racks on top:
Put your marinated beef jerky on top of the cooling racks.
Once the oven is pre-heated, put your baking sheet on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
While the jerky heat treats set your dehydrator to 130F-140F.
Dehydrating the Beef Jerky
Once the beef jerky is heat treated, transfer the jerky strips to your dehydrator trays.
Allow the meat to dehydrate for at least 3 hours before checking for doneness.
Checking the Jerky for Doneness
At 3 hours, start taking a few pieces that you suspect are done out of the dehydrator and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, bend a piece.
If the bend feels rubbery and you see hues of red/pink – the jerky is not done and needs to dehydrate longer.
Typically it takes ~3-5 hours for jerky that’s sliced 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick.
BBQ Sauce-Flavored, Flank Steak Beef Jerky
Sweet and Savory
Slicing and Marinating Jerky
Take 1 lb of flank steak and cut against the grain. Slice the strips so that they're 1/8" – 1/4" thick.
In a bowl combine the marinade ingredients in the specified quantities. Ensure the molasses and salt are well combined.
In a ziplock bag or non-reactive container, add your sliced meat and marinade ingredients. Massage the marinade into the meat.
Marinate the jerky for at least 2 hours or ideally, overnight.
Heat Treating the Jerky Meat
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Then place oven-safe cooling racks on top. Put your marinated beef jerky on top of the cooling racks, ensure that pieces aren't touching or overlapping.
Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
Once pre-heated put your jerky in the oven on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
While your jerky is heat treating, set your dehydrator to 130F.
Dehydrating the Beef Jerky
Once your jerky is done heat treating, place your beef jerky in your dehydrator. Ensure pieces aren't touching or overlapping.
llow the jerky to dehydrate for 3 hours and then start checking for doneness.
Testing Beef Jerky for Doneness
After 3 hours take a few pieces of beef jerky out of the dehydrator and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Once cooled, bend the jerky. If at the bend you notice a "spider webbing" – it's done. If at the bend you notice the jerky is rubbery and has hues of red/pink, it's not done and needs to keep dehydrating.
Storing the Jerky
Once done, place in a ziplock bag with the top open and allow the jerky to aerate for 30 minutes. Once aerated zip the top and store in a cool, dry, dark place.
