Garlic Pepper Beef Jerky: Recipe and How-to Guide

Last Updated:
February 14, 2024

This beef jerky starts with savory notes from the black pepper and then finishes with garlic – it also is rounded out some sweetness from molasses.

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What Type of Beef to Use

For beef jerky you want to use meat that is lean and cheap.

This recipe uses round tip.

Any of the following will suffice:

  • Top round
  • Bottom round
  • Eye of round
  • Brisket flat
  • Flank steak
round tip beef sliced into jerky meat

If your goal is preservation – ensure the meat lacks fat.

Slicing the Jerky Meat

The way you slice your jerky will depend on your taste preferences.

  • For tender/soft jerky – slice against the grain.
  • For jerky with a “tug” – slice with the grain.

If you need more help identifying grain direction, check out this article.

jerky grain direction examples

You also want to slice the meat to around 1/8 – 1/4″ thick.

This thickness ensures the meat can dehydrate in a timely manner and ensures the marinade can penetrate.

Garlic Pepper Beef Jerky Marinade Ingredients

This marinade is for ~1 lb of beef.

  • 1/3 cup Water
  • 4 tbsp Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
  • 2 tbsp Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1 tbsp 16 mesh (coarse ground) black pepper
  • 1 tbsp fine ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 tbsp granulated garlic
  • 1/2 tbsp dehydrated garlic
  • 0.75 Tablespoon of Morton Kosher Salt

Combine well in a bowl and ensure the molasses has dissolved in the liquid.

Marinating the Beef Jerky

In a ziplock bag or in a non-reactive glass container, add your beef jerky and marinade.

garlic pepper beef jerky marinade

Allow the jerky to marinate for at least 2 hours – I prefer overnight.

Heat Treating 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.

Pre-heat your oven to 350F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then place metal cooling racks on top:

cooling racks on baking sheet

Place your beef jerky on top of the cooling racks.

Once your oven is at 350F, put your baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack for 10 minutes.

heat treated garlic pepper jerky

While your meat is heat treating, get your dehydrator setup to 130-140F.

Dehydrating the Jerky

Once the beef jerky is heat treated, transfer to your dehydrator trays and allow the beef jerky to dehydrate for at least 3 hours.

Then start checking for doneness.

jerky on dehydrator tray

Checking for Doneness

Usually beef jerky that’s cut to 1/8 – 1/4″ takes around 3-5 hours to finish.

At 3 hours, check for doneness.

Take a smaller piece and take it out of the dehydrator and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Once cooled, bend it – the jerky should have a noticeable spider webbing at the bend.

garlic pepper beef jerky recipe

If the jerky feels like rubber and the bend has hues of red/pink – it’s not done.

Store in a Ziploc Bag

As your beef jerky finishes, put it into an open ziplock bag – doing this will allow it to aerate and ensures steam doesn’t get trapped.

Once all your jerky is done and cooled, seal the bag and store in a cool dark place until you’re ready to eat it.

Garlic Pepper Beef Jerky

Prep Time10 minutes
Active Time4 hours
Marination Time16 hours
Total Time20 hours 10 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Beef Round Tip Roast

Garlic Pepper Marinade

  • 1/3 cup Water
  • 4 tbsp Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
  • 2 tbsp Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/3 cup Molasses
  • 1 tbsp 16 mesh, coarse ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Fine ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp Granulated garlic
  • 1/2 tbsp Dehydrated garlic
  • 0.75 tbsp Morton Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice

Instructions

  • Take 1 lb of lean beef – I used round tip – and cut against the grain. You want the strips to be roughly 1/8" to 1/4" thick.
  • In a bowl combine the marinade ingredients in the specified quantities. Ensure the molasses and salt are well combined.
  • In a gallon storage bag, add your beef and marinade. Force out air and then roll the bag on top of itself. Then massage the marinade into the beef.
  • Put in your refrigerator and marinate overnight.

Heat Treat the Jerky

  • 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 beef jerky in the oven for 10 minutes.
  • While your jerky is being heat treated, set your dehydrator to 130F.

Dehydrating Beef Jerky

  • Once your jerky is done heat treating, place your beef jerky in your dehydrator. Ensure pieces aren't touching or overlapping.
  • Allow the jerky to dehydrate for 3 hours and then start checking for doneness.

Testing Beef Jerky

  • 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.

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 place.
dylan bio profile picture
Dylan Clay
Dylan Clay is a pitmaster based in New Hampshire, with over 17 years of experience in grilling, smoking, and dehydrating meat. Throughout this time, he has worked with nearly every cut of meat. In 2019, he launched the Barbecue FAQ website to share his extensive knowledge about all things meat, aiming to assist others in making better barbecue at home.

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