Meat to Use for this Jerky Recipe
This recipe uses 1 lb of london broil or “top round.”
If you can’t find that, use:
- Brisket Flat
- Bottom Round
- Eye of round
- Round tip
- etc.
Slicing the Meat
Dylan’s Tip: If the meat is unfrozen, put it into your freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour; This will make slicing far easier.
- For softer jerky – slice against the grain.
- For jerky with a “tug” – slice with the grain.
Slice the meat roughly 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick.
Lemon Pepper Marinade for Jerky
This marinade is for roughly 1 lb of meat.
Combine in a bowl:
- 1.5 tbsp McCormick Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- 1/4 Cup Tamari soy sauce*
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Dark brown sugar
Allow the meat to marinate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
*Notes on this recipe: If you use too much Soy, Worcestershire, or Teriyaki sauce, the Lemon pepper flavor will completely wash out – I know because I’ve tested other “lemon pepper” recipes that use WAY too much of these liquids.
The point of the Dark brown sugar is to make the meat softer, the meat won’t be super sweet.
Heat Treating the Beef Jerky to Improve Texture via Lower Dehydration Temperature
I like my jerky soft – one of the better ways to achieve this is by dehydrating at a lower temperature (around 130F).
If you don’t care about this step, skip it – just dehydrate at 160F until the jerky is done.
Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then place metal cooling racks on top:
Place marinated 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.
While your meat is heat treating, get your dehydrator setup to 130F.
Dehydrating the Beef Jerky
Once the beef jerky is heat treated, transfer to your dehydrator and allow the beef jerky to dehydrate for at least 3 hours.
After 3 Hours, Start Checking the Jerky for Doneness
Most Jerky will finish in ~3-5 hours.
At 3 hours, take a smaller piece 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.
If the jerky still feels like rubber and the bend has hues of red and pink – it’s not done.
Keep checking a new piece every 30 minutes.
Store the Jerky in a Cool, Dry, Dark Place
As the jerky starts to finish, transfer to a ziplock bag to cool.
Leave the top open and allow it to aerate.
Then zip the top and store.
Lemon Pepper Beef Jerky
Ingredients
- 1 lb London broil
Jalapeno Garlic Marinade
- 1.5 tbsp McCormick Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- 1/4 Cup Tamari soy sauce
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Dark brown sugar
Instructions
Slicing and Marinating Jerky
- Take 1 lb of lean beef and cut against the grain. Slice so that the strips are 1/8-1/4" thick.
- In a bowl combine the marinade ingredients in the specified quantities. Ensure the powders and sugars are well combined.1.5 tbsp McCormick Lemon Pepper Seasoning, 1/4 Cup Tamari soy sauce, 1/2 cup Water, 1/4 cup Dark brown sugar
- In a non-reactive container or ziplock bag, add your marinade and sliced jerky. Massage the marinade into the beef.
- Put in your refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours; Ideally, you'd marinate overnight for 16+ hours.
Optional: Heat Treating the Jerky so You Can Dehydrate at a Lower Temperature
- If you don't care about this, just dehydrate at 160F.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.
- Allow 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.
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.
