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Pellet smoker beef jerky recipe
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Pellet Smoked Beef Jerky Recipe

The fresh flavor and tenderness of homemade beef jerky are definitely worth the effort. Fortunately, your pellet smoker can do most of the work for you. Here’s an easy to nail recipe, if you fancy giving it a whirl.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Smoked
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Refrigerate 6 hours
Total Time 11 hours 10 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author Joost Nusselder
Cost $2

Equipment

  • Pellet Smoker

Ingredients

Beef Jerky

  • 2 pounds lean beef in your chosen cut (round, flank steak, sirloin tip)

Marinade

  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1-2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tsp. black pepper
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • hot sauce optional
  • BBQ sauce optional
  • dark beer optional

Instructions

Marinade

  • The flavoring of your marinade comes down to personal preference. The amounts above are interchangeable, so have a think of how sweet, salty or spicy you’d like it to be, before you start mixing your ingredients.
  • Add your marinade ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly until combined.
  • Pour marinade into a ziplock bag or keep in the bowl and temporarily set aside.

Beef Jerky

  • Slice your beef into ¼ inch thick slices using a sharp knife, either with the grain (for chewier beef jerky) or against (to make it more tender).
  • Try to make your strips even and trim away any fat or connective tissue.
  • Place the beef slices in the ziplock bag or mixing bowl with your marinade and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours. Move every few hours to ensure an even coat.
  • Once your beef jerky is ready, fire up your pellet smoker and set to 200 degrees.
  • Remove meat slices from the marinade and lay on the smoker grate.
  • Close the lid and smoke for 4-5 hours or until dry. The meat should be chewy and bendy, not crispy.
  • Transfer your jerky to a fresh ziplock bag while warm, and leave to rest at room temperature for up to an hour.
  • Make sure there is no air in the bag and place it in the refrigerator, where it should freshly store for several weeks.