Beef jerky is a popular snack for those who enjoy a meaty treat, especially when it’s homemade, offering full control over the ingredients for a healthier, tastier option. This Sweet & Spicy Smoked Beef Jerky recipe focuses on creating a delicious snack without the need for preservatives or additives found in store-bought versions.
Why eat nasty, old, bad-ingredient beef jerky when you have a perfectly good smoker at home just begging to make smoked beef jerky?
Beef Jerky Ingredients
As with most things we make at home, we do it because we prefer to have control over the ingredients we’re putting in our bodies. Beef jerky is no exception. Also, it tastes so. much. better when you make your own.
Sweet & Spicy Beef Jerky
- 3.5 lb Flank Steak
- 16 oz Coconut Aminos
- 1/4 cup Honey (see notes)
- 2-4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (see notes)
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Smoked Jerky
This recipe has been perfected to balance the flavors of sweet and spicy, creating a delicious snack that surpasses any store-bought jerky. The use of a smoker rather than a food dehydrator is recommended for achieving the best flavor. The natural smoking process enhances the beef’s taste, giving it a deep, rich color and a savory depth that can’t be matched by liquid smoke or artificial flavors.
No Unnecessary Ingredients Here!
One of the great benefits of homemade jerky is the ability to control the quality and type of ingredients used. This recipe opts for coconut aminos over soy sauce, making it a soy-free option that’s hard to find in commercial jerky. Furthermore, it avoids the use of liquid smoke, artificial colors, or flavors, ensuring a pure, unadulterated snack.
Control How Sweet & Spicy You Want Your Beef Jerky
The recipe is designed to be flexible, allowing for adjustments in sweetness and spice levels. By varying the amount of honey and red pepper flakes used, it’s easy to tailor the jerky to personal preferences. This customization is a key advantage of making your own jerky at home.
Soy Free Jerky Recipe
And my favorite part is that there’s NO soy sauce! We use coconut aminos instead to keep our jerky soy-free. That’s basically impossible to find in the pre-packaged jerky world.
Each batch requires about 2 to 2.5 hours in the smoker, making it possible to prepare a substantial amount in a single day. This efficient process ensures a steady supply of delicious, homemade beef jerky.
This Sweet & Spicy Smoked Beef Jerky recipe provides a fantastic way to enjoy a homemade version of this classic snack. By controlling the ingredients and adjusting the flavors to your liking, you can create a batch of jerky that’s not only delicious but also free from the unwanted additives of commercial alternatives.
Sweet & Spicy Smoked Beef Jerky
Ingredients
- 3.5 lb Flank Steak
- 16 oz Coconut Aminos
- 1/4 cup Honey (see notes)
- 2-4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (see notes)
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- In a heavy duty gallon-size zip-top bag, combine the coconut aminos, honey, and all spices. Close the bag and massage everything together until it's well combined.
- Place the bag in a large mixing bowl, and open the top. You'll be putting the cut beef directly in this bag and keeping it supported by the bowl helps it from falling over while you work.
- Cut your flank steak AGAINST THE GRAIN in thin strips no thicker than 1/4". Against the grain is important as this will give you jerky that is much easier to chew! Place the cut strips of beef in the marinade.
- Once all the beef is cut up, seal the bag, getting as much air out as possible. Smush things up in there to get all the beef nicely coated with the marinade. Place in the fridge and let sit at least 12 hours. I prefer doing this step right before bed so it's ready to go in the morning.
- Using an electric pellet smoker, turn it on to "smoke" with the lid open for about 10 minutes, or until you see smoke. Close the lid and set it to 180°F and let it heat up for another 10 minutes. If your grill grates are too wide apart, you can add non-coated wire cooling racks on top to give you more surface area.
- Remove the marinated beef strips from the bag and lay them in a single layer on the smoker grates. Close the lid and smoke for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove any pieces that are fully done. If you have thicker pieces, keep them in a little longer, but not too long as to overly dry them out.
- Let jerky cool at room temp then store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- If you prefer things a little less spicy, only use the 2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes. Like more, heat, add all 4 tsp (or more, if you like).
- Don't want it too sweet? You can cut the honey back to 2 Tbsp for a more spicy/savory jerky.
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