Master Class: How to Make Authentic Smoked Beef Jerky
Stop overpaying for store-bought jerky. Learn the master class secrets to slicing, curing, and smoking the perfect batch of beef jerky right on your backyard smoker.
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Plus 12-24 hours marinating
Cook Time:
3–5 hours
Serves:
Yields roughly 1 lb of finished jerky.
If you are buying jerky at the gas station, you are missing out on one of the most rewarding low-and-slow projects a pitmaster can tackle. Making smoked beef jerky is a true test of temperature control and patience.
At Simply Grilling, our “Master Class” approach doesn’t just rely on soy sauce and liquid smoke. We are using a real wood fire and incorporating a proper cure to ensure your jerky has that authentic bend, tear, and shelf life.
I cannot stress this enough: trim every ounce of hard white fat off your roast before slicing. Fat does not dehydrate; it just gets warm and eventually goes rancid. The leaner your starting cut, the longer your jerky will last in the pantry.
The Meat
- 3 lbs - Eye of Round Roast (This is the best cut because it is incredibly lean. Fat is the enemy of jerky—it spoils and turns rancid.)
The Marinade
- 1 cup - Soy Sauce (Low Sodium)
- 1/2 cup - Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 cup - Dark Brown Sugar (Packed)
- 1 tbsp - Coarse Black Pepper (Go heavy if you like it spicy)
- 1 tbsp - Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp - Onion Powder
- 1 tsp - Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp - Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)
- 1/2 level tsp - Prague Powder #1 (Standard ratio is 1/4 tsp per pound of meat. Do not overdo this.)
The Freeze:
Step 1
Place your Eye of Round roast in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours before slicing. You don't want it frozen solid, just firm. This makes slicing thin, uniform strips infinitely easier.
The Trim & Slice:
Step 2
Trim away all visible exterior fat and silver skin. Slice the meat into 1/4-inch strips. Pro Choice: Slice against the grain for an easier chew, or with the grain for a tough, classic "rip and tear" jerky.
The Mix:
Step 3
In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients, making sure the brown sugar and Prague Powder are completely dissolved.
The Cure:
Step 4
Place the beef strips into a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade over them. Massage the bag to ensure every piece is coated. Press all the air out, seal it, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
The Rack Up:
Step 5
Remove the meat from the marinade (do not rinse it). Pat the strips dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture—this prevents the jerky from steaming. Lay the strips out flat on your Wire Cooling Racks, ensuring no pieces are touching.
The Smoke:
Step 6
Fire up the smoker to 160°F - 180°F. Place the loaded wire racks directly onto the smoker grates.
The Bend Test:
Step 7
Start checking the meat around the 2-hour mark. The jerky is done when it passes the "bend test": take a piece and bend it in half. It should crack and show white fibrous webbing, but it should not snap in two. If it snaps, it's overcooked.
The Rest:
Step 8
Remove from the smoker and let it cool completely at room temperature in a paper bag or loosely tented foil for a few hours before transferring to an airtight container.
