Hot and Smoky Beef Jerky Recipe

Our Hot and Smoky Beef Jerky recipe packs in the flavor through spicy chipotles and tart limes and oranges. If you prefer a hotter jerky then add as many chipotle chilies as you like.

The marinade takes a little more work than normal but after you roast the vegetables the rest is very easy. The flavor that the roasting adds to the hot and smoky beef jerky is definitely worth the extra effort!

Hot and Smoky Beef Jerky Recipe

Hot and Smoky Beef Jerky Ingredients

For the Hot and Smoky Marinade

3 roma tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons apple cider or red wine vinegar
3 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt

For the Beef Jerky

3 lbs. of meat (about 1360 gm)
1/2 to 1 cup hot and smoky marinade

Hot and Smoky Beef Jerky Instructions

For the Hot and Smoky Marinade

Put the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a sheet pan with raised sides. Cook them in an oven set at 400?F until the onions soften, about 10 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place the roasted vegetables and the remaining marinade ingredients into a blender and process into a thick puree.

For the Hot and Smoky Beef Jerky

Trim all the fat, gristle, and silver skin from the beef. Slice the beef into thin strips 1/8" to 3/8" thick, against the grain. Set the strips down in a large container like a bowl, flat tray, or sealable plastic bag.

Pour the hot and smoky marinade over the meat and mix well. Store the meat in the fridge for at least 4 to 8 hours, or overnight.

Making Hot and Smoky Beef Jerky in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 160°F / 71°C, or the lowest setting it will go.

Remove the beef slices from the container and layer the strips in a single layer on a baking tray, or drying rack on top of a cookie sheet. Make sure the beef strips don't overlap and have a little space between them to enable good air circulation.

Arrange the oven shelves leaving at least 4 inches of space from the top and bottom sources of heat to achieve even heating. Place the strips in the oven to start dehydrating them.

Making Hot and Smoky Beef Jerky in a Dehydrator

Preheat your dehydrator to at least 141°F / 60.5°C and up to 165°F / 74°C.

Place the strips in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Be sure to leave some space between the jerky strips for sufficient air flow. If you are not using wire or mesh trays you may need to turn the beef jerky over once in the middle of the drying process.

Dry the beef jerky for 6 to 10 hours. If thicker strips of meat are used it may take longer.

Finishing the Hot and Smoky Beef Jerky

To test the beef jerky remove a strip or two from the oven racks or dehydrator trays with clean kitchen tongs. Dried beef jerky strips should be chewy but still tender. When bent, it should be flexible enough not to break but it should crack instead.

Once the hot and smoky beef jerky is sufficiently dry, remove it from the dehydrator and let it cool for 30 to 60 minutes. If there is any oil or moisture on the beef jerky use paper towels to blot it dry.

Put the jerky in tightly sealed containers then refrigerate or freeze. The hot and smoky beef jerky will last in the refrigerator for a month or two and in the freezer for several months.