Sweet n' Spicy Beef Jerky (2024)

Sweet n’ Spicy Beef Jerky is our new favorite snack! You can make it at home, without a dehydrator!

I have always been a huge beef jerky fan. When I was growing up, we would take lots of road trips and beef jerky was always a snack that we had on hand. I was always partial to the spicy beef jerky, because, well, I’m partial to all things spicy.

Despite it being one of my favorite snacks, I don’t actually buy beef jerky all that often. For one, it’s expensive for such a little bag. Second, I was always a huge fan of the jerky that you buy in the bin at the gas stations (you know the whole road trip thing), but Ryan totally ruined it for me by saying “Ewww people grab that stuff with dirty hands!” And now I just imagine that every time I reach for one.

So what’s a jerky loving girl to do? Make her own Sweet n’ Spicy Beef Jerky.

Do you need a dehydrator to make beef jerky?

No! I have always been under the impression that beef jerky had to be made in a dehydrator. That is simply not true. In fact, you can make beef jerky in your oven. All you need is a couple baking sheets, aluminum foil, cooling racks and a wooden spoon to hold the door open.

The other hurdle was what cut of beef to use. For this Sweet n’ Spicy Beef Jerky recipe, I use london broil. London broil is inexpensive and can go a long way, especially when you are cutting it thin. I have tried it with flat iron steak too, it was a bit chewier, but totally worked.

Speaking of cutting the jerky thin, the best way to do that is to freeze the beef before hand, like I do with this beef stir fry. This allows you to cut thin slices of beef. For this Sweet n’ Spicy Beef Jerky, I cut the beef about 1/8 of an inch thick. It was the perfect thickness for me. If you like your jerky a bit chewier, cut it a little thicker.

The next step in the homemade jerky process, is the marinade. This Sweet n’Spicy Beef Jerky is marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar and chili garlic sauce overnight. Marinating it overnight, really allows the flavor to come through.

Finally, the cooking. Making your own beef jerky does take a bit of time. I cook this jerky anywhere from 3 – 4 hours at 170 degrees. After is has cooked, I let it cool on the counter for another couple of hours before putting it in a air-tight container.

But you guys, it is totally worth it.

This Spicy Beef Jerky has become a huge snack time favorite around here. I often find Preston sneaking into the container to get himself a snack. It’s amazing I was able to have enough to take these photos! ;)

Note: Originally posted 2017. Updated with new video 2019.