Dr. Pepper Jalapeno Beef Jerky
On October 04, 2022 (Updated May 16, 2024)
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My Dr. Pepper Jalapeno Beef Jerky is legendary! This post includes steps on how to make beef jerky and the best beef jerky recipe ever. I mean, really. This post is so full of beef jerky knowledge, it should probably be a book. We are going to be talking cuts of meat, slicing tips, marinating basics, and dehydrating vs. smoking.
Dr. Pepper Jalapeno Beef Jerky
This jerky is by far one of my most popular posts on the site. It’s equal parts sweet and spicy and you can adjust the heat to whatever level you prefer.
I’ve had friends and family rave about this jerky. It’s become a popular office treat or neighbor gift during the holidays. I cannot emphasize this enough. You’ll likely need to make a double batch because this jerky will not last long.
How to Make Dr. Pepper Jalapeno Beef Jerky
Alright folks, as promised let’s walk step-by-step through the whole process of making this awesome jerky. From selecting the right meat all the way to getting that perfect dried jerky, you’ll have a tasty snack in no time flat!
Step 1: Select the Meat
Let’s start with the best cuts of beef for jerky-making. I try to pick a nice roast with very little fat marbling. My first choice is an eye of round roast. After that, I think a top round, sirloin roast, or rump roast would also work well. These cuts do have a bit more fat/gristle, but a lot of times the price is right so I don’t mind.
This recipe calls for 2-3 pounds of eye of round roast. I easily got this from my butcher and asked them to cut the meat for me. Need to know more about slicing? Read on to the next section!
Step 2: Slice the Beef
Once you have selected your meat, it’s time to get that perfect jerky-thin slice. The first option is to ask your butcher to slice the meat for you. I recommend asking for a few sample slices to help you determine how thick or thin you want your jerky. I usually ask the butcher to set their slicer to an X for jerky.
If you are slicing your own meat at home, put your roast in the freezer for 30-60 minutes before slicing. The chilled meat will be easier to slice. Next, grab a sharp knife and get started. Try your best to slice the beef nice and even so all the jerky dries evenly.
At this point, you can choose whether to slice your meat with or against the grain. I prefer to slice my jerky against the grain, as it makes the jerky easier to chew and eat. I’ve got a bunch of little kiddos who would eat their weight in this Dr. Pepper Jalapeno Beef Jerky if I let them, and I don’t want to worry like crazy that they are going to be choking on unchewable chunks of jerky.
If you slice with the grain you get those nice long strands of jerky that you can tear off and work through. If you like that more stringy, tougher texture for your jerky, go with slicing with the grain.
Step 3: Marinate the Beef
Next, let’s chat marinades! My favorite part! There are a million jerky marinades out there, plenty that you can buy pre-made and just dump on your sliced meat and go. There are some good ones and some not-so-good ones, and I am mad every time I waste money on a pre-made marinade AND a big pile of meat.
The sweet, savory, heat flavors from this Dr. Pepper Jalapeno marinade are a perfect balance. The real basis for any great marinade, in my opinion, is a good combo of flavors. You’ll get all that and more from this marinade.
For this marinade, I want to emphasize the importance of the reduction step. Take the time to reduce the marinade properly. If you don’t, the final result can be a little bland. Also, this isn’t super spicy as prepared. If you want more jalapeño flavor, slice your jalapeños very thin or even add a third jalapeño to the marinade. Some readers have also substituted habanero peppers to up the spice factor.
Step 4: Dehydrate the Dr. Pepper Jalapeno Beef Jerky
The last step in making jerky is to dry it all out in a smoker, oven, or dehydrator. I have several smokers at my disposal and my favorite for jerky is my Camp Chef SmokePro pellet grill. I can maintain temperatures around 160-180 degrees F. This allows the jerky to slowly cook through while smoking.
Here’s how to smoke this tasty jerky:
- Preheat. Preheat your smoker to 170 degrees F. While the smoker is preheating, remove the jerky from the marinade and use a paper towel to pat off the excess marinade. Once dry, dust with additional black pepper, if desired (this gives it an extra kick of heat!)
- Smoke. Place the strips of jerky on the grill grates of your smoker and cook for 2-3 hours (or up to 4-5 hours depending on the thickness of the beef). Your jerky is done when it reaches 165 degrees F measured with a meat thermometer. The meat should be slightly pliable without breaking when you bend it in half.
- Steam. Once your jerky is fully cooked, remove it from the smoker and place it in a clean gallon-sized zip-top bag while it is still warm. Do not seal the bag all the way to allow the jerky to steam slightly to keep it moist.
- Enjoy. Dig in! Let’s hope you made a double batch because this stuff is addicting!
Alternative Dehydrating Methods
If you don’t want to make this jerky in the smoker, there are two other methods you can try out!
- Oven. If you’re without a smoker, you can still dehydrate your jerky in your oven by laying out your jerky on a cooling rack before cooking. Follow the same time and temperature listed in the recipe, but leave the door of your oven slightly cracked so the moisture can escape and your jerky can dry properly.
- Dehydrator. If you are using a dehydrator, follow the instructions provided with your machine. Every dehydrator works differently and the timeline will be unique to your machine.
Curing the Jerky
If you prefer to use curing salts in your jerky, use 1 level teaspoon of Prague Powder #1 or instacure #1 in the marinade recipe. The recipe If you cook the recipe as is, it will last in your fridge for up to two weeks in a zip-top bag (if you don’t eat it all before then). If you use curing salt, it will last up to two weeks on your counter.
More Beef Jerky Recipes
Looking for more delicious beef jerky recipes? Check out these other popular ones from the site!
Dr. Pepper Jalapeno Beef Jerky Recipe
There you have it! You made it through my jerky novel! You may very well now be an expert jerky maker. If you have any questions beyond what we talked about above, feel free to leave a comment here or jump on over to find me on Facebook or Instagram.
This post was originally published in February 2018. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Dr. Pepper Jalapeno Beef Jerky
Video
Ingredients
- 1 2-3 pound beef eye of round roast thin sliced against the grain
Dr. Pepper Jalapeno Marinade
- 2 cups Dr. Pepper
- 2 jalapenos sliced
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the marinade. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by half. You should have just over a cup of marinade. Chill the marinade completely.
- Marinate the beef. Transfer the sliced beef to a gallon sized zip top bag and pour in the marinade. Massage the marinade into the meat and refrigerate for 8-12 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat the smoker. Preheat your smoker or oven to approximately 170 degrees F. I recommend maple or cherry (or a combo of both!) for this recipe.
- Smoke the meat. Remove the meat from the marinade and dry each strip thoroughly by laying on paper towels or patting dry. Transfer the strips to the grill grate, jerky rack, or cooling rack and smoke/cook for 2-3 hours (depending on the thickness of your slices, some thicker pieces can take 4-5 hours). Check often after the first hour to be sure your jerky is drying evenly. You are looking for jerky that is firm and still slightly pliable, but not soft. If you bend your jerky and it breaks, you've cooked it a little too long.
- Steam and enjoy! Place the finished jerky in a gallon zip top bag while it is still warm. Don't seal closed all the way. The jerky will steam in the bag slightly and this step will make the jerky moist. The jerky will last 3-4 days on the counter or 2 weeks in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you think it would be ok to add freshly ground Chilli powder to the marinade instead of Sliced jalapeno. I live heat so was thinking of adding in some Carolina Reaper or Trinidad Scorpion Cardi powder.
Also, I don’t use a smoker, so can I add a teaspoon of Mesquite or Hickory Liquid smoke to the marinade?
I would say go for it! This is definitely a great recipe to test out with a mix of heat. If you want a little extra smoke flavor, liquid smoke is a great way to go and I think 1 teaspoon is plenty.
Hello this recipe says 1lb I’m doing 6lbs do I need to times it by 6 or just 2. Thank you
Hey David- The marinade as written can typically accommodate 2-3 pounds of jerky. I would triple it just to be safe.
Thank you so much for this recipe I have made about 5 batches and they are going faster than I can make them….I cut down the salt to half I love the recipe itself but my husband is not a salt person so to be nice I made it so he can enjoy them as well….huge hit with my in laws… Thank you again… 😉
I have done two batches the first batch was Dr Pepper and two jalapeños came out ok. The second batch was cherry Dr Pepper and one jalapeño and one habanero it was really good a little on the salty side.
I love that you made substitutions and tried new things!
I’m not a fan of Dr Pepper (yuck)…. have you or anyone else used Sprite or 7Up as a substitute do you think it would work?
I haven’t heard of Sprite or 7 up, but lots of people have used cola or root beer with a lot of success!
Love this jerky. I have made it several times. Only modification is add 1 tablespoon of Frank’s hot sauce. Thanks
Making it now, just grabbed a small piece after about 3.5 hours in the dehydrator. Tastes pretty darn good. I only used 1 TB of salt and added 1/2 tsp of prague #1. Gave it a quick grind of black pepper on one side before placing it in the rack. The jalapeno flavor shines right thru with some bite from the black pepper. I thought it would be a bit sweeter but maybe next time I’ll add some brown sugar to see how that tastes…. Either way this is a keeper!
I’ve switched to chicken because I can get skinless, boneless chicken breats at our local Costco for $1.18 a pound. After some experimenting with the marinade for chicken the only changes I have made is cutting the salt by half, and added 1/8 cup of molasses per pound of chicken. (I also adjust the pepper to match my audience.) I cut the chicken at 5MM on my deli slicer and marinade at least 24 hours. The response has been fantastic, everytime the wife and I get invited to a party a batch of this chicken jerky is requested. (And here I thought it was for my bubbly personality.)
I’ve got a Traeger smoker and have been using the mixed bags of Hickory, Cherry, and Maple that I can get at, you guessed it, Costco. Is there a different wood you would use for chicken?
I’m so happy to read a review from somebody who has done chicken! Great modifications Richard. I think the blend you’re using is a great option for chicken and it sounds like the flavor has been a hit so far!
Love this recipes, this is the 4th time I have made it. Took it on fishing trip on the Gulf and the guide ate a small much as my Grandson! You are the best Susie. You’re brisket also made me famous down here in The Villages, FL! Phil
Susie Bulloch made me famous! Last night I was on the phone with my 8 yr. old grandson. I asked him if he was ready for his birthday party and his reply was “Yes”. Then he said all he wanted from me for his birthday was 2 lbs of my really good beef jerky and that he wasn’t going to share it. Welp, he was talking Susie’s Dr. Pepper jalapeno pepper jerky. My only change was her suggestion that if you want it hotter add another pepper. Thanks Susie for making me a hit with my grandson!
Al- you are the best! Comments like this really are the things that keep me going and creating new recipes!