Garlic Black Pepper Jerky Recipe
(Adapted for beef, moose, deer, or elk)
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 5
Calories per serving: 196
Ingredients:
- Lean Meat: 1 lb eye of round roast (beef, moose, deer, or elk)
Marinade: - ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup cold water
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
Optional: - ¼ tsp curing salt (Prague Powder #1)
Instructions:
- Trim & Prep: Trim all visible fat from your roast, wrap in plastic, and partially freeze for an hour or two. This makes slicing easier and more even.
- Mix Marinade: While the meat is chilling, combine soy sauce, water, brown sugar, black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl or ziplock bag. Mix well.
- Slice Meat: Remove meat from the freezer and slice into ¼” strips. Cut against the grain for a softer chew, or with the grain for traditional, tougher jerky. (Jerky slicers make this even easier!)
- Marinate: Add the sliced meat to the marinade and let it soak in the fridge for 8–24 hours. The longer, the better for flavour!
- Dry the Jerky:
- Toothpick Hanging Method (Oven or Smoker): Thread each strip onto a toothpick and hang from your oven or smoker rack, placing a foil-lined tray below to catch drips.
- Racks/Dehydrator: Lay strips flat on racks if you prefer.
- Smoke or dry at 160–175°F. If using a smoker, applewood or hickory chips add the best flavour!
- Dry for 4–9 hours, checking after 4 hours. The jerky is done when it bends and cracks but doesn’t break in half. Let it cool for 5 minutes before testing.
- Store: Keep jerky in an airtight container or bag. For longer shelf life, refrigerate or freeze.
Pro Tips:
- Marinate for a full 24 hours for the boldest flavour.
- For the best jerky, make sure your smoke is clear/blue, not white.
- This recipe is awesome with beef, moose, deer, or elk—use what you have or what you’ve harvested!
Let us know if you give this a try, or share your favourite jerky tips below! For more recipes and outdoor tips, don’t forget to follow our blog, Moose Tracks & Fishing Facts.
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