Welcome to a new installment from the jerky.com kitchen. Today, we're serving up a new flavor that is taking the jerky world by storm: a Jack and Coke beef jerky recipe. Our booze-infused flavors have always been a hit with jerky lovers, and this one is no exception.
Getting Started: Prepping the Beef
To get started, you'll need 2 lbs of eye of round. I always keep this pre-sliced and pre-measured in my freezer, ready for quick test batches. It's as simple as making sure it's thawed out before you start.
Mixing Up The Marinade
Once you've got your meat ready, it's time to assemble the ingredients. You'll need Jack Daniels, brown sugar, white sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. The star of the show, however, is two cans of Coca-Cola, which lend their signature sweetness to the marinade.
You can find a detailed breakdown of the quantities for each ingredient over at our blog on jerky.com. Pour in all the ingredients, then get ready to get your hands dirty – this mix needs a good stir. The goal is to ensure all the dry ingredients properly dissolve in the liquid for a consistent flavor.
Marinating the Meat
Next, thoroughly mix the marinade into the meat. Pull the meat apart to really let the flavors seep in. This step is crucial for achieving a consistent taste in every bite. Don't half-ass this step, as Doug says. After everything's mixed, cover it tightly and let it marinate in the fridge for around 50 hours.
Time to Dehydrate: Racking Up the Meat
After marinating, it's time to rack up your meat. There's no real rocket science here; you want to make sure all pieces are laid completely flat, nothing's pinched or folded over, and nothing's touching. Proper air flow around each piece is key to the dehydration process.
Dehydration Process
Once everything is nicely laid out, it's time to start dehydrating. For my machine, I know that 140 degrees provides the texture I want. I start checking it at about three and a half hours. Overall, expect to have the jerky dehydrating for just over 4 hours.
The Final Product: A Balanced Boozy Flavor
Finally, it's time for the best part - the taste test! I've experimented with booze flavors before, and it's easy for the alcohol to overpower the other tastes. However, this jack and Coke beef jerky strikes a perfect balance. The sweetness from the Coca-Cola and added sugar really comes through, helping to mellow out the Jack Daniel's flavor.
Among all the booze-infused flavors we've crafted recently, this one stands as my personal favorite. If you're going to give this recipe a whirl, drop a comment and let me know. I'd love to hear your feedback and any tweaks you'd make the next time around. Who knows? I may even feature your version in one of our upcoming recipes.
Remember, we're always posting new beef jerky recipes on our blog. Don't miss out on finding your perfect jerky flavor. So consider bookmarking our blog and return if you found this recipe valuable. Until next time, thanks for joining me in the jerky.com kitchen.
