Black cherry barbecue pork jerky is the most requested flavor we kept putting off. David Trout, one of our official Taste Testers, asked for it again and again, so our test kitchen finally made it. Dark, almost wine-like cherry with molasses, smoke and barbecue spice sounded like a Hall of Fame contender. Here's the full recipe, what went wrong and how we'd fix it. Want smoky, sweet pork jerky right now? Try our Barbecue Bacon Jerky.

Instructions

Blend the marinade. Add everything to a food processor or blender and run it 15-20 seconds, until fully combined. Why each piece matters: brown sugar gives a sweet, caramel backbone; honey adds smooth sweetness; soy sauce is the salt and umami foundation; Worcestershire adds depth and tang; ketchup brings barbecue texture and a little acid; cider vinegar brightens it; molasses adds smoky sweetness; liquid smoke gives a subtle campfire note.

Why concentrate instead of fresh cherries? Fresh black cherries are tart, even bitter, and you'd have to cook them down to get this intensity. Black cherry juice concentrate gives you a deep, dark fruit flavor with no extra steps, and you can make it any time of year.

Partially freeze the pork. We froze the pork loin a little over an hour. Firm meat slices cleaner and more evenly.

Slice for consistency. Cut the loin into slabs about 3/4 inch, then run them through a jerky slicer so every strip is the same. An OSTBA electric meat slicer works well.

Coat every piece. Pour the marinade over the pork in a big bowl and mix by hand, pulling apart any pieces that stick together so nothing is left uncoated. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours; ours went 24. For more on building marinades, see our beef jerky marinade guide.

Hang-dry, or lay flat. Thread strips through one end onto skewers, leaving space between pieces for airflow, and hang the skewers from stainless steel S hooks on the trays of our Cosori dehydrator. As they dry the ends curl and twist, so every bite has a slightly different chew. It doesn't change the flavor. Laying strips flat works too.

Dry and check often. We set the dehydrator to 158°F and planned on 4-6 hours. You want strips that bend without breaking: if it snaps, it's overdone; if it's floppy, it's not done. Start checking at 4 hours. We left ours the full 6 hours without checking, and it overdried.

Test kitchen note: We dried at 158°F. The USDA recommends heating meat to 160°F (poultry to 165°F) before or during drying. The simplest way is to dry at 160°F. If your dehydrator can't reach 160°F, steam or roast the strips to 160°F first.

The taste test: Hall of Fame or not?

Joey and Kenny joined us for the tasting. It came out dark, almost black in spots, and semi-glossy, with a smoky, slightly sweet smell. The hang-dried pieces were all twisty and different, which the panel liked.

The flavor fell short. "Little underwhelming. Not as much flavor as I was hoping for." The panel got some barbecue but had to search for the cherry, and found it less sticky and sweet than expected. The bigger problem was texture: the batch was overdone.

The verdict: not a Hall of Famer, as is. "Some potential, but definite no for me." We'd still try it again with a few tweaks.

How we'd fix it next time

• Don't overdry. Start checking at 4 hours and pull strips as soon as they bend without snapping.
• Kick up the barbecue. The panel wanted more barbecue flavor.
• Go stickier and sweeter. More sweetness may help pull the cherry forward.
• Keep the cherry concentrate. It's the easiest way to get a deep fruit flavor year round.

Like pork jerky? See how our General Tso's pork jerky turned out: that one was a keeper.

Suggest the next flavor

This recipe started as a Taste Tester request. Our official Taste Testers get a brand-new flavor every month and vote on which ones stay. Sign up to become an official Jerky.com Taste Tester, it's free.

FAQ

What does black cherry BBQ pork jerky taste like?
Smoky and lightly sweet, with barbecue spice. In our batch the cherry was subtle, and the panel wanted more sweetness and barbecue.

Can I use fresh black cherries instead of concentrate?
You can, but fresh cherries are tart and need to be cooked down to get the same intensity. Black cherry juice concentrate is simpler and works year round.

What cut of pork is best for this jerky?
We used pork loin, partially frozen so it slices evenly. Trim fat to your taste.

How long should pork jerky marinate?
At least 8 hours in the fridge. We marinated ours for 24 hours.

How do I keep pork jerky from overdrying?
Check early and often. Strips are done when they bend without snapping; if one snaps in half, it's overdone.

What temperature should pork jerky reach?
The USDA recommends heating meat to 160°F (poultry to 165°F) before or during drying. The simplest way is to dry at 160°F.

Rather skip the work? Try ours: Barbecue Bacon Jerky, All-Natural Maple Pork Jerky or our Pork Jerky Assortment.

Should we take another crack at black cherry barbecue? Tell us in the comments, and share your own jerky fails too!

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