Pepper jelly belongs on a charcuterie board between the brie and the crackers. Not anymore. Doug took a jar of jalapeño pepper jelly, coated beef bacon with it and hang-dried it into a sweet-heat jerky with a sticky crust. The panel called it "probably the best one we've made." If you love sweet heat, try our Jalapeño Bacon Jerky.
Why pepper jelly?
Pepper jelly is sweet, spicy and glossy, and it clings to everything it touches. You'll find it in the jelly aisle at most grocery stores. Doug keeps it chunky instead of melting it smooth, so little "flavor bombs" stick to the surface of the bacon and don't disappear during drying.
Ingredients:
- Beef bacon, sliced 1/8 to 1/4 inch (amount not given in the video)
- 1 jar jalapeño pepper jelly, cold from the fridge
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- About 1 tsp jalapeño pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)
Instructions:
Pulse the jelly: Put the cold pepper jelly in a blender and hit it with 4 or 5 short bursts, just enough to break it into coarse, sticky chunks. Don't blend it smooth.
Add the rest: Add the apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder and jalapeño flakes, then pulse 2 or 3 more times. Stop while it's still rough and chunky.
Slice: If you're slicing a slab, cut 1/8 to 1/4 inch against the grain and keep the slices consistent.
Coat and marinate: Put the strips in a large bowl, add the chunky mixture and press it firmly onto both sides of every strip; don't just toss it. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, or use these marinade containers.
Hang it: Pierce each strip with a stainless steel skewer and hang the skewers from S hooks under the dehydrator racks, leaving space between strips. Hanging lets air reach every side, and the strips curl into their own shape for a different chew. You can lay them flat on trays instead.
Dry it: We dried ours in our Cosori dehydrator at 158°F for about 8 hours, checking from about the 4-hour mark. Plan on 4 to 8 hours depending on slice size and how chewy you like it.
Cool and check: Let it come to room temperature, about an hour, so the crust hardens and the texture sets. It should bend without snapping and shouldn't feel wet or sticky.
Test kitchen note: We dried at 158°F. The USDA recommends heating beef 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.
More beef bacon from the Test Kitchen: try our Hall of Fame apple butter beef bacon jerky. Building your own flavor? See our beef jerky marinade guide.
Taste test notes: First bite: "Instant flavor." "I was not expecting that." The texture surprised everyone: "It's not as chewy as I thought it would be," and "It's firm in a good way," with the glaze adding a little crunch. Flavor-wise it's "Jalapeno. Some sweetness," squarely in the sweet and spicy family. "There's more flavor in this one than I was expecting." The hang-dried chew was a hit too: "Yeah, I like every time we do hang dried. I prefer it at this point." It's rich, so not everyone could finish a bag, but the vote was unanimous: keep it. "Oh, I would keep this one 100%." "Honestly, this is probably the best one we've made."
Can I buy it? Jalapeño Pepper Jelly Beef Bacon isn't one of our flavors right now. Want first shot at new Test Kitchen flavors? Sign up to become an Official Jerky.com Taste Tester. You'll try new flavor drops first and vote on which ones stay.
Jalapeño Pepper Jelly Beef Bacon Jerky FAQ
What is pepper jelly?
A sweet, spicy, glossy jelly made with peppers. You'll usually find it in the jelly aisle at the grocery store.
Should I blend pepper jelly smooth for jerky?
No. We pulsed it just enough to break it into coarse chunks, so pockets of flavor stick to the bacon instead of disappearing during drying.
Why hang-dry jerky?
Hanging lets air reach every side for even drying, and the strips curl into their natural shape, which gives a different chew. You can also lay the strips flat.
Is pepper jelly beef bacon jerky spicy?
It's sweet with just a little kick. Add about a teaspoon of jalapeño pepper flakes if you want more heat.
What temperature should I dry pepper jelly beef bacon jerky at?
The USDA recommends heating beef 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.
Rather skip the work? Try ours: Jalapeño Bacon Jerky or the Bacon Jerky Assortment, or browse all our bacon jerky.
Have you tried hang-drying your jerky? Tell us how it went in the comments!
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