Pineapple was the reason Doug's very first batch of jerky ever failed. He left flank steak in a fresh pineapple marinade for over two days, and the enzymes broke the meat down until the fibers were gone. Since then, pineapple chipotle beef jerky has kept showing up in the comments, month after month. So the Jerky.com Test Kitchen took another run at it, this time respecting the ingredient: sweet pineapple up front, smoky chipotle heat on the back end and a clean jerky chew. Want smoky chipotle sweet heat without the wait? Try our Sweet Chipotle Adobo Beef Jerky.
How to use pineapple in jerky without ruining the texture
Fresh pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that can turn jerky meat soft and mushy. The fix is to control the form, the time and the temperature. We used pineapple juice made from heat-treated, pasteurized concentrate instead of fresh pineapple, kept the slices consistent with pre-sliced top round, and let the chipotle do the heavy lifting. Here the pineapple supports the flavor; it's not the star.
Instructions:
Blend the marinade: Add the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, white sugar, the whole can of chipotles in adobo, garlic, vinegar, black pepper and smoked paprika to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, with no chunks, so everything is evenly distributed.
Trim the beef: Trim the top round into smaller jerky strips. Thin, consistent slices give the best result.
Marinate: Lay the slices into the marinade and coat every piece evenly. No stacking, no clumping and no folded pieces. Cover and refrigerate 24 to 48 hours; ours went almost 48 in these marinade containers. When you pull it, the meat should look darker but still feel fibrous and a little firm. That means the pineapple didn't overdo it.
Rack it up: Lay the strips on the racks with a little breathing room so air can flow around every piece. Pieces that touch create wet spots.
Dry it: We dried ours in our Cosori dehydrator at 167°F. We expected 2 to 4 hours, checked at 2 hours (still tacky and floppy) and at 3 1/2 hours, then gave it one more half hour, about 4 hours total. Go by look and feel, not the clock.
Check for doneness: When you bend it, it should crack slightly, pull apart a little and finish with a clean chew. Look for white fibers. Expect a little surface stickiness from the sugar.
Like pineapple in your jerky? See our spicy Tajín pineapple mango beef jerky. New to building flavors? Start with our jerky marinade guide.
Taste test notes: Kenny and Joey joined Doug for the taste test. First reactions on texture: "A little bit softer than I expected it to be" and "Definitely a little glossier. Got a little sticky to it." On the first bite, the heat led for two of the three: "Heat for sure." One heard the sweet first: "I get that immediate sweet and then that chipotle flavor." The chew split the room, from "I would prefer a little bit tougher" to "It's soft, but I think most people would still like it." The pineapple stayed in the background: "I think the pineapple itself is pretty subtle, but pineapple usually is on the subtle side." The chipotle didn't: "It was immediate, and it'll catch you slipping," and "It's not a subtle heat." For next time, the panel asked for "a touch sweeter" and a slightly thinner slice. The one-sentence review: "One of my favorite sweet and spicy jerkys we've done in a while." The verdict was unanimous: "Keep." "Yeah, I'd say big keep."
Can I buy it? Pineapple Chipotle 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.
Pineapple Chipotle Jerky FAQ
Can you use pineapple in a jerky marinade?
Yes, but be careful. Fresh pineapple has the enzyme bromelain, which can break the meat down until it turns soft. We used pineapple juice from pasteurized concentrate instead and kept the marinade to 24-48 hours.
Why did my pineapple jerky turn mushy?
Usually fresh pineapple plus a long marinade. Our first-ever batch sat in a fresh pineapple marinade for over two days and the fibers were gone.
How spicy is pineapple chipotle jerky?
With a full 7 oz can of chipotles in adobo, it's not a subtle heat. Our panel said it hits right away and builds. Use less of the can if you want it milder.
How long does pineapple chipotle jerky take to dry?
Ours took about 4 hours at 167°F. Start checking at 2 hours and go by look and feel.
What temperature should I dry pineapple chipotle beef 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: Sweet Chipotle Adobo Beef Jerky or Sweet & Spicy Beef Jerky, or browse all our beef jerky.
What's the weirdest thing you want turned into jerky next? Tell us in the comments!
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Test Kitchen RecipePineapple Chipotle Beef Jerky Recipe (Sweet Heat, No Mushy Meat)
Top round marinated 24-48 hours in a blended pineapple juice, soy sauce, chipotles in adobo, sugar and garlic marinade, then dried at 167F.
Ingredients
Steps
- Add the pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, white sugar, the whole can of chipotles in adobo, garlic, vinegar, black pepper and smoked paprika to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, with no chunks, so everything is evenly distributed.
- Trim the top round into smaller jerky strips. Thin, consistent slices give the best result.
- Lay the slices into the marinade and coat every piece evenly. No stacking, no clumping and no folded pieces. Cover and refrigerate 24 to 48 hours; ours went almost 48 in these marinade containers. When you pull it, the meat should look darker but still feel fibrous and a little firm. That means the pineapple didn't overdo it.
- Lay the strips on the racks with a little breathing room so air can flow around every piece. Pieces that touch create wet spots.
- We dried ours in our Cosori dehydrator at 167°F. We expected 2 to 4 hours, checked at 2 hours (still tacky and floppy) and at 3 1/2 hours, then gave it one more half hour, about 4 hours total. Go by look and feel, not the clock.
- When you bend it, it should crack slightly, pull apart a little and finish with a clean chew. Look for white fibers. Expect a little surface stickiness from the sugar.
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