With a subtle flavor of stout beer and a touch of black pepper, you too can be Irish with this Guinness beef jerky recipe! Enjoy it alone or as part of an Irish Beef Stew while backpacking.
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When I was developing dehydrated recipes for my boyfriend’s first elk hunt in Colorado, we tried a dehydrated Irish Stew that used dehydrated ground beef. While the stew was good, it was missing flavor. I then realized if I was making an Irish dish, I should have something Irish. I then thought Guinness! This is where the idea for a Guinness beef jerky recipe was born.
Make some extra Guinness beef jerky to enjoy on as a snack while on the trail!
Ingredients and Variations for Guinness Beef Jerky
- Eye of Round Beef Roast: One of the best cuts of beef for jerky is an eye of round or round roast. These cuts are lean so there isn’t a lot of fat in the jerky. Venison can also be used in place of the beef.
- Guinness Beer*: The star ingredients in this recipe. Use your favorite variety of Guinness. If have a neutral flavored stout beer, it would work as well.
- Soy Sauce*: Use normal soy sauce, not low sodium. The salt is needed for curing and preserving the meat.
- Worcestershire Sauce*: Adds a touch of umami.
- Liquid Smoke*: Gives a hint of smoke, especially when dehydrating the meat.
- Ground Black Pepper: Use fresh ground black pepper for best results. Store ground black pepper would work as well.
- Honey: Does not make this marinade sweet, but helps to balance the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Onion Powder*: Seasoning to give more flavor.
Equipment Needed
Meat slicer: A nice to have. A meat slicer helps to cut the meat evenly and makes the process quicker, especially if making a larger batch of jerky. A sharp kitchen knife and cutting board will also work.
Measuring cups and spoons: Used for measuring the marinade ingredients.
Glass* or stainless-steel bowl: Mix the Guinness marinade and place sliced meat in the bowl. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap to refrigerate the marinating jerky.
Strainer or colander*: Once marinated, strain the meat from the marinade before placing on dehydrator trays.
Paper towels: If the meat is too wet after straining, place briefly on paper towels to absorb excess moisture so the dehydrator trays don’t end up a mess.
Helpful Tips for this Making Guinness Beef Jerky Recipe
- Freeze the meat for about an hour before slicing. This helps to firm the meat for easier slicing.
- Trim any excess fat off the meat. This can be done before or after freezing. If the fat runs through the beef slices, cut it out after slicing the meat while you are cutting it into strips or your desired shape.
- Use a meat slicer for consistent thickness of slices. A meat slicer can also help get a thinner slice as compared to a knife.
- Slice the meat about 1/8 inch thick. A thicker slice will take longer to dehydrate.
- Marinate the meat for at least 24 hours to allow the best flavor. Stir the beef halfway through the marinating time so all pieces are fully covered with the Guinness marinade.
Guinness Beef Jerky
Ingredients
- 1 pound Beef round roast or eye of round (look for a lean cut)
Guinness Marinade
- 1/2 cup Guinness
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp Liquid smoke
- 2 tsp Ground black pepper fresh ground is best
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 2 tsp Honey
Instructions
- Put the beef roast into the freezer for about an hour to firm up the meat.
- Slice the beef round roast into slices about 1/8 inch thick. If desired, cut into strips while trimming any visible fat.
- Mix the marinade ingredients and stir to make sure all the ingredients are blended together.
- Add the sliced beef and mix to make sure all slices are covered with marinade.
- Put the beef in the marinade in the refrigerator and let sit for 24-48 hours.
- Strain the marinade from the beef and place on the dehydrator trays. If the beef seems wet, set on a paper towel first before placing on the tray to remove some moisture.
- Dehydrate about 4-5 hours at 155-160℉ or on the highest dehydrator heat setting. The jerky is done when it cracks and bends. To test, remove a piece from the dehydrator and let it cool for 15 minutes; it should not be wet inside.
Notes
- Use regular soy sauce, not low salt. The salt is used for curing the meat.
- Marinating time should be at least 24 hours for good flavor, but a longer marinating time will allow the meat to absorb more flavor.
- Thicker beef slices will take longer to dehydrate. If you cut larger than 1/8 inch thick, dehydrating time will increase to 5-6 hours.