Cherry sweetness and habanero heat give this jerky a fruit-forward barbecue coating. Jim Duffy of Refining Fire Chiles explicitly describes a second cherry-habanero batch alongside his raspberry-chipotle jerky. BULK uses that cherry sauce variant with the shared cook-chill-slice preparation and a measured lean top-round batch.

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Video by Refining Fire Chiles · Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

Starting batch: 2 lb raw trimmed beef; finished yield varies.

• 2 lb lean top round roast, exterior fat trimmed
• 1 tbsp beef dry rub
• 3/4 cup cherry habanero barbecue sauce
• 1 tsp New Mexico chile flakes

Equipment: sharp knife, cutting board, kitchen scale, covered food-safe container, oven, oven-safe racks, thin-tip food thermometer, clean tongs, and an adjustable-temperature dehydrator.

Allergens: Check the dry rub and barbecue sauce labels; some contain soy, wheat, mustard or other allergens.

How to make this jerky

Step 1: Choose and trim the roast

Choose a lean top round roast and trim exterior fat and tough silver skin. Keep it refrigerated until you are ready to cook. The source compares several cuts; use the single specified lean cut for this batch.

Step 2: Season the beef

Pat the roast dry and coat all sides with 1 tablespoon of beef dry rub. Place it on an oven-safe rack over a rimmed pan. Do not leave raw meat out to warm to room temperature.

Step 3: Cook fully and chill promptly

Cook in an oven preheated to 325°F until the center of the roast reaches 160°F, checked with a food thermometer. Divide into shallow portions with clean utensils and refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours, until fully cold. Do not follow the source’s partial-cook-and-hold temperature. The fully cooked roast will have a firmer texture.

Step 4: Slice the cold beef

With a clean knife and board, slice the fully chilled beef across the grain about 1/8 inch thick. Keep the slices uniform so they dry at a similar pace. Keep cut beef refrigerated while preparing the sauce.

Step 5: Coat with cherry habanero

Mix the cherry habanero barbecue sauce with the chile flakes. Coat the cold slices thoroughly in a clean covered container and refrigerate at 40°F or below for 2–4 hours. Keep the sauce layer thin enough that the meat can dry rather than sitting under heavy pools of glaze.

Step 6: Reheat, dry and cool

Heat the sauced strips in a saucepan with enough water to cover, bringing the liquid to a boil and checking that thickest strips reach 160°F. Drain with clean utensils and discard liquid. Place in one layer on clean dehydrator racks and dry at 145–155°F until dry through. Cool a sample before bending to check for a wet center; continue drying moist pieces. Cool the batch completely, refrigerate, and freeze extras.

Why this flavor works

Cherry barbecue sauce supplies both fruit and sweetness, while habanero adds smoke and chile heat. New Mexico chile flakes add a different pepper flavor without requiring a long list of marinade ingredients. The sauce brand affects sweetness and salt, so begin with the measured amount.

Serving and storage

Serve a small refrigerated portion with plain nuts or crisp apple slices. This sweet coating can feel sticky while warm; let the strips cool completely before assessing texture or sealing them.

Keep the finished jerky refrigerated. Pack only fully cooled strips, keep hands and containers clean, and freeze portions you will not eat promptly. Moisture, thickness, and handling affect keeping quality; this home method does not establish commercial shelf stability.

A ready-to-eat option between batches

For a convenient jerky snack when you are not making a batch, explore BULK Texas Style Original Beef Jerky. Its seasoning and production process differ from this homemade adaptation.

Browse every published BULK jerky recipe.

Sources and further reading

• Raspberry Chipotle Beef Jerky — Refining Fire Chiles
• USDA: how to make meat or poultry jerky at home
• National Center for Home Food Preservation: jerky

Original BULK adaptation based on the credited source recipe and video. Source footage and creator credit belong to Refining Fire Chiles. Photographs are timestamped source-video stills. Use the full written method for details.

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