Chipotles in adobo, molasses and two vinegars make a dark smoky barbecue coating for thin lean beef. This version uses the chipotle sauce variant from ThatDudeCanCook’s tutorial, separate from its rosemary-salt recipe.

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Video by ThatDudeCanCook · Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

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

• 2 lb lean top round, trimmed and sliced ⅛ inch thick
• ½ large onion, finely diced
• ½ tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp malt vinegar
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ⅓ cup water, plus more for heating as needed
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1¼ tbsp molasses
• 3 oz chipotle peppers in adobo
• 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

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

Allergens: Soy sauce commonly contains soy and wheat; malt vinegar contains barley. Check ketchup and chipotle sauce labels.

How to make this jerky

Step 1: Slice the lean beef

Trim fat and silver skin from cold top round. Slice across the grain into strips about ⅛ inch thick. Keep the thickness even so the dark barbecue coating does not hide thick moist pieces.

Step 2: Cook the onion sauce base

Sweat the diced onion in the oil over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring until translucent. Add both vinegars, water, ketchup, molasses, chipotles with adobo, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, honey, salt and pepper. This is half the source description’s barbecue sauce formula, with fixed salt and pepper amounts.

Step 3: Simmer and cool the chipotle coating

Simmer gently for about 25 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Press through a strainer to remove large onion and chile pieces, then cool promptly in a shallow container and refrigerate until cold. The source video shows the prepared sauce; its written description supplies the sauce cooking instructions.

Step 4: Coat and refrigerate

Coat the beef with the chilled sauce in a nonreactive container. Turn the slices gently to avoid tearing them, separating any folds. Cover and refrigerate at 40°F or below for 12 hours.

Step 5: Heat before drying and leave air gaps

Transfer the meat and marinade to a saucepan, adding enough water for the strips to move freely. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and check several strips with a thin-tip thermometer until each reaches 160°F. Discard used marinade after heating. Drain with clean tongs and place on clean racks without touching. Dry at 145–155°F, checking periodically rather than relying on a fixed clock. The source photo shows spacing, not the added heating step. The photo shows the source’s shared oven-rack technique, demonstrated with its herb-salt version; use the written heating checkpoint for this barbecue adaptation.

Step 6: Cool and refrigerate

Cool a sample strip before checking it. It should be leathery and bend without a wet center; continue drying any moist pieces. Cool the entire batch fully before packaging. Refrigerate promptly in a clean covered container and freeze portions you will not eat promptly. This home process does not establish shelf stability.

Why this flavor works

Molasses and dark brown sugar balance the chipotle heat. Malt and cider vinegars sharpen the rich tomato coating. Keep the slices evenly thin so the coating and drying remain consistent.

Serving and storage

Enjoy chilled portions as a snack or cut the jerky into small pieces for a savory trail mix. Keep the batch refrigerated between servings.

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

• Making Your Own Beef Jerky Is Much Easier Than You Thought — ThatDudeCanCook
• USDA: how to make meat or poultry jerky at home
• National Center for Home Food Preservation: jerky

Original BULK adaptation after reviewing the source video’s automatic captions and ingredient discussion. Source footage and creator credit belong to ThatDudeCanCook. Photographs are timestamped source-video stills. Use the full written method for details.

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