Dried makrut lime leaf gives this version an aromatic citrus character rather than fresh lime-juice acidity. Red chili flakes provide a generous coating, while vinegar and bourbon sit in the underlying marinade. This existing BULK recipe has been refreshed with a credited source tutorial and a measured home adaptation.

Watch the original video

Video by Richard Blaine · Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

Starting batch: 4 lb lean beef top round, trimmed; finished yield varies.

• 4 lb lean beef top round, trimmed
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar, for marinade
• ¼ cup salt, for marinade
• 4½ fl oz bourbon
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 cups red chili flakes, for coating stock
• 2 cups dried makrut lime leaves, for coating stock
• ½ cup brown sugar, for coating stock
• ¼ cup salt, for coating stock
• Fresh water as needed to cover the meat for the heating step

Equipment: {esc(r.get("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: Check soy sauce, Worcestershire, prepared chili sauce and seasoning labels for soy, wheat, fish and other allergens; the sesame recipe contains sesame.

How to make this jerky

Step 1: Whisk the vinegar marinade

Whisk white vinegar, 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup salt, bourbon and black pepper until dissolved. Keep the marinade cold before it contacts the meat.

Step 2: Slice the chilled beef

Trim and slice cold top round across the grain into even ⅛–¼-inch pieces. Use a weighed four-pound batch even though the source later describes its filmed batch as six pounds.

Step 3: Coat and refrigerate

Coat the slices in the vinegar marinade, separating every piece. Cover and refrigerate for 4–24 hours. Discard the used marinade after draining.

Step 4: Blend and apply chili-lime coating

Pulse the red chili flakes, dried makrut lime leaves, ½ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup salt into a coarse coating stock. Decant a small working portion. Press a thin coating onto the drained beef; do not force all of the stock onto the batch. Discard the contaminated working portion and keep unused stock separate. The subsequent wet-heating step will wash away some coating; do not add raw-beef-contact coating afterward.

Step 5: Heat first and dry evenly

After seasoning, move the beef into a saucepan and add enough fresh water to cover it. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer until a thin-tip food thermometer inserted sideways into the thickest pieces reads at least 160°F. Verify the meat temperature before drying; elapsed time, color and marinade acidity do not establish this checkpoint. Discard the used liquid. Transfer with clean tongs to clean racks, leaving gaps, then dry at 145–155°F until a cooled sample bends and cracks without a damp center.

Step 6: Check the center, cool and chill

Cool a sample and bend it: it should crack while retaining some flexibility, with no damp or soft interior. Continue drying pieces that need it. Cool the finished jerky on clean racks, then pack it in clean sealed containers and refrigerate. Freeze portions you will not eat promptly.

Why this flavor works

Dried makrut lime leaf gives this version an aromatic citrus character rather than fresh lime-juice acidity. Red chili flakes provide a generous coating, while vinegar and bourbon sit in the underlying marinade.

Serving and storage

Serve a refrigerated portion as a snack. Keep the rest chilled and use clean utensils when portioning.

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

• Beef Recipes: Homemade Beef Jerky: How To Make Beef Jerky: Thai Chili Lime Beef Jerky Recipe — Richard Blaine
• 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 evidence and ingredient discussion. Source footage and creator credit belong to Richard Blaine. Photographs are timestamped source-video stills. Use the full written method for details.

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