Chilled brewed coffee gives the marinade a roasted backbone. Brown sugar and Dr Pepper soften that roast character, while pepper and Worcestershire keep the flavor savory. This existing BULK recipe has been refreshed with a credited source tutorial and a measured home adaptation.

Watch the original video

Video by Mike 'Rock' Rauch · Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

Starting batch: 2 lb lean beef top round, trimmed; finished yield varies.

• 2 lb lean beef top round, trimmed
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup brewed black coffee, chilled
• 1 cup Dr Pepper
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 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: Mix the coffee marinade

Chill the brewed black coffee completely. Whisk it with Dr Pepper, soy sauce, Worcestershire, brown sugar and the measured black pepper. This follows the creator’s linked written formula rather than the branded rub shown in the video.

Step 2: Trim and slice top round

Trim fat and silver skin from cold top round. Slice across the grain evenly, about ⅛–¼ inch thick; a butcher can also slice it for you.

Step 3: Coat and refrigerate

Separate the slices and coat them with the cold coffee marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.

Step 4: Drain the cold marinated beef

Drain the refrigerated beef and remove surface liquid with clean paper towels. Do not treat blotting as a heating or safety step. Prepare a clean saucepan and thermometer for the added heating checkpoint.

Step 5: Heat first, then dehydrate

After refrigerated marinating, 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 texture 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

Chilled brewed coffee gives the marinade a roasted backbone. Brown sugar and Dr Pepper soften that roast character, while pepper and Worcestershire keep the flavor savory.

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

• Coffee Jerky on the Traeger | Easy Smoked Jerky Recipe That Actually Works — Mike 'Rock' Rauch
• 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 Mike 'Rock' Rauch. Photographs are timestamped source-video stills. Use the full written method for details.

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