Maple syrup and red miso make an unusually good pair for jerky: one brings sweetness, the other a savory fermented depth. Rosemary and coarsely ground coriander add a fragrant finish, while a little hot sauce keeps the marinade lively. This version takes its flavor direction from Brad Leone’s Makin’ It! tutorial and uses lean eye of round for an even, chewy batch.

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Video by Brad Leone · Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

Starting batch: 3½ lb raw lean beef; finished yield varies with trimming and drying.

• 3½ lb lean beef eye of round, trimmed of fat and silver skin
• 90 g pure maple syrup
• 12 g garlic powder
• 2 tsp ground dried rosemary
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 1½ tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 2 tbsp red hot sauce, such as Tabasco
• 1 tbsp red miso paste
• 10 g salt
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp water, plus more as needed for the heating step
• Optional: 7 g cranberry powder or ground sumac

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: Miso commonly contains soy and may contain other grains. Check the miso, mustard, and hot-sauce labels for your own allergens.

How to make this jerky

Step 1: Trim the lean beef

Work with cold eye of round. Remove exterior fat and the tough silver skin, then pat the surface dry with a clean paper towel. Trimmed lean meat gives the seasoning a more even surface and avoids chewy seams of connective tissue.

Step 2: Slice into even strips

Cut across the grain into strips about ⅛ inch thick for a more tender bite. Keep the thickness consistent; a few very thick pieces will take longer to dry than the rest. If the roast is difficult to slice, briefly firm it in the freezer without freezing it solid.

Step 3: Whisk the maple-miso marinade

Mix the maple syrup, garlic, rosemary, cumin, coriander, celery salt, hot sauce, miso, salt, mustard, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of water until the miso disperses. Add the optional cranberry powder or sumac if you want a tart edge. This is a fairly thick coating, so scrape the sides of the bowl as you whisk.

Step 4: Coat and refrigerate

Add the sliced beef to the marinade and turn the strips until the coating reaches every surface. Transfer to a covered food-safe container and refrigerate at 40°F or below for up to 48 hours, turning the meat occasionally. Keep the raw beef refrigerated throughout marinating.

Step 5: Heat to 160°F, then dry

Before drying, heat the marinated strips to 160°F internally, verified with a thin-tip food thermometer. A wet-heat approach is to put the strips and marinade in a saucepan, add water to cover, bring to a boil, and simmer until the thickest strips reach 160°F. Work in batches if necessary. Drain with clean utensils and discard the used liquid. Arrange the heated strips in one layer on clean dehydrator racks with room for air to move between them. Dry at 145–155°F, checking periodically until the center is dry. Thickness and equipment determine the time; do not use the dryer’s air setting as proof of the meat’s internal temperature.

Step 6: Check, cool, and refrigerate

Cool a test strip before bending it. It should be dry through and bend with small cracks rather than reveal a wet center. Keep drying any pieces that need more time. Cool the entire batch fully on clean racks before sealing it, refrigerate the finished jerky, and freeze extra portions. The bend test helps judge texture; it does not establish a verified shelf life.

Why this flavor works

Coriander brings a citrus-like aroma without adding juice, and rosemary adds a piney edge. Maple syrup rounds off the saltiness of the miso rather than turning the recipe into candy. The optional cranberry powder or sumac contributes a different kind of tartness; start with the stated amount before deciding whether your next batch needs more.

Serving and storage

Serve a small chilled portion alongside sliced apples, nuts, or a simple lunch, keeping the rest refrigerated. For a softer bite, pay attention to thickness and check the thinner strips first instead of pulling the whole batch at one fixed time.

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

• Make Your Own BEEF JERKY! | Makin' It! | Brad Leone — Brad Leone
• 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 Brad Leone. Photographs are timestamped source-video stills. Use the full written method for details.

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