Jerked Beef

4.96 from 24 votes

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Jerked beef is a simple and tasty grilled beef recipe that uses just a few ingredients. One of our easy grill ideas, it is is perfect for backyard barbecues of all kinds. Read on and I’ll show you exactly how to make this favorite grilled beef recipe of mine!

Strips of jerked beef on a grill
This easy beef on the grill is one of our best grilled recipes!

Our jerked beef is a bit different than the classic homemade jerky recipe. One of our favorite beef recipes, it uses only a few ingredients, just like our smoked brisket flat.

If you’re from northern New York state, you may or may not be familiar with this version of jerked beef. It’s definitely not from the islands but more like the foothills of the Adirondacks.

Among those who are familiar with this style, it is known to be a rite of summer – tailor-made for grilling over hot coals or a propane grill, and delicious with just about any side dish or cold beverage that comes to mind.

Jump to:

What is this?

Jerked beef is made on the grill. The strips of beef roast are flavored with a combination of salt, pepper, and brown sugar.

These simple ingredients create a marinade when allowed to rest on the beef for 24 hours or so, in the refrigerator before going on the grill. The salt and pepper taste is held together by a sweet caramelization from the brown sugar.

The finished dish is a savory bite of beef that is perfectly flavored with a touch of sweet and salty heat.

A plate of grilled beef strips.

What’s in it?

Jerked beef only has four ingredients, including the meat. Of course if you can get an incredible-tasting recipe with just a few common ingredients, that’s even better!

A dish of meat with some spices.

Beef – Use an inexpensive cut of beef like a chuck roast or rump roast.

SaltKosher salt works best for making jerked beef because of the increased surface area of its coarse crystals. You can also use regular table salt but you’ll get a bigger flavor from the Kosher salt.

Pepper – Regular ground black pepper works great for this jerked beef recipe.

Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar with this dish.

How to make it

slices of beef in a pan and on a grill.
  1. Use a sharp knife and slice a beef roast, 1/2″ to 3/4″ thickness.
  2. Using a baking dish, add a layer of beef strips to it. Then, sprinkle a generous amount of kosher salt, ground black pepper, and brown sugar over the top. Repeat this process of layering the meat and seasoning.
  3. Seal the dish with plastic wrap and allow it to sit in the refrigerator overnight.
  4. Grill over a hot bed of coals or on a gas grill, for about 5 minutes per side.

Pro cooking tip

  • Apply heavy layers of all three seasonings.
  • Allow the meat to marinate for a full 24 hours, for maximum flavor. If you can let this soak for 2 days, it’s even better than 1 day of marinating.

Take a look at our favorite grilling and smoker accessories. We use these products all the time!

Substitutions and variations

Instead of beef, you can use pork or venison. Both are delicious using this technique.

This natural marinade is produced as a result of the kosher salt extracting the natural juices from the meat.

These juices mix with salt, pepper, and brown sugar and bathe the meat, greatly enhancing the flavor.

Common questions

What goes with jerked beef?

This is a good recipe for any outdoor barbecue. Mushroom sauce, Green salad and baked beans are just three ideas that would go well with this.

Be sure and download your free printable short list of ingredients for this grilled jerked beef recipe!

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Jerked Beef

4.96 from 24 votes
A sweet and salty grilled delicacy that can be made with beef, pork or venison.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients 

  • 3 lbs beef
  • salt, kosher is preferred for its size.
  • pepper
  • 2 cups brown sugar

Instructions 

  • Prepare beef by slicing into ½ to ¾ inch pieces parallel to muscle fibers. In a glass or ceramic container, spread a heavy coat of brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Place slices of beef, in a single layer, atop of this base of brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Repeat the process, placing dry ingredients on each subsequent layer of beef. When all t he beef is layered and coated, seal container with place wrap so that it is air-tight and refrigerate and allow to marinate for a minimum of 24 hours. Preheat grill to medium high heat and using tongs, place beef on grill and allow to cook on each side for 7 to 10 minutes.

Notes

 
Use a non-reactive, non-absorbent container to marinate the beef. Growing up, I recall that ceramic crocks were frequently used. If possible, use kosher salt. The larger size crystals do a better job of covering the surface area of the meat, enhancing the self-marinade process and as a result, the flavor as well.
From my late sister Ann, one of the best cooks I’ve ever known, “Use more salt than you think you will need.” That said, go heavy with all of the dry ingredients.
It’s O.K. to use different cuts of beef. I like to use an Angus roast. Others prefer sirloin tips or London broil. My sister Marlene recently divulged her preference of pork steak for this.
Have a deer hunter in the family? Try using venison for this, it’s delicious and a great use of the meat.

Nutrition

Calories: 854kcal, Carbohydrates: 71g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 45g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Cholesterol: 161mg, Sodium: 3660mg, Potassium: 709mg, Sugar: 71g, Calcium: 104mg, Iron: 4.9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Grilled
Tried this recipe?Mention @plattertalk or tag #plattertalk!

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Dan & Scott split their time between Wisconsin and Southwest Florida and are dads to six boys. Good food runs through their veins, and they love showing others how to cook easy recipes.

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62 Comments

  1. Love this!! I dont eat beef but i can do this with chicken for sure. Love brown sugar with tamarind paste. Ever tried it?? This looks super good

  2. I love that cut of meat, get it right and it is glorious, interesting flavours… I know jerk spicing as being really fiercely hot, which I love but this sounds great too.

  3. When I saw the title of this post, I, too, expected to see a beef jerky type dish – but this jerked beef with its sweet crunch from the sugar encrusted meat is something so darn heavenly sounding! Oh, and I have a very similar grill myself 🙂 Hope y’all have a wonderful weekend!

    1. Agreed, Molly and… it’s really good! We appreciate your comments and thank you for reading Platter Talk. It means the world to us!

  4. Making this fir dinner tonight. Just need a suggestion for a side dish, was gonna serve it over rice

    1. Salad always goes well with this, green or pasta. Baked beans are another sure bet. Please be sure to let us know how it turned out!

  5. 5 stars
    OMG, these three ingredients are the best thing for any cut of meat since sliced bread . I want to thank you and your family for sharing it.. Honestly , this is the third time we have had our steak this way. Very addicting ………..

    1. Love it, Vicky!! Thanks for your feedback and we’re delighted to share something this tasty with others!

  6. This meat looks awesome! I have done several dishes with a crust of brown sugar but never on the grill. My mistake – because this looks mouthwateringly delicious. Our grilling season lasts all year in Florida so I will definitely be trying this soon.

    1. Linda, I loved reading your comments and I can’t wait for you to try this jerked beef!

  7. “Jerked Beef” does kinda sound funny. It looks delicious, though! And I’m sure it is, given the flavorful ingredients it has. It’s a perfect dish to serve on summer BBQ gatherings with your friends and families. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Mae Tyler @ St. Andrew Poultry

    1. Thank for the comments, Mae. “Jerking” meats is quite popular in some places, notably Jamaica. Although this is a variation of that technique, it may sound funny but preparing meat in this fashion is both delicious and commonplace to many folk.