Smoked Bulgogi Beef Jerky
Thin-sliced bulgogi ribeye marinated overnight in a bottle of Bachan's cut with soy sauce and water plus red pepper flakes, then smoked at 160–170°F for about five hours.
The secret to this jerky is the meat. I buy thin-sliced bulgogi ribeye from my local Korean market. It was about $9/lb, it's high quality, and it comes sliced to the perfect thickness, so there's no partially freezing and slicing a roast yourself.
Yes, ribeye is fatty for jerky. There's a smokehouse in upstate New York whose jerky I grew up eating, and it's the best I've ever had. It's fatty and chewy, not dry and tough, and that's what I'm going for.
The marinade
A bottle of Bachan's thinned with about a cup of soy sauce and a cup of water, plus red pepper flakes for some kick. Bachan's is extremely sugary on its own. The first time I used it straight, the jerky basically turned into candy. So don't add more sugar.
Low and slow
Smoke at 160–170°F for about 5 hours, until it's dry enough for you. I store mine airtight in the fridge with a food-safe silica packet.
Watch the cook
Beef
Smoked Bulgogi Beef Jerky
Thin-sliced bulgogi ribeye marinated overnight in a bottle of Bachan's cut with soy sauce and water plus red pepper flakes, then smoked at 160–170°F for about five hours.
Print- Prep
- 15 minutes plus overnight marinade
- Cook
- 5 hours
- Total
- About 1 day
- Yield
- About 1 lb jerky
- Method
- Smoked
- Wood
- Your choice
Ingredients
Instructions
- Whisk together the Bachan's, soy sauce, water and red pepper flakes.
- Separate the ribeye slices, add them to the marinade and refrigerate overnight.
- Drain the slices, pat them dry and lay them flat on racks without overlapping.
- Smoke at 160–170°F for about 5 hours, until the jerky is as dry as you like it.
- Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge with a food-safe silica packet.
Pitmaster Notes
- Bachan's is very sweet. Cutting it with soy sauce and water keeps the jerky from turning into candy.
- For extra safety, USDA recommends the meat reach 160°F. Some jerky makers start the smoker hotter (around 180°F) for the first stretch, then drop it.
- Kept airtight in the fridge with a silica packet, mine lasts for months.
Product links are things I actually used. Some are affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Times and temps are my starting points. Every cooker and every cut runs a little different, so cook to temperature and feel, not the clock.
