Place your thinly sliced beef strips into the marinade. Toss and massage the meat thoroughly, ensuring every single piece is completely coated with the sweet and spicy mixture. Don’t worry if you have varying sizes-larger strips and smaller pieces will all absorb the flavors beautifully, giving your cajun beef jerky recipe character and variety.

Choose your marinating method. For the fast track, use a vacuum tumbler and process under vacuum for 30-45 minutes, which accelerates flavor penetration. For the traditional approach that many jerky enthusiasts prefer, seal the bag and refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours, though overnight marination (12-24 hours) yields deeper, more developed flavors. Flip or massage the bag 2-3 times during marination to ensure even distribution of the beef jerky marinade.

Remove the marinated beef strips from the bag and lay them on a clean work surface. Pat each piece thoroughly dry with paper towels-this crucial step removes excess marinade that would otherwise extend drying time significantly. The drier the surface, the better your jerky will develop that proper chewy texture.

Lightly spray your jerky racks, smoker grates, or dehydrator trays with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Arrange the beef strips in a single layer without overlapping-air circulation is key for even drying. For that authentic copycat mingua beef jerky experience, lightly dust one side of each strip with honey rub and add a sparse sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes for extra pop.

Set your smoker to 180°F using fruitwood chips (apple, cherry, or a blend like Lumberjack Supreme Blend work beautifully), or set your food dehydrator to 165-180°F. Load the seasoned beef strips and begin the drying process. After 1 hour, check progress and rotate racks from bottom to top for even heat exposure. Repeat rack rotation after 2 hours. At the 3-hour mark, begin testing for doneness.

Your cajun jerky recipe is ready when a piece bends and cracks or splits on the surface but doesn’t snap completely in half. The center should remain slightly pliable, not brittle. Total time typically runs 3.5-4 hours, but thickness, humidity, and equipment variations affect timing, so trust the bend test over the clock.

Remove finished jerky from the smoker or dehydrator and let it cool completely on the racks-this allows the texture to firm up properly. Once cooled, store in zip-top bags or vacuum-seal for maximum freshness. Your homemade mingua beef jerky recipe creation is now ready to enjoy.