Kings County’s Smoked Beer Jerky: A Taste of Brooklyn’s Craft Culture & The Ultimate Homemade Recipe

Are you a connoisseur of fine snacks, always on the lookout for bold new flavors? Imagine combining the robust, complex notes of a dark, smoked beer with the satisfying chew of perfectly cured beef jerky. This isn’t just a fantasy; it’s the reality brought to life by Kings County’s Smoked Beer Jerky. What might seem like an unexpected culinary fusion, this unique jerky comes from a surprising origin: not the vast ranches of the West, but the vibrant, innovative food scene of Brooklyn, New York. Yes, you read that right – this gourmet jerky is born in the heart of urban craft culture, far from traditional jerky landscapes.

The journey of Kings County Jerky Co. began in 2009, fueled by a passion for creating superior, all-natural beef jerky. Starting from a humble kitchen, their dedication quickly propelled them into the spotlight, establishing a reputation for distinctive flavor profiles and uncompromising quality. Their Smoked Beer Jerky is a prime example of their innovative spirit, meticulously crafted to deliver an unforgettable snacking experience that marries tradition with modern craft sensibilities.

The Story Behind Kings County Jerky Co.: Brooklyn’s Artisan Approach to Dried Meats

In a city celebrated for its gastronomic diversity and artisanal products, Kings County Jerky Co. emerged more than a decade ago with a clear vision: to redefine beef jerky. Founded in 2009, the company set out to craft high-quality, all-natural jerky that offered a departure from the generic, mass-produced options crowding the market. Their early days involved extensive experimentation in a home kitchen, driven by an unwavering commitment to flavor innovation and a deep appreciation for the art of jerky making.

What makes Kings County Jerky Co. truly stand out is its steadfast adherence to natural ingredients. They avoid artificial preservatives, nitrites, and high-fructose corn syrup, focusing instead on wholesome, straightforward components. This dedication resonates deeply with the ethos of Brooklyn’s renowned craft movement, where quality, authenticity, and a unique touch are paramount. The company’s growth from a small-batch operation to a recognized brand reflects not only the exceptional taste of their products but also a broader appreciation for artisanal food production in an urban setting. Their success proves that gourmet jerky isn’t exclusive to rural settings; it can thrive and innovate right in the heart of a bustling metropolis.

The Distinctive Edge: How Smoked Beer Elevates Jerky Flavor

The true genius of Kings County’s recipe lies in its use of smoked dark beer as a core component of the marinade. This isn’t merely an unconventional ingredient; it’s a carefully chosen element that contributes significantly to both the flavor and texture of the jerky. Dark beers, particularly those with a smoky characteristic, impart a remarkable depth and complexity. Their malty sweetness, hints of roasted barley, and sometimes even a subtle bitterness, perfectly complement the savory richness of beef.

Beyond flavor, beer also acts as a natural tenderizer. The mild acidity and enzymes present in beer help to gently break down the meat fibers, resulting in a more tender and enjoyable chew. The original recipe specifically suggested Schlenkerla, a renowned German smoked beer, which would infuse the jerky with an undeniable campfire-like aroma. However, as often happens with gourmet ingredients, finding specific specialty beers locally can be challenging. In this instance, a superb alternative was chosen: New Belgium 1554. This dark lager delivered a rich, full-bodied beer profile that integrated seamlessly into the marinade, contributing its own layer of complexity without overwhelming the other spices. This adaptability highlights that while specific recommendations are excellent, understanding the desired flavor profile allows for creative and equally delicious substitutions.

Selecting the Best Cuts and Achieving Perfect Slices for Optimal Jerky

The foundation of any exceptional jerky begins with the right cut of meat. For this recipe, 2.5 pounds of eye of round were initially recommended, though for a more manageable batch, we opted for 1 pound, adjusting the marinade ingredients accordingly. Eye of round is a favored choice for jerky due to its inherent leanness; minimal fat content is crucial, as fat can spoil quickly and diminish the jerky’s shelf life. For those who enjoy game meats, venison also makes an excellent, lean substitute, offering a slightly different but equally delicious flavor profile.

Once you’ve selected your lean meat, precise slicing is the next critical step to ensure uniform drying and a consistent texture. To make slicing easier and more accurate, partially freezing the meat for an hour or two is highly recommended. This firms up the muscle, allowing for cleaner, more even cuts. Aim for slices between ⅛” and ¼” in thickness. Cutting against the grain typically results in a more tender and easily chewable jerky, while slicing with the grain produces a chewier, more traditional texture. For serious jerky enthusiasts or those looking for professional-grade consistency, investing in a specialized jerky slicer can be a game-changer, ensuring perfectly uniform strips with minimal effort.

Crafting the Marinade: A Symphony of Savory, Sweet, and Smoky Notes

The marinade for Kings County’s Smoked Beer Jerky is a masterclass in balancing classic jerky flavors with the unique addition of dark beer. Each ingredient plays a vital role: Worcestershire sauce contributes a rich, tangy, and umami base that is indispensable in many jerky recipes. Soy sauce adds a fundamental layer of savory saltiness, enhancing the beef’s natural flavor. Freshly cracked black pepper introduces a pleasant, earthy heat and aromatic zest that awakens the palate.

A touch of honey provides a delicate sweetness that beautifully counteracts the savory and bitter notes, while also aiding in the desirable caramelization and glaze during the drying process. Onion powder rounds out the flavor profile with its deep, aromatic qualities, offering a foundational savory background without introducing excess moisture. The magic truly happens during the extended marination period. Allowing the thinly sliced beef to luxuriate in this potent mixture for 6 to 24 hours in the refrigerator is essential. This generous soaking time ensures maximum flavor absorption, resulting in a jerky that is not just seasoned on the surface but deeply infused with every savory, sweet, and smoky nuance. This patient approach is key to achieving a truly gourmet snack.

Choosing Your Drying Method: Oven, Dehydrator, or Smoker for Perfect Jerky

Once your beef has absorbed the rich marinade, the next crucial step is drying it to perfection. You have several effective methods at your disposal, each offering slightly different characteristics to the finished jerky. The original recipe, as highlighted in a feature from Men’s Journal, suggested using a conventional oven. This is a highly accessible method for most home cooks, typically involving low temperatures (around 170°F or 77°C) with the oven door slightly ajar to allow moisture to escape, drying over several hours until the jerky achieves its ideal firm-but-pliable texture.

For those seeking more control and consistency, a dedicated food dehydrator is an excellent investment. Dehydrators provide uniform airflow and temperature, often resulting in more evenly dried jerky. If you desire to amplify the smoky notes inherent in this beer jerky recipe, a smoker offers an unparalleled depth of flavor. Whether you choose an oven, dehydrator, or smoker, the primary goal remains the same: to remove sufficient moisture to preserve the meat without rendering it overly brittle. For this particular batch, the oven proved to be highly effective, delivering perfectly textured jerky after approximately 8 hours of drying.

A Personal Homage: Bringing Brooklyn Jerky Back to Its New York Roots

While my initial playful banter about Kings County Jerky hailing from “The Big Apple” might suggest a detachment, the truth is, my personal roots are deeply entwined with New York. My entire family, predominantly from Long Island, and my fiancée, whom I “snatched” from Westchester, all proudly call New York home. It’s a state that holds immense sentimental value, not least because it was the chosen location for my fiancée and I to get married. So, when a recent trip brought us back to the East Coast for wedding planning, it felt incredibly serendipitous and wonderfully fitting to carry a homemade batch of this very Brooklyn-born, beer-infused jerky along with me.

There’s a subtle, almost poetic symmetry in crafting a New York-inspired recipe and then physically transporting it back to the very place where Kings County Jerky Co. first began its artisan journey. This personal connection transformed the simple act of making and sharing jerky from a mere culinary task into a meaningful experience. It became a bridge between family, tradition, and delicious culinary innovation. This isn’t just a convenient snack; it’s a tangible taste of home, heritage, and the enduring spirit of New York.

Expert Tips for Making Unforgettable Homemade Jerky

Embarking on your own homemade jerky adventure is incredibly rewarding, and a few expert tips can help ensure your results are consistently outstanding:

• Achieve Uniform Slices: Consistency is key. Slicing your meat to a uniform thickness (⅛” – ¼”) ensures that all pieces dry at the same rate, preventing some from becoming brittle while others remain under-dried. A sharp knife and partially frozen meat are your best friends here.
• Relentlessly Trim All Fat: This cannot be overstated. Any visible fat on the meat will quickly turn rancid during the drying process or storage, significantly shortening your jerky’s shelf life and impacting its flavor. Be meticulous in trimming every last bit.
• Ensure Thorough Marination: Patience is a virtue in jerky making. The longer the meat marinates (within food safety guidelines of 6-24 hours), the more deeply the flavors will penetrate the meat, resulting in a richer, more complex jerky.
• Dry Until Perfectly Pliable: The ideal jerky should be firm and dry to the touch, but still retain a degree of pliability, allowing it to bend without snapping. Over-drying can lead to a brittle, unappealing texture.
• Cool Completely Before Storing: After drying, allow your jerky to cool completely at room temperature for several hours. Storing warm jerky can create condensation, which promotes mold growth and spoilage.
• Implement Proper Storage Techniques: For optimal freshness and longevity, store your homemade jerky in an airtight container, a sealed Ziploc bag, or preferably, vacuum-sealed bags. Keep it in a cool, dark pantry for short-term storage, or refrigerate/freeze for extended preservation.

With these valuable insights and the comprehensive recipe detailed below, you are well-equipped to create a batch of Kings County’s Smoked Beer Jerky that rivals any store-bought variety. This recipe is not just a collection of instructions; it’s an invitation to explore a unique flavor profile and impress your friends and family with your culinary prowess. Prepare to add this keeper to your favorite snack rotation!

Kings County’s Smoked Beer Jerky

Love beer? Add beer to jerky and love jerky! Kings County’s Smoked Beer Jerky is a great tasting jerky straight from the jerky state of… NEW YORK?! Not even upstate New York, we are talking Brooklyn here guys. All jokes aside, this is a pretty good jerky.

4.3 from 4 votes

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Prep Time:

30 minutes
minutes

Cook Time:

8 hours
hours

Total Time:

8 hours
hours
30 minutes
minutes

Course:
Snack

Cuisine:
Beef Jerky

Type:
Beef Jerky

Flavor:
Savory

Servings:
5

Calories:

199
kcal

Author:

Will

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Ingredients

 

Lean Meat

• 
  ▢
  
  
  1
  lb
  
  Eye of Round or Venison
  

Marinade

• 
  ▢
  
  
  ¼
  cup
  worcestershire

• 
  ▢
  
  
  ¼
  cup
  soy sauce

• 
  ▢
  
  
  ¼
  cup
  dark beer or smoked beer
  (such as Schlenkerla)

• 
  ▢
  
  
  1
  tablespoon
  cracked black pepper

• 
  ▢
  
  
  1
  teaspoon
  honey

• 
  ▢
  
  
  1
  teaspoon
  onion powder

Optional

• 
  ▢
  
  
  ¼
  teaspoon
  
  Curing Salt
  
  (Prague Powder #1)

Equipment

Nesco Dehydrator

Instructions

• Pick a lean cut of beef and trim all visible fat. After trimming the fat, place the meat in the freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze. If purchasing already sliced beef, skip steps 1 & 3.
• While the meat is in the freezer, combine and mix the soy sauce, worcestershire, dark beer, black pepper, honey, and onion powder in a medium size bowl or ziplock bag.
• Remove meat from the freezer and slice against the grain between ⅛” – ¼” in thickness. Or skip the freezing phase and use a Jerky Slicer for evenly sliced strips.
• Add sliced beef to the mixture and marinate for 6-24 hours in the refrigerator.
• After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels.
• Dry with your favorite jerky making method. An oven was used with this recipe and dried for 8 hours.

Nutrition

Calories:
199
kcal

|

Carbohydrates:
6
g

|

Protein:
26
g

|

Fat:
6
g

|

Saturated Fat:
2
g

|

Cholesterol:
70
mg

|

Sodium:
816
mg

|

Potassium:
351
mg

|

Sugar:
2
g

|

Vitamin A:
10
IU

|

Vitamin C:
1.8
mg

|

Calcium:
28
mg

|

Iron:
3.3
mg

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Conclusion: A Brooklyn Bite Worth Making Your Own

Kings County’s Smoked Beer Jerky isn’t just another snack; it’s a testament to the exciting possibilities that arise when traditional craftsmanship meets creative culinary innovation. This recipe offers a deeply satisfying and uniquely flavorful experience that will appeal to both seasoned jerky enthusiasts and those new to the art of homemade dried meats. The sophisticated interplay of savory, sweet, and smoky notes, further enhanced by the rich, malty character of dark beer, culminates in a jerky that is remarkably complex, utterly addictive, and truly distinct from anything you’ll find in a conventional snack aisle.

So, whether you’re preparing for an outdoor adventure, seeking a healthy and flavorful protein boost, or simply eager to delve into the rewarding world of homemade jerky, this recipe is an absolute must-try. Gather your ingredients, prepare your tools, and embark on a culinary journey that promises delicious rewards. Kings County’s Smoked Beer Jerky is more than just a recipe; it’s a gourmet experience waiting to be discovered, proving that exceptional flavors can indeed hail from the most unexpected, yet wonderfully creative, corners of the world – like the heart of Brooklyn!