Mastering Woodfire Chuck Roast Beef Jerky: A Smoky, Savory Game-Changer.
woodfire beef jerkyIf you’ve ever wondered whether you can make amazing woodfire chuck roast beef jerky, the answer is a resounding yes-but it might take longer than expected!
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This isn’t your typical, dry, tough gas-station jerky. This recipe brings in deep, smoky flavors, a sweet-savory marinade, and the magic of slow dehydration on the Ninja Woodfire to create something next-level delicious.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that my first attempt at beef jerky on the Ninja Woodfire wasn’t perfect. But mistakes are just another way to learn, right? So I went back, reworked my method, and discovered exactly how to get the best texture, flavor, and tenderness out of a chuck roast. The result? A richly marinated, wood-smoked, and ridiculously flavorful beef jerky that just might be my best yet.
Woodfire Chuck Roast Beef Jerky
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Equipment
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Ninja Woodfire
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Sheet Pan
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Air Fry Basket or elevated rack
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Large Bowl
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb Chuck Roast
- ½ Cup Guava Nectar
- ½ Cup Dark Soy Sauce
- ¼ Cup Mirin
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 6 Garlic Cloves Minced
- ½ teaspoon Pink Curing Salt
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ Honey
- 1 teaspoon White Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
Instructions
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Slice & Prep: Place your chuck roast in the freezer for 1 hour. After the hour remove it and slice it very thin against the grain. Try to remove any large chunks of fat, this will help reduce your dehydration time. Mix all of the ingredients for the marinade together until fully combined. You can skip the curing salt if you want but it will reduce the shelf life you your jerky from 1-2 weeks at room temp to 2-3 days. Put the roast and the marinade in a freezer bag. Make sure it is all mixed well. Let it marinate for at least 8 hours, overnight is better. You can go as long as 48 hours, but the jerky will be saltier.
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Woodfire Setup: Fill your woodfire with pellets, set it to the dehydrate, press the woodfire button, 165F (74C) and 12 hours.
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Dry & Smoke: Get a sheet pan or tray that will fit the meat and line it with paper towels. Place the meat on it and then cover it with more paper towels. Press down and try and remove the excess moisture from the meat. When the Woodfire says “Add Food” place the meat in the Air Fry basket or on the elevated rack. This will allow for better air flow and the smoke to hit the bottom a little bit too.
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Check Hourly: Be sure you are checking your pellet hopper and refilling as needed. You will know when it is done just by looking at it, mine took 12 hours.
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Storage: If you used the pink curling salt your jerky will be good for 2-3 weeks in an air tight container at room temp. If you did not use the curing salt you are going to want to eat it in about 2-3 days. If you have a vacuum sealer you can store it sealed in the panty for 6 months and up to a year in the refrigerator!
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Notes
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?Mention @DadGotThis or tag #DadGotThis!Why Chuck Roast? The Secret to This Incredible Jerky
Most jerky recipes call for leaner cuts like eye round or London broil-and there’s a good reason for that. They dry faster. But I wanted to push the limits and see if I could get a more tender, flavorful result using chuck roast. The catch? Chuck roast has a higher fat content, which means it takes a lot longer to dehydrate. (Spoiler alert: 12 hours!)
The upside? That extra marbling keeps the jerky from becoming too dry, creating a chewy-yet-tender bite that’s packed with flavor. The downside? If you don’t trim the fat properly, it’ll slow down the drying process a lot. Lesson learned!
If you want woodfire chuck roast beef jerky without waiting half a day, I’d recommend trimming off as much fat as possible before marinating.
The Magic of This Marinade
The real game-changer here is the sweet and savory marinade that takes this jerky from “pretty good” to “holy cow, I need more of this immediately.”
Here’s what makes it special:
✔ Guava nectar & honey – A natural sweetness that balances the smoky, salty flavors
✔ Dark soy sauce & mirin – A rich umami base that soaks deep into the meat
✔ Sesame oil & white pepper – That subtle nuttiness and mild heat to elevate the flavor
✔ Fresh garlic & ginger – Because jerky should never be bland
By letting the beef soak in this marinade for two full days, every bite is infused with deep, bold flavor. It also helps tenderize the meat, making it chewier and less tough than traditional jerky.
Low and Slow: The Key to Perfect Woodfire Chuck Roast Beef Jerky
Cooking jerky in the Ninja Woodfire is a different beast compared to a traditional dehydrator. I’ve learned that lower and slower is better when working with this grill. The first time I made jerky, I set the temperature at 165°F and finished in 3-4 hours. This time? I dropped it to 150°F and let the smoke work its magic. This slower method helped the smoke penetrate the meat more evenly, creating a richer, wood-fired flavor that you just can’t get with high heat. However, due to the fat content of chuck roast, I had to crank the heat up to 165°F in the last six hours to fully dehydrate it.
Did it take forever? Yes. Was it 100% worth it? Absolutely.
If you don’t have 12 hours to babysit your jerky, using a leaner cut like London broil will speed up the process significantly. But if you’re after the ultimate in flavor and tenderness, chuck roast is the way to go.
Final Thoughts: Was It Worth the Effort?
The final product? Absolutely incredible. The long marinade time, the sweet and smoky flavor, and the tender-but-chewy texture all made this woodfire chuck roast beef jerky worth the time investment. The best part? The marinade was so good that even the leftover bits of meat I didn’t turn into jerky made an insanely good stir fry.
So, would I do it again? 100%. But next time, I’ll trim the fat better and maybe start the dehydration process a little earlier in the day so I don’t have to babysit it overnight.
If you’re a jerky lover and want next-level flavor, this recipe is absolutely worth trying. Just be patient-it’s a slow process, but the reward is so worth it.
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