Just smoked some beef jerky. I've always been a sucker for sweet and hot flavor. my first few attempts were ok but I just now noticed that using a sweet marinade may not be such a good idea as I thought. I notice when you start to smoke the sugars mix with the juices and begin to caramelize before the meat really has the chance to draw the smoke flavor in. I also think that possibly the sugars could be creating a "sealed surface"? that may also effect the absorption of the smoke flavor. These are just theories. I am a lil disappointed in the way this batch came out. The sugars actually began to burn causing a somewhat unpleasant flavor. Oh well. gonna finish it in the dehydrator. Maybe next batch I pull out sooner and finish in DH with a light baste of a sweet and hot sauce.