How to Make Turkey Jerky
Trim and discard the fat from the meat., Freeze the 1-½lbs turkey breasts until firm., Slice the turkey into long, ¼ inch strips., Mix together your marinade ingredients in a large zip-lock bag., Add the turkey to the marinade and refrigerate...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Trim and discard the fat from the meat.
Fat will go rancid quickly if you are not careful, and it does not dry out well.
Use a sharp kitchen knife to clean off the turkey and remove the shiny skin and bright white fat. -
Step 2: Freeze the 1-½lbs turkey breasts until firm.
Cover the turkey and freeze it until it is hard.
This makes it hard and easier to cut into thin strips Two hours should be more than enough., Try not to have any strips thicker than 1/4 inch, but even thinner is fine if possible.
You should try and keep the slices the same width so they all dry out at the same speed.
If you are having trouble, let them thaw out for 20-30 minutes until they are softer and use the sharpest knife you have.
Tuck your fingers into your hand and use the knuckles on your non-cutting hand to guide the knife.
This way, if the knife slips, you cannot take off a finger.
An electric knife, used for cutting tough meat and bone is often the easiest way to smoothly cut through frozen turkey evenly.
Cut parallel to the grain, which are the strands of meat running up and down the turkey. , Combine the 1/3 cup soy, ¼ cup Worcestershire, 2 tsp brown sugar, ½ tbs. spices (red pepper, black pepper, garlic and onion powder, cumin, as desired), 1 tsp. salt, 1tbs. liquid smoke, in a bag and shake it gently to make sure everything is well mixed. , Mix the turkey in the bag, using your fingers to lightly massage the marinade all around the turkey.
Letting the turkey soak in the marinade overnight gives it flavor and makes the meat more tender, making it easier to turn into jerky.
Press the air out of the bag before putting it in the fridge. , Remove excess marinade so that the turkey is mostly dry.
If you are worried about food-borne bacteria you can boil the turkey in the marinade before continuing.
Simply add it to a skillet and boil it for 5 minutes before cooling, removing, and patting dry.
This will also lower the time needed to dry the jerky in the oven., Dehydrators will make perfect jerky every time, and are built to evenly dry out the meat.
Leave the meat in the dehydrator for 10-12 hours, or until it is your desired texture.If you do not have a dehydrator, you can use your oven as well.
The principles, low heat, letting moisture escape, will be the exact same. , The pieces should not overlap, but they can be close together.
If you are willing to clean your oven later, you can put them directly on the oven racks, or you can place a pan underneath a wire rack. , You need the door to be open in order for the turkey's moisture to escape.
Some older ovens may have trouble keeping this temperature, so use an oven thermometer to make sure the heat stays consistent.Some recipes call for a 150˚F oven and others a 200˚F oven.
Any temperature in this range is acceptable, but it will affect how long it takes to dry. , The jerky is done when you can bend it without breaking it.
The skin will crack but still bend in your hands.
That said, the texture is largely up to you, so dry it until your liking as long as it is hard and thus fully "cooked." Depending on the oven and the thickness of the jerky, this may take all night. , Jerky does not need to be refrigerated, making it a great backpacking or traveling food, and it will last for a long time in dark and well-sealed container. -
Step 3: Slice the turkey into long
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Step 4: ¼ inch strips.
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Step 5: Mix together your marinade ingredients in a large zip-lock bag.
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Step 6: Add the turkey to the marinade and refrigerate overnight.
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Step 7: Remove the turkey from the marinade and pat it dry.
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Step 8: Lay the turkey on the rack of a dehydrator at 140˚F if you have one.
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Step 9: Place the turkey strips on a wire rack in the oven.
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Step 10: Turn the oven to 175˚F and prop the door open with a wooden spoon.
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Step 11: Check your jerky after the first 3 hours
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Step 12: then every hour after that.
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Step 13: Remove the jerky
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Step 14: pat it dry
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Step 15: then store in sealed
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Step 16: dry place for up to a month.
Detailed Guide
Fat will go rancid quickly if you are not careful, and it does not dry out well.
Use a sharp kitchen knife to clean off the turkey and remove the shiny skin and bright white fat.
Cover the turkey and freeze it until it is hard.
This makes it hard and easier to cut into thin strips Two hours should be more than enough., Try not to have any strips thicker than 1/4 inch, but even thinner is fine if possible.
You should try and keep the slices the same width so they all dry out at the same speed.
If you are having trouble, let them thaw out for 20-30 minutes until they are softer and use the sharpest knife you have.
Tuck your fingers into your hand and use the knuckles on your non-cutting hand to guide the knife.
This way, if the knife slips, you cannot take off a finger.
An electric knife, used for cutting tough meat and bone is often the easiest way to smoothly cut through frozen turkey evenly.
Cut parallel to the grain, which are the strands of meat running up and down the turkey. , Combine the 1/3 cup soy, ¼ cup Worcestershire, 2 tsp brown sugar, ½ tbs. spices (red pepper, black pepper, garlic and onion powder, cumin, as desired), 1 tsp. salt, 1tbs. liquid smoke, in a bag and shake it gently to make sure everything is well mixed. , Mix the turkey in the bag, using your fingers to lightly massage the marinade all around the turkey.
Letting the turkey soak in the marinade overnight gives it flavor and makes the meat more tender, making it easier to turn into jerky.
Press the air out of the bag before putting it in the fridge. , Remove excess marinade so that the turkey is mostly dry.
If you are worried about food-borne bacteria you can boil the turkey in the marinade before continuing.
Simply add it to a skillet and boil it for 5 minutes before cooling, removing, and patting dry.
This will also lower the time needed to dry the jerky in the oven., Dehydrators will make perfect jerky every time, and are built to evenly dry out the meat.
Leave the meat in the dehydrator for 10-12 hours, or until it is your desired texture.If you do not have a dehydrator, you can use your oven as well.
The principles, low heat, letting moisture escape, will be the exact same. , The pieces should not overlap, but they can be close together.
If you are willing to clean your oven later, you can put them directly on the oven racks, or you can place a pan underneath a wire rack. , You need the door to be open in order for the turkey's moisture to escape.
Some older ovens may have trouble keeping this temperature, so use an oven thermometer to make sure the heat stays consistent.Some recipes call for a 150˚F oven and others a 200˚F oven.
Any temperature in this range is acceptable, but it will affect how long it takes to dry. , The jerky is done when you can bend it without breaking it.
The skin will crack but still bend in your hands.
That said, the texture is largely up to you, so dry it until your liking as long as it is hard and thus fully "cooked." Depending on the oven and the thickness of the jerky, this may take all night. , Jerky does not need to be refrigerated, making it a great backpacking or traveling food, and it will last for a long time in dark and well-sealed container.
About the Author
Steven Allen
Writer and educator with a focus on practical practical skills knowledge.
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