How to Make Teriyaki Beef Jerky: A Step-by-Step Guide

I travel a lot for work. Teriyaki Beef Jerky is one of my all-time favourite road trip snacks, so I end up eating a lot of it. Lately, I have found that gas station jerky doesn't always agree with me, so I came up with my own dehydrated teriyaki beef jerky recipe. Truth be told, when I make jerky, I typically use a smoker instead of a dehydrator, but I find the smoke flavour overpowers the teriyaki flavour, so for my teriyaki jerky recipe, I use a dehydrator. I've shared a link at the bottom of this post to my smoked beef jerky recipe if you want to check that out when you're done reading this one. If you, like me, love teriyaki jerky, I think you're really going to like this recipe. It's simple, flavourful, and addictive.

Teriyaki Beef Jerky Marinade

The secret to great teriyaki beef jerky is the marinade. If you wanted, you could buy a grocery store teriyaki marinade, and I'm sure that would taste fine. But, I prefer to make my own. It is really simple to do, and the best part is that you know what's in it.

Teriyaki jerky marinade starts with a base of soy sauce or gluten-free tamari (that's what I used). To that, sugar, rice or white wine vinegar, and a bit of water are added. Those ingredients are boiled until it coats the back of a spoon and then cooled, poured over thinly sliced beef and put in the fridge to marinate. For my tastes, that's all you need, but if you'd like, add one teaspoon each of puréed ginger and garlic to the marinade as it is cooking and a half teaspoon of white or black pepper for a bit of spice. The measurements are in the recipe at the bottom of the page.

The Best Beef For Jerky

The best cuts for jerky are sirloin or inside round. You want a lean cut of meat for jerky because the fat won't dehydrate and will go bad much quicker than the meat. To prepare the meat for beef jerky, freeze it for about 30 to 45 minutes before slicing. The beef shouldn't be frozen solid, just a firm. This will make it much easier to slice. When cutting the beef for jerky, cut across the grain to shorten the muscle fibres, making the meat less tough. Cut the beef into thin strips (⅛ inch or 4 mm). Once the beef is sliced, put it in a medium bowl.

Marinating the Beef for Jerky

Pour the cooled Teriyaki Marinade over the beef and add about half a teaspoon of black or white pepper. Mix the meat and pepper into the marinade to ensure all the meat is coated. Push a layer of plastic wrap onto the surface of the beef to prevent oxidation, then cover the bowl with a second piece of plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. The meat should marinate for at least 2 hours, but it can go as long as 48 hours.

Dehydrating The Teriyaki Beef Jerky

Once the meat has had time to marinate, remove it from the marinade, shaking off the excess. Place the marinated beef in a single layer onto the racks of a dehydrator. Turn the dehydrator to 150°f - 160°f. Assemble the dehydrator and dehydrate the beef for two to three hours or until the meat is dry and chewy but not brittle. Store the beef in the fridge in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to a month. To dehydrate the jerky in your oven, place the jerky on a rack set over a sheet pan and place it in a 200°f oven for a few hours or until dry but not brittle.

Conclusion

After trying this homemade teriyaki beef jerky, you may find it hard to resist the sweet, salty, and savoury flavours that make it so addictive. In fact, you may find yourself finishing the entire batch in just a few days! But if you can resist temptation, this jerky will last in the fridge for about a month. Not only is this recipe a delicious snack, but the teriyaki marinade is also perfect for grilling up salmon, pork, beef or chicken. And if you're looking to make your own jerky at home, be sure to check out the dehydrator that I use and recommend. It's a reliable and easy-to-use appliance that will help you create the perfect homemade teriyaki beef jerky every time.

If you liked this post, you may also like my post about how to make smoked beef jerky. You can find it here.