Meat to Use for Jerky
This recipe uses London broil (top round).
If you don’t have top round, use:
- Round tip
- Eye of Round
- Brisket Flat
- Flank Steak
Slicing the Meat for Jerky
If the meat is unfrozen, put it into your freezer for 1 hour; This will make slicing far easier.
- For softer jerky – slice against the grain.
- For jerky with a “tug” – slice with the grain.
Slice roughly 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick.
I prefer against the grain and around 1/8″ thick.
Honey Teriyaki Beef Jerky Ingredients
This marinade is for 1 lb of meat:
- 1/2 Cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Tamari Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 2 tbsp Molasses
- 1 Tsp Granulated Garlic
- 1 Tsp Granulated Onion
- 1/2 tbsp ground Ginger.
- 1/4 Tsp of Citric Acid*
- 1/3 Cup Honey
*If you don’t have Citric acid, use 1 tablespoon of Lemon juice.
Combine the above ingredients in a mixing bowl with a whisk; Ensure the honey is fully incorporated.
Marinate for at least 2 hours, but ideally 16+ (overnight).
Heat Treating Jerky in the Oven
The reason for heat treating is to kill microbes and because it will allow you to dehydrate at a lower temperature – which results in softer jerky.
If you don’t care about this, skip it – just dehydrate at 160F until done.
Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then top with oven safe cooling racks.
Place marinated jerky strips and place them on the cooling racks – ensuring that none overlap.
Once preheated, place baking pan in the oven on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
While the jerky heat treats, set your dehydrator to 130F.
Dehydrating the Jerky
Transfer heat treated jerky meat to dehydrator trays – ensure none of it is overlapping.
Dehydrate for 3 hours.
Checking Jerky Meat for Doneness
After 3 hours, take a few strips out that you think are done.
Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Then bend/tear them and look for white spider webbing. If you see this, the jerky is likely done.
Here’s an example:
If the jerky feels like rubber bands and the bend/tear has hues of pink – it’s not done and needs to keep dehydrating.
Storing the Jerky Meat
As the jerky starts to finish, transfer to a ziplock bag with the top open. This will allow it to aerate.
Once it’s cooled – zip the top and store in a cool, dry, dark place.
Honey Teriyaki Beef Jerky
Ingredients
- 1 lb London Broil (top round)
Teriyaki Marinade
- 1/2 Cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce low sodium
- 1/4 Cup Tamari Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 2 tbsp Molasses
- 1 Tsp Granulated Garlic
- 1 Tsp Granulated Onion
- 1/2 tbsp Ground Ginger
- 1/4 Tsp Citric Acid
- 1/3 Cup Honey
Instructions
Slicing and Marinating Jerky
- Take 1 lb of lean beef and cut against the grain. Slice so that the strips are 1/8-1/4" thick.1 lb London Broil (top round)
- In a bowl combine the marinade ingredients in the specified quantities. Ensure the molasses and honey are well combined.1/2 Cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce, 1/4 Cup Tamari Sauce, 1/4 Cup Water, 2 tbsp Molasses, 1 Tsp Granulated Garlic, 1 Tsp Granulated Onion, 1/2 tbsp Ground Ginger, 1/4 Tsp Citric Acid, 1/3 Cup Honey
- In a non-reactive container or ziplock bag, add your marinade and sliced jerky. Massage the marinade into the beef.
- Put in your refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours.Ideally, you'd marinate overnight for 16+ hours.
Heat Treating the Jerky
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Then place oven-safe cooling racks on top. Put your marinated beef jerky on top of the cooling racks, ensure that pieces aren't touching or overlapping.
- Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
- Once pre-heated put your jerky in the oven on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
- While your jerky is heat treating, set your dehydrator to 130F.
Dehydrating the Beef Jerky
- Once your jerky is done heat treating, place your beef jerky in your dehydrator. Ensure pieces aren't touching or overlapping.
- Allow the jerky to dehydrate for 3 hours and then start checking for doneness.
Testing Beef Jerky for Doneness
- After 3 hours take a few pieces of beef jerky out of the dehydrator and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Once cooled, bend the jerky.
- If at the bend you notice a "spider webbing" – it's done. If at the bend you notice the jerky is rubbery and has hues of red/pink, it's not done.
Storing the Jerky
- Once done, place in a ziplock bag with the top open and allow the jerky to aerate for 30 minutes. Once aerated zip the top and store in a cool, dry, dark place.
