When I first got started making beef jerky, a big issue I had with almost every recipe I tried was that they all tasted like a salt stick.
If you feel this way too, rather than using traditional Soy sauce opt for Tamari sauce instead.
It’s more flavorful, has the salt content you’re after, and tastes WAY better.
Why the Same Bottle of Kikkoman Soy Sauce is Recommended by Everyone That Makes Jerky
The reason people use Soy sauce with beef jerky is because it contains A LOT of salt, which is used to kill microbes.
The most popular “base” liquid that’s recommended is this bottle of Kikkoman Soy Sauce (pictured right):
It’s also a flavor enhancer and I’d say it tastes OK; It’s also really cheap.
To me, Kikkoman Soy Sauce tastes like watered down salt.
The reason your jerky tastes “too salty” is likely due to this ingredient.
Another issue is that most recipes are essentially just copy/pasted regurgitated non-sense.
They made the recipe once, and just ship it out to the world.
Where-as I’ve made more bad jerky than Good; Essentially for every jerky recipe you find on Barbecue FAQ, there’s at least 5-10 batches that are bad.
Using Tamari Sauce in Jerky Marinade
Tamari sauce is similar to soy sauce but unlike soy sauce it contains no wheat (though sometimes it does just in small quantities).
Due to the longer fermentation process, the flavor is also way more balanced and far less salty (even though it technically contains more salt in a serving).
Test it for yourself:
Take 1 Tablespoon of each, put them into separate bowls and do a finger test:
You’ll notice almost immediately:
- The Kikkoman soy sauce essentially tastes like salty water.
- The Tamari Sauce has an umami rich punch and is far less “salty” tasting, even though it contains more salt.
Now in a marinade for jerky these concepts hold true and more of your marinade ingredients are allowed to shine through when you use Tamari.
Where-as with traditional soy sauce, the Soy sauce takes center stage and in most cases it completely overwhelms the palette.
How Much Tamari Sauce to Use
A lot of recipes will have the Soy sauce be 1/2 cup or more, which is WAY too much soy sauce.
For over 15 years this has been my “base”:
- 1/3 Cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce (Low Sodium)
- 1/4 Cup Kikkoman Tamari Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
I tend to stick to roughly 1 Cup of Liquid per 1 lb of meat and only 1/4 cup of that is Tamari sauce.
To be honest, if you have a recipe you’re following, just replace their Kikkoman Soy Sauce quantity with equal amounts of Tamari sauce and I bet it tastes at least 10x better – trust me.
Granted, there are times when you want that “Salty” taste and the Kikkoman Soy Sauce is better used, like with my Korean BBQ jerky.
Do You Have to Use Any Form of Soy Sauce in Jerky Marinade?
Absolutely not.
Several of my recipes don’t use any soy sauce and just use teriyaki sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and water.
Here’s a few:
Use as a base instead:
- 1/4 Cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce (low sodium)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/3 Cup Water
Typically to these mixtures I’ll add Kosher or sea salt – around 1 tsp of sea salt is adequate.
