Teriyaki Beef Jerky

The very first batch of beef jerky I ever made was from a teriyaki beef jerky recipe that someone had given me.

Unfortunately this is when I discovered that I didn't like the taste of teriyaki.

The jerky didn't go to waste though. My cousin and her family gobbled it all up.

Stop by your local grocery and pick out a nice beef top round roast and have the butcher slice it into 1/4 inch slices.

You will need about 1/2 cup of the following marinade for each pound of beef so adjust the amounts according to the size of your roast.

Teriyaki Beef Jerky Marinade Recipe

2/3 cup of Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup of Soy sauce
2/3 cup of Teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Be sure the salt, garlic powder and onion powder have dissolved.

Trim all the visible fat from your roast beef slices. The fat will not dry and will cause your teriyaki beef jerky to go rancid.

Cut the beef slices into strips about 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide and about 4 to 6 inches long.

Place the beef strips and the marinade in a one-gallon plastic bag. Seal the bag squeezing out as much air as possible. This will allow better marinade contact with the beef slices.

Place the bag in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours and preferably 8 hours. Overnight will work.

If you have the time and think about it turn the bag over a few times.

After marinating drain the beef strips and completely dry them with paper towels. The drier the better!

A lot of people just use their oven racks as drying racks. Personally I use a half sheet pan with a cookie cooling rack inserted.

To use your oven rack place foil on the lower rack to catch the drips and clean the top rack because it is your cooking surface.

Lay the beef strips out across the top rack as close together as possible without any overlapping. They can touch but not overlap.

Put as many on the rack as possible.

Set your oven to 150 degrees with the door ajar and allow the beef to dry for about 2-1/2 hours.

I use an oven thermometer set on the front of the rack to keep an eye on the heat and make adjustments if necessary.

After drying for the first 2-1/2 hours rotate the entire rack front to back. If you use a sheet pan like me just turn the pan around.

Depending on the thickness of the beef slices and the heat of the oven your teriyaki beef jerky should be ready in 5 to 6 hours total drying time.

Perfect beef jerky is firm and dry and not at all spongy. You should be able to bend it slightly before it cracks.

If it's over dry it will break when you try to bend it. Start test bending before you think it's ready so you can get it just right.

Try to resist eating your teriyaki beef jerky right away. It matures and tastes much better after 24 hours. If you're going to store it for more than a few days refrigerate it.