Teriyaki Beef Jerky Recipe

Marinades for beef jerky consist of different ingredients that contribute to the creation of unique flavors. One of the most popular marinades is teriyaki.

Teriyaki is a Japanese dish where the foods are grilled, roasted, or broiled in a soy sauce marinade. The marinade or (tare in Japanese) is what makes a teriyaki recipe distinctively delicious. Teri means sugar-formed shine in the tare and yaki applies to the grilling and broiling method of cooking. Beef jerky makers adopted the teriyaki recipe and formulated a litany of ingredients for its jerky marinade.

Teriyaki Beef Jerky Recipe

Teriyaki Beef Jerky Ingredients

For the Teriyaki Marinade

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestor sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

For the Beef Jerky

3 lbs. of meat (about 1360 gm)
1 to 2 cups teriyaki marinade

Teriyaki Beef Jerky Instructions

For the Teriyaki Marinade

Simply combine the basic ingredients for the teriyaki sauce in a large bowl and refrigerate for about an hour.

For the Teriyaki Beef Jerky

Trim all the fat, gristle, and silver skin from the beef. Slice the beef into thin strips 1/8" to 3/8" thick, against the grain. Set the strips down in a large container like a bowl, flat tray, or sealable plastic bag.

Pour the teriyaki marinade over the meat and mix well. Store the meat in the fridge for about 4 to 8 hours, or over night.

Making Teriyaki Beef Jerky in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 160°F / 71°C, or the lowest setting it will go.

Remove the beef slices from the container and layer the strips in a single layer on a baking tray, or drying rack on top of a cookie sheet. Make sure the beef strips don't overlap and have a little space between them to enable good air circulation.

Arrange the oven shelves leaving at least 4 inches of space from the top and bottom sources of heat to achieve even heating. Place the strips in the oven to start dehydrating them.

Making Teriyaki Beef Jerky in a Dehydrator

Preheat your dehydrator to at least 141°F / 60.5°C and up to 165°F / 74°C.

Place the strips in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Be sure to leave some space between the jerky strips for sufficient air flow. If you are not using wire or mesh trays you may need to turn the beef jerky over once in the middle of the drying process.

Dry the beef jerky for 6 to 10 hours. If thicker strips of meat are used it may take longer.

Finishing the Teriyaki Beef Jerky

To test the beef jerky remove a strip or two from the oven racks or dehydrator trays with clean kitchen tongs. Dried beef jerky strips should be chewy but still tender. When bent, it should be flexible enough not to break but it should crack instead.

Once the beef jerky is sufficiently dry, remove it from the dehydrator and let it cool for 30 to 60 minutes. If there is any oil or moisture on the beef jerky use paper towels to blot it dry.

Put the jerky in tightly sealed containers then refrigerate or freeze. They will last in the refrigerator for a month or two and in the freezer for several months.