Turkey Jerky

By
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone
Peggy Trowbridge Filippone is a writer who develops approachable recipes for home cooks. Her recipes range from Grandma’s favorites to the latest food trends.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 11/24/21
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 hrs
Marinate Time: 12 hrs
Total: 24 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 5 servings
Yield: 10 to 12 strips

The mild flavor of turkey makes a perfect starting point in this turkey jerky recipe. Turkey is also lower in fat than beef jerky, making it a healthier option for some. Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your own tastes.

Simply marinate in liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, mesquite flavoring, brown sugar, and spices for a day before dehydrating. If you do not own a food dehydrator, you can use your oven on the lowest setting and leave the oven door slightly ajar to encourage air circulation.

Turkey jerky makes a delicious, high-protein snack. Pack it up for a hike, long car ride, or simply keep it on hand for when hunger strikes.

Turkey Jerky

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste

  • 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons mesquite flavoring liquid

  • 2 teaspoons light brown sugar, packed

  • 1 tablespoon onion powder

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless turkey meat, sliced thin

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for turkey jerky

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  2. Combine the liquid smoke, soy sauce, Tabasco, Worcestershire, mesquite, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, and kosher salt in a large zip-top bag.

    Marinade ingredients in a zip-top bag

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  3. Add thinly sliced turkey strips to the marinade, seal, and squish to coat all the meat. Reopen the bag, squeeze out all the air, reseal, and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.

    Turkey marinating in the bag

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  4. Remove the turkey strips from marinade and gently pat off excess moisture with a paper towel.

    marinaded turkey patted dry with a paper towel

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  5. Place the marinated strips in a single layer, with space in between, on dehydrator racks.

    turkey jerky on dehydrator racks

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  6. Dehydrate until the turkey jerky is leathery and chewy but not crisp enough to snap when bent.

    turkey in the dehydrator

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  7. Store the jerky in sealed bags in the refrigerator.

    Turkey Jerky in a plastic bag

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Tip

A dehydrator works best for drying meat and other foods. If you want to try the oven method, turn your oven to the lowest possible setting. Prop open the door so that it doesn't get too hot and cook the meat.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
177 Calories
4g Fat
7g Carbs
27g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5
Amount per serving
Calories 177
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 92mg 31%
Sodium 887mg 39%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 41mg 3%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 422mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)