Salmon jerky is chewy, rich and packed with flavor. A soy, maple and ginger marinade adds sweet and salty notes that pair well with fish. Because salmon has more fat than beef, it needs a little extra care when you dry and store it.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb skinless salmon fillet, pin bones removed (coho, sockeye or pink salmon)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Steps
- Freeze the salmon for 1–2 hours until firm. Run your fingers along the fillet and pull out any pin bones you find.
- Trim off any gray fat on the skin side. Slice the fillet into strips about 1/4 inch thick and 1 inch wide.
- Whisk the soy sauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl.
- Put the salmon in a zip-top bag, add the marinade, press out the air and refrigerate 4–8 hours. Fish is delicate, so don't go longer.
- Drain the strips, throw away the used marinade and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Heat the strips to 145°F before drying: bake on a rack set in a sheet pan in a 275°F oven for about 8–12 minutes. Check the thickest strip with an instant-read thermometer.
- Move the strips to dehydrator trays in one layer, not touching.
- Dry at 160°F (or your dehydrator's highest setting, at least 145°F) for 3–5 hours, until the strips are firm and leathery with no soft spots.
- Blot off any oil with paper towels, cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Why 145°F for salmon?
The USDA safe temperature for fish is 145°F. Like other jerky, the fish should reach that temperature before or at the start of drying, since a dehydrator's low heat may dry it before it gets hot enough. The quick oven step makes sure. Use a meat thermometer on the thickest strip, and check a few.
Pick the right salmon
Leaner salmon makes better jerky. Coho, sockeye and pink salmon are all good choices. Farmed Atlantic salmon and king salmon are very fatty. They taste great cooked, but the fat won't dry and the jerky will spoil faster. Buy the freshest fish you can, and ask the counter to remove the skin if you want to save time.
How to tell it's done
Salmon jerky won't snap or crack like beef jerky. It should feel firm, dry and leathery on the outside and look dry when you tear a strip open. If it feels soft, oily or wet in the middle, dry it longer and check every 30 minutes. Thinner strips from the tail end will finish first, so pull those early.
Storage
Fish jerky has more oil than beef jerky, so it doesn't keep as long. Always store it in an airtight container in the fridge, and eat it within 2 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Throw it out if it smells fishy, sour or rancid.
Want smoke?
For more smoke flavor, use the same marinade and finish the heated strips in a smoker at 160–180°F with alder or apple wood. Alder is the classic match for salmon. Our hot-smoked salmon recipe has more tips on smoking fish.
Gear for this recipe
- A rear-fan dehydrator for even drying
- An instant-read thermometer for the 145°F check
- Fish tweezers or clean needle-nose pliers for pin bones
Keep reading
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