Teriyaki jerky is sweet, salty and full of ginger and garlic flavor. It's one of the easiest jerky styles to love, even for picky eaters. It dries beautifully in a dehydrator.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef eye of round, top round or bottom round, trimmed of all visible fat
- 3/4 cup soy sauce (or low-sodium soy sauce)
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, for topping (optional)
Steps
- Freeze the beef for 1–2 hours until firm but not frozen solid, so it's easier to slice thin.
- Slice the beef 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut against the grain for tender jerky or with the grain for a chewier bite.
- Whisk the soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, black pepper and pepper flakes in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
- Put the beef in a zip-top bag, pour in the marinade, press out the air and refrigerate 8–24 hours, flipping once. Don't go past 24 hours; the pineapple juice can make the meat mushy.
- Drain the strips and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Heat the strips to 160°F before drying: bake on a rack-lined sheet pan in a 275°F oven for about 10 minutes, then check a thick piece with a thermometer.
- Lay the strips on dehydrator trays in a single layer without overlapping. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.
- Dry at 160°F (or your dehydrator's highest setting, at least 145°F) for 4–6 hours, until a cooled strip bends and cracks without snapping.
- Blot off any oil or sticky spots, let the jerky cool completely, then store it in an airtight bag or jar.
Why heat it to 160°F first?
The USDA recommends heating beef to 160°F before you dry it. A dehydrator's low heat may not kill bacteria before the meat dries out, so this quick oven step makes the jerky safe. If your dehydrator reaches 160°F and you check the meat with a thermometer, you can do the heating step in the dehydrator instead. See the USDA's jerky and food safety guidance for details, and our classic beef jerky recipe for more on cuts and slicing.
Why this works
Soy sauce brings salt and savory flavor. Brown sugar and honey add sweetness and help the strips get a light glaze. Pineapple juice adds tang and helps tenderize the beef. Fresh ginger and garlic give it that classic teriyaki taste.
How to tell it's done
Pull a strip, let it cool for 5 minutes, then bend it. Done jerky bends and cracks on the surface but doesn't snap. Teriyaki jerky can feel a little tacky because of the sugar. That's normal, as long as the inside isn't soft or wet. Start checking at about 3 1/2 hours.
Smoker option
After the 160°F step, smoke the strips at 160–180°F with cherry or apple wood for 1–2 hours, then finish in the dehydrator. Sugar can scorch, so keep the heat low.
Storage
- Room temperature in an airtight bag: about 1–2 weeks.
- Refrigerator: 1–2 months.
- Freezer: up to a year.
Variations
Spicy teriyaki: add 1–2 tbsp sriracha to the marinade.
Less sugar: cut the brown sugar to 2 tbsp and skip the honey.
Orange teriyaki: swap the pineapple juice for orange juice and add 1 tsp orange zest.
Gear for this recipe
- A rear-fan dehydrator for even drying
- A meat slicer if you make jerky often
- An instant-read thermometer for the 160°F step
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