Black Pepper–Maple Turkey Jerky

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Lean turkey breast sliced paper-thin, soaked in a salty-sweet soy, Worcestershire and maple brine with smoked paprika and a heavy hand of cracked black pepper, then dried low and slow until it's pliable, glossy and snappable. It costs a fraction of gas-station jerky, has no mystery ingredients, and the low-oven method means you don't need a dehydrator — just a wire rack and patience.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless skinless turkey breast, fully trimmed

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper, plus more for finishing
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional, for oven drying)
• 1/4 tsp curing salt, Prague Powder #1 (optional, see tips)

Instructions

1. Wrap the turkey breast tightly in plastic and freeze for 45 to 60 minutes, until the outside is firm and the center still yields to a squeeze. Partially frozen meat is the only reliable way to get thin, even slices by hand.
2. Unwrap and, with a long sharp knife, trim away every scrap of fat, silverskin and connective tissue — fat does not dry and will make the jerky go rancid. Slice the breast into strips 1/8 inch thick and no wider than 1 1/2 inches. Slice across the grain for jerky that snaps and chews tenderly; slice with the grain if you want the long, stringy pull of classic jerky.
3. Whisk the soy sauce, Worcestershire, maple syrup, vinegar, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, cayenne, liquid smoke and curing salt (if using) in a bowl until the syrup dissolves. Add the turkey strips and toss with your hands so every piece is coated and separated, not clumped.
4. Transfer everything to a zip-top bag, press out the air, seal, and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours, flipping the bag once or twice. Twelve hours is the sweet spot; past 24 the strips get too salty.
5. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet (use two sets if needed). Lift the strips from the marinade one at a time, run each between your thumb and finger to strip off excess liquid, and lay them flat on the racks without touching. Blot the tops with paper towels — surface moisture is the enemy of drying time. Grind more black pepper over the tops.
6. OVEN METHOD: Heat the oven to 175°F (or its lowest setting, up to 200°F) and prop the door open 1 to 2 inches with a wooden spoon or balled foil to let moisture escape. Dry for 3 to 4 hours, rotating the pans front to back and top to bottom every hour. DEHYDRATOR METHOD: arrange on trays and run at 160°F for 4 to 6 hours.
7. Start checking at the 3-hour mark. The jerky is done when a strip bends and cracks along the bend without snapping in two, and shows white fibers at the tear — it should feel dry and leathery, never wet or squishy inside. Thin pieces will finish 30 to 60 minutes ahead of thick ones; pull them as they're ready.
8. FOOD SAFETY STEP (do not skip if you dried below 160°F or in an oven that ran cool): pile the finished jerky on a clean baking sheet, raise the oven to 275°F, and bake 10 minutes to bring the meat through 160°F internal. This pasteurizes the poultry without undoing the drying.
9. Cool the jerky completely on the racks, about 30 minutes — warm jerky steams itself soft in a container. Pack loosely into a jar or zip-top bag and leave it at room temperature for 24 hours, shaking once or twice; any residual moisture equalizes across the batch. If you see condensation on the glass, spread it back out and dry another 30 minutes.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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