How to Make Chicken Jerky

These steps walk you through the basic jerky-making steps. Making jerky is easy, and once you are familiar with this process, you can expand it to any type of meat or marinade you like. In addition, you can use either an oven or a food dehydrator, depending on what you have available.

Things You'll Need

• 1 lb. chicken breast
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• Wire racks

Instructions

1. Place chicken in freezer for approximately 30 minutes or until firm. This makes it easier to slice.

2. Combine all ingredients except chicken in a container and let sit so the marinade flavors can mix. Keep in refrigerator until chicken is ready to slice.

3. Slice chicken in strips 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Slice chicken along the grain of the meat. Slicing against the grain can cause it to fall apart once it dries. Remove any excess fat since fat can go rancid, drastically reducing the storage life of the jerky. Add chicken to marinade and turn to evenly coat. Place covered in refrigerator at least an hour. For stronger flavor, you can marinate longer; however, turn every hour or so to ensure chicken is fully exposed to the marinade.

4. Turn oven on to lowest setting, ideally between 140 and 150 degrees F, shortly before drying chicken.

5. Place chicken on wire racks, making sure to keep the pieces separate. If you do not have wire racks, baking sheets will work, but you will need to turn the strips every hour or so. Place chicken on racks in oven until dry, which will take anywhere from 3 hours on up, depending on the thickness of your slices.

6. Prepare the jerky for storage. When the jerky is ready, it will be dry but not brittle. It should still be slightly flexible. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool. Once completely cool, store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. This will prevent bacteria growth and spoilage.

Tips & Warnings

• Jerky needs a combination of steady heat as well as proper air circulation for best results. If you do not have access to a convection oven, you may need to improvise. You can prop the oven door open using a wooden spoon or spatula to allow moisture to escape the oven. If necessary, place a small fan blowing toward the oven to help with air movement. However, be sure not to cool the oven down.

• Slices should be of a consistent thickness for even drying times. The thinner the slices, the faster they will dry; however, it is not advisable to go thinner then 1/8 inch because it may result in crispy dried meat rather than tender jerky.

• Once you have mastered this basic recipe, you can use whatever marinade you wish. You can easily mix and match marinades as well as meats to create your own favorite combinations.

• Make sure all equipment and surfaces as well as your hands are thoroughly clean before starting to prevent contamination and bacteria growth.

• Keep chicken refrigerated whenever possible before drying to prevent bacteria growth. Do not reuse marinade once chicken has been removed since bacteria growth will continue and make future batches unsafe.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish