Citric Acid Free Coconut Aminos Beef Jerky
Homemade beef jerky is one of those snacks that feels almost too good to be true — deeply savory, chewy, and packed with flavor in every strip. The challenge for anyone avoiding citric acid is that nearly every commercial jerky relies on it as a preservative or flavor enhancer, making store shelves a frustrating place to shop. This marinade sidesteps that entirely by leaning on coconut aminos for that rich, umami-forward depth, with apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, and fresh ginger rounding everything out into something genuinely complex. A touch of turmeric and optional Ceylon cinnamon give the strips a warmth that makes this jerky taste far more interesting than anything in a gas station bag. Partially freezing the beef before slicing is a small trick that pays off big — you get clean, even strips that dry uniformly in the oven. The low-and-slow oven method means you don't need a dehydrator, just time and a wire rack. Once cooled, these keep well at room temperature for a week or in the freezer for months, so a single batch can carry you through a lot of snack emergencies.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the jerky
- 2 lb flank steak or top round, trimmed of visible fat
For the marinade
- ⅓ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the flank steak in the freezer for 30–45 minutes, until it is firm but not frozen solid — this makes slicing much easier. Using a sharp knife, slice the beef against the grain into strips about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Pat the strips dry with paper towels.
- 2
In a zip-top bag or shallow dish, whisk together the coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, turmeric, onion powder, salt, and Ceylon cinnamon, if using, until combined.
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