Nitrate & Nitrite Free Honey-Garlic Turkey Jerky
Most store-bought jerky relies on curing salts and synthetic preservatives to extend shelf life — which is exactly what makes it off-limits if you're avoiding nitrates and nitrites. This turkey jerky skips all of that entirely, leaning on a marinade of coconut aminos, honey, apple cider vinegar, and warm spices like turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon, and fresh ginger to build deep, complex flavor the clean way. The result is savory-sweet with a gentle kick of garlic and a subtle earthiness that makes it genuinely hard to stop eating. Slicing the turkey after a quick freeze and drying it low and slow in the oven gives you that satisfying chewy-but-not-brittle texture that good jerky is all about. The overnight marinade does the heavy lifting while you sleep, so the active effort is minimal. Once cooled, it keeps in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to two months — perfect for meal prepping snacks you can actually trust.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the jerky
- 1.5 lb turkey breast, trimmed of fat
For the marinade
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
Instructions
- 1
Place the turkey breast in the freezer for 30–45 minutes until firm but not frozen solid — this makes slicing much easier. Using a sharp knife or mandoline, slice the turkey against the grain into strips about 1/8-inch (3mm) thick and no wider than 2 inches.
- 2
In a large zip-top bag or shallow dish, whisk together the coconut aminos, honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, turmeric, salt, and Ceylon cinnamon until the honey is fully dissolved.
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