Soy Free Smoky Beef Jerky
Homemade jerky hits different when you know exactly what went into it — and this smoky, chewy version delivers serious flavor without any of the questionable additives lurking in store-bought bags. The secret weapon here is coconut aminos, which brings that deep, savory umami punch you'd normally get from soy sauce, making it a natural swap that doesn't sacrifice a single bit of taste. Smoked paprika, garlic, onion powder, and a whisper of cayenne build a marinade that clings to every strip of flank steak and gets more intense the longer it sits overnight. The low-and-slow oven method — door propped open to let moisture escape — does the heavy lifting, turning thin-sliced beef into perfectly leathery, bendable jerky over a few unhurried hours. Slicing the steak partially frozen is a genuinely useful trick that makes getting those thin, even strips much easier than wrestling with room-temperature meat. Once cooled and packed into an airtight container, this jerky is a high-protein snack ready to go wherever you do — road trips, hikes, or just the couch.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the beef
- 1 ½ lb flank steak or top round, trimmed of visible fat
For the marinade
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the steak 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 beef against the grain into strips about 1/8-inch (3mm) thick. For chewier jerky, slice with the grain.
- 2
In a large zip-top bag or airtight container, whisk together the coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and cayenne, if using, until combined.
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