Nitrate & Nitrite Free Turkey Jerky
Most store-bought jerky relies on curing salts and preservatives to achieve that chewy, savory bite — which makes finding a clean version genuinely tricky. This homemade take skips all of that, using coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, and a bold lineup of spices to build deep, smoky flavor the natural way. The coconut aminos bring a rich, soy-sauce-like depth without any of the additives you'd find in conventional marinades, while smoked paprika and a touch of cayenne give every strip a satisfying kick. A long overnight marinade does the heavy lifting, so by the time the turkey hits the oven, it's already packed with flavor. Slicing the breast after a short freeze is a smart trick that makes thin, even strips easy to achieve — and uniform thickness means everything dries at the same rate. The low-and-slow oven method pulls out moisture gradually, leaving you with jerky that's firm and chewy without being brittle. It's the kind of snack you can feel good about tossing in a bag for a hike, a road trip, or just keeping in the fridge for whenever hunger strikes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 ½ lb turkey breast, boneless and skinless
For the marinade
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the turkey breast in the freezer for 30–45 minutes until it is firm but not frozen solid — this makes it much easier to slice thinly and evenly.
- 2
Using a sharp knife, slice the turkey against the grain into strips about 1/8-inch thick. Aim for uniform thickness so the strips dry at the same rate.
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