Thai Spiced beef jerky is a popular Asian dish made with lean beef that’s been marinated in a mix of spices and herbs, then dried or cooked in the oven. This jerky recipe is a healthier and tastier alternative to traditional beef jerky.
The Thai-inspired marinade adds a spicy flavor to the beef. This low-carb snack will have your mouth watering and craving more with each bite. Give this tasty treat a try today!
Ingredients for Thai Spiced Beef Jerky
- 1 lb. of beef
- 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 garlic clove small
- 2 tbsp cilantro fresh
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1/4 tsp Prague Powder #1 curing salt
Selecting Our Beef
You don’t need to get fancy, but you should know what to buy. London Broil is perfect for jerky because it’s lean and has a subtle flavor. Plus, it’s affordable so you can make plenty for yourself and your friends.
I bought the beef at Walmart for $12.03/per 2 lb. ($6.02/per 1 lb.), but you can try other cuts like sirloin tip, flank steak, and eye of round.
Prepearing the Beef
Removing Fat
If you chose a fattier cut of beef, this step may take longer. But it is worth it.
Trimming the fat from your beef is one of the most important steps in making jerky. Why? Fat spoils quickly and if it becomes attached to your beef jerky, then the whole batch will spoil along with it.
Your jerky will last longer and taste better if you trim all the fat from the meat first. Remove as much as you can–you will be glad that you did!
Make sure that you have enough beef after the trimming.
How to Cut the Beef
If you want to cut beef easier, put it in the freezer for 1-2 hours. When you see ice crystals on the surface of the beef, take it out.
Cut thin slices of beef and make sure they are not too thick. If your slices are against or across the grain, they will be more tender and chewable.
Prepearing the Marinade
The next step is to get all the ingredients. You need to mix them together in the right proportions. I recommend you use a measuring cup.
You can make the marinade while you wait for the beef.
Either way, it’s easy: just combine all of the ingredients for the marinade and mix well. Then add the beef and toss it around until it is thoroughly coated. Put in the fridge for 7-24 hours and longer if possible so that more flavor will be absorbed by the meat.
Dry Your Slices
After you marinate the beef, you want to drain any excess liquid. This can be done by placing the beef on a paper towel for a few minutes. The paper towel will suck up any excess marinade, but you could skip this step if you want to.
For dehydration, you can use an oven or an electric smoker, but I prefer a food dehydrator. It is easy to use and not expensive. I bought mine on Amazon.
My dehydrator is small and allowed me to dry the meat at lower temperatures for improved texture.
Place your beef on the dehydrator trays and dry it for 4-8 hours at 160 degrees F. Our hand-cut slices took me 6 hours to get the perfect slightly-crispy texture. You can dry at lower temperatures, but you’ll need to adjust your drying time. At 145 degrees, plan for 7 hours of drying time and at 125 degrees, 10 hours should be enough.
After cooking, my jerky weighed 6.6 ounces or 186 grams. The process removed 8.5 ounces of weight, which is a 58% loss of weight!
Recipe
- serves: 5 people
- preparation time: 30 minutes
- marinade time: 7 hours
- drying time: 6 hours
| Ingredients | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 lb. of beef; I choose London broil beef, but any could work | $5.84 per 1 lb. at Walmart | |
| 1/4 teaspoon of Prague Powder #1 curing salt | Between $12 and $13 for a 2.5 lb. pack (96 teaspoons per pound means that 1/4 of a teaspoon equates to 0.01 cents) | |
| 1 tablespoon soy sauce | $1.52 for a 5 oz. container at Walmart (1/4 cup or 2 oz. = 0.61 cents) | |
| 1/2 cup cold water | I used tap water so it was essentially free | |
| 1 garlic clove small | Between $0.4 and $0.5 per clove at Walmart (5 garlic cloves equates to 0.20 cents) | |
| 2 tablespoon chili garlic sauce | $1.76 for a 9 oz. container at Walmart (2 tbsp per oz. means = 0.20 cents) | |
| 2 tbsp cilantro fresh | $0.78 per fresh bunch at Walmart | |
| Total Cost: | $7.64/6.6 oz. (full cost: meat + ingredients) |
Shot Instruction
Thai Spiced Beef Jerky Recipe
Lean beef is marinated in a blend of spices and herbs to make the popular Asian snack known as Thai Spiced Beef Jerky, which is then dried or baked. A better and tastier alternative to traditional beef jerky is this jerky recipe. The beef is given a spicy flavor by the Thai-inspired marinade. With every taste of this low-carb snack, your mouth will be watering and you'll want more!
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cut as much fat as you can from your beef.
- Freeze your meet for 1–2 hours before cutting for easier for slicing. Slices it no thicker than ¼ inch.
- Mix the marinade ingredients in a cup, a dd this to the meat, then marinate it for six to twenty-four hours in the refrigerator.
- Before cooking, soak off any extra marinade with a paper towel.
- Dry your beef on a food dehydrator for 4 to 5 hours (thin chunks) or 6 to 8 hours at 160 degrees F (thik pieces).
Nutrition
Serving: 36.6g | Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.2g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 5.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 524mg | Potassium: 432mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1.9g | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 17mg
QUOTE:
"You might be a redneck if you think that beef jerky and moon pies are two of the major food groups."
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About the Author
Charles Joseph
In 2017, a good friend introduced me to the most amazing beef jerky I had ever tasted. And his source was from the most unexpected of places--a random guy in Thailand whom he had met while living there. Although I had been eating jerky since as far back as I could remember, I was genuinely blown away by the flavor. I realized the best beef jerky doesn't come from a store. This experience inspired me to create Beef Jerky Hub and put into writing all the things I've since learned about this amazing food. If you're interested, you can read more about my story here.