Turkey Jerky

I meant to post this right after Thanksgiving, but alas! Here's what I do with extra turkey. I buy more than one turkey during the Thanksgiving season because they are so cheap. I cook one in the oven and just enjoy it. If it's too big for your family to eat two meals from it, use the leftovers for sandwiches or casseroles. With another turkey I cut the breast in nugget sizes and freeze this in pound sized containers or baggies and for future turkey nuggets (cooked just like chicken nuggets), and I freeze the dark meat for casseroles. Then with another turkey I make turkey jerky, which is the picture above. Here's the recipe:

(My measurements are general since I don't really measure - it'll come out just fine no matter what you do):

Cut strips of turkey meat into 1'4" strips (slightly frozen is easier to cut). Make enough of the juice to barely cover the top of the meat in your bowl. To make the juice, mix:

2 c. soy sauce or teriyaki sauce (if you use teriyaki sauce, add some salt)
1/2 c. salad oil
1 c. vinegar (you can also use 1/2 c. lemon juice instead)
1 c . water
2 t. liquid smoke
1 c. brown sugar or honey

Marinade for several hours then put in your dehydrator using the meat setting and as long as your machine tells you to. I always sprinkle each tray of meat with something different. Here's some ideas: garlic powder, pepper (red or Slap Yo Mama), ginger powder, onion powder and crushed red peppers.

Note: I use the Excalibur Dehydrator, which I love. Store the jerky in a breathable container to increase the shelf life.

Enjoy!