How to Make Turkey Jerky

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• If you’ve ever bought jerky, you might have had a shock at the cash register. It can be expensive for not very much jerky at all. Luckily, making jerky at home is very easy—and you don’t need a dehydrator like many people think. You can make it in your oven! For this version I made a slightly spicy homemade turkey jerky that’s addictive and delicious. You want to bake these strips at 175ºF for FOUR hours at a minimum. The very low temp will basically slowly cook the turkey, but mostly just dry it out—which is exactly what you want. After the first two hours in the oven you'll flip your turkey strips so they cook evenly. It’s a waiting game, but luckily not hard. It’s pretty much impossible to overcook them. After four hours the jerky strips will be dark brown and really chewy. If you want your jerky chewier, you can bake it for another hour or so. You can also pull off pieces that are done and cook any thicker pieces longer. Theoretically, this jerky would be fine in an airtight container at room temperature since it’s cured and dried, but we recommend storing it in the fridge just to make sure it’s safe to eat. It won’t last long either. It’s so delicious, you'll find yourself grabbing a piece or two every time you open the fridge!