Herbed Thai Beef Jerky
This Herbed Thai Beef Jerky is a boldly flavored homemade snack built on an authentic Thai marinade of fish sauce, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves. Each strip is deeply savory, lightly sweet, and fragrant with aromatic herbs. Perfect for snacking, meal prep, or gifting.
Equipment
- Sharp slicing knife or mandoline slicer
- Large mixing bowl
- Wire rack
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Oven or food dehydrator
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef flank steak partially frozen for easier slicing
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce use tamari for gluten-free
- 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar packed
- 2 stalks lemongrass tender inner part only, finely minced
- 1 tbsp galangal freshly grated or finely minced
- 6 leaves kaffir lime leaves center rib removed, finely chiffonaded
- 2 Thai bird chilies minced, adjust to taste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp white pepper freshly ground preferred
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sesame oil toasted
Instructions
- Place the flank steak in the freezer for 45-60 minutes until firm but not frozen solid. Once firm, slice against or with the grain into strips about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick using a sharp knife or mandoline slicer.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine fish sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, bird chilies, garlic, white pepper, ground coriander, and sesame oil. Stir well until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Add the beef strips to the marinade and toss thoroughly to coat every piece. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight for best flavor penetration.
- When ready to dry, preheat your oven to 170°F (75°C). Remove the beef strips from the marinade and pat each one dry with paper towels to remove excess surface moisture.
- Arrange the strips in a single layer on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Make sure no strips overlap. Place in the oven and prop the door open slightly with a wooden spoon to allow moisture to escape.
- Dry the jerky for 4-6 hours, flipping each strip at the halfway point. The jerky is done when it bends and cracks slightly at the fold but does not snap cleanly in two, and no moist spots remain on the surface.
- Remove the finished jerky from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the wire rack before storing. Cooling at room temperature for at least 30 minutes lets the texture firm up to the ideal chewiness.
Notes
For a smoked version, transfer marinated strips to a smoker set at 165-180°F using hickory or applewood chips and smoke for 4-5 hours. Store finished jerky in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Always pat strips dry before drying to avoid steaming. Kaffir lime leaves can be found at most Asian grocery stores; frozen leaves work just as well as fresh.