I love trying to make new things using new methods.  My husband challenged me with making jerky at home.  I met that challenge - and with success I must say!  It was all eaten in one day.  With that being said.....it is pretty close to a break even in making it at home vs. buying it.  Maybe not enough of a difference for you...but I will for sure make this again, and again.

I got the "starter" recipe from Food.com.  As you know by now, I like to look at a few recipes and put it into one recipe.  Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't.  This is a website I have been going to often lately. I put a link to it on my website.  I like this one because it is from "home cooks" and there are ratings to the recipes.  I didn't use their cooking method.  I used another one I saw in another recipe.  I will show you my version of the recipe below.

I also put some slices of beef in the marinade.  I used thinly sliced skirt steak.  It was packed at the butcher for "stir fry" but it worked perfect for this.

My Turkey Jerky recipe.....with pictures to follow lower on the page.....

Ingredients:

1 boneless turkey breast (skinned and trimmed of fat)

Thin Slices of skirt steak

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar (firmly packed)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

Best method of cutting meat thin: After removing the skin and fat from the turkey breast, place it in the freezer long enough to partially freeze.(about 30 minutes). When the turkey is partially frozen, slice it thinly against the grain.(an electric knife works best).

For my first time, I had the butcher cut the turkey.  He didn't cut it evenly, so I'll do it the frozen way next time.

Combine the rest of the ingredients (without the meats) in a zip lock bag. Shake it around to get everything mixed well.

Add the turkey and beef slices, and shake to cover all the meat slices in marinade.

Refrigerate overnight – shaking around the bag every so often.

Next day: 

Preheat oven to its lowest degree.  Mine was 170 degrees.

Wrap one oven rack with tin foil.  This one should be the lowest rack.

Spray the other rack with a non-stick spray.

Take the slices out of the marinade and pat the slices dry with paper towels.

Lay the slices of slices directly across your oven rack you had sprayed.

Prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon or something heat tolerant to allow moisture to escape.

Continue to cook the meat for 3-6 hours.

After 3 hours, test a piece by allowing it to cool,and then bending it.If there is any moisture present, continue to dry longer, checking ever so often.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months in the refrigerator, or up to 6 months in the freezer.

This is the raw meat (patted dry) laid out on the rack I had sprayed.

See how the racks are in the oven?

This is one of my favorite gadgets in my kitchen.  I bought it at work for only $4.  It is an over shelf puller.  It prevents you from getting that burn on your wrist...you know the one I am talking about.  Everyone has that badge of honor every Thanksgiving.  Since it is heat resistant, it worked well for this purpose - and looked so cute!

Finished product.  See how much the meat has shrunk down??  Amazing that I made jerky!!!  Love it!!! This was all gone by the end of the day.  It took 6 hours to cook.  I did pull out some pieces sooner than others.