TurkeyStickCrop

I posted my recipe for ground Turkey Jerky back in August, and since then I’ve kept a constant supply around for snacks on the trail and in town. With the recent weather shift into autumn, the nights are colder, and all the herbs out in my container garden are starting to slow down. It’s time to harvest most of them and dry them for winter use. I’ve got rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, tarragon, basil, savory, parsley, cress, peppermint, chocolate mint, and marjoram. I love the turkey jerky recipe as it is, but I thought, hey, what about some extra kick from some tasty fresh herbs? Yes! So, I made a quadruple batch of the basic jerky mix, divided it in four, and made three new herb-y versions, plus the original for comparison. They all turned out delicious! Each new variation has a distinct personality without being too strong in any flavor. They all got the thumbs up from my “quality tester”! This post is featured over on Phoenix Helix’s Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable #58.

The new jerky flavors

• Rosemary Thyme: A nice hit of thyme with a background of rosemary.
• Maple Sage: Slightly sweet, with subtle sage flavor.
• Basil Rosemary: Rosemary with a slight basil background.

I think fresh herbs give the best flavors (and the smell of rosemary and thyme lingering on the hands is so nice!) – but if you don’t have access to fresh plants, you can substitute dried herbs by cutting the volume down. The general rule of thumb for fresh to dry herb is 3:1, but you might choose different amounts depending on your tastes. If you are using dried herbs, make sure yours are still full-flavored and as new as possible! And remember, turkey naturally has less fat than other meats, so your turkey jerky will not be as chewy as beef jerky.
TurkeyVarieties2

How To

Just follow my basic Turkey Jerky Recipe page, and add in the ingredients listed below. The amounts for each variation below are for making 1 lb of jerky. If you like really salty stuff, increase the salt a bit from the original recipe. Make sure to pay attention to the important instructions on food safety and drying technique on the recipe page, too. Simple!

NOTE: To meld and bring out the flavors better, I recommend mixing the herbs in, and letting the mix sit in the refrigerator for about one hour before making into jerky strips or sticks.

Rosemary Thyme Variation

Fresh herb: 1 Tbs fresh chopped rosemary (chop it really small or you’ll feel like you have pine needles stuck between your teeth!) and 1 Tbs fresh chopped thyme.
Dried herb: 1/3 Tbs crushed rosemary, 1/3 Tbs thyme.

Maple Sage Variation

Fresh herb: 1 Tbs grade B dark maple syrup (in addition to the basic recipe amount) and 2 Tbs chopped sage leaves.
Dried herb: 2/3 Tbs sage leaf (don’t forget the maple!).

Basil Rosemary Variation

Fresh herb: 2 Tbs fresh basil leaves and 1 Tbs fresh chopped rosemary (chop it really small!).
Dried herb: 2/3 Tbs basil, 1/3 Tbs crushed rosemary.

What other herb combinations do you think would work with turkey? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
all four jerky types - they look similar, but each has a unique flavor combination!

all four jerky types – they look similar, but each has a unique flavor combination!

 

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