Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey is Destined to Be Jerky

Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches are great, but let’s face it, a little tired. With a dehydrator, there’s no need to eat the same thing on repeat for the next week. Instead, you can stock the pantry with trail snacks you’ll be thankful for all hiking season long. Cooked turkey is a great starting point for the most classic of trail snacks: jerky. Here’s how to turn your leftover bird into backpacker’s gold.

Prep the Turkey

Slice leftover turkey into thin strips. The thicker your pieces, the longer it’ll take the meat to dry in the dehydrator.

Mix up a Marinade

Since turkey is dry to begin with, it needs a marinade in order to transform into succulent, flavorful jerky. Feel free to experiment with your favorite flavors, but make sure the marinade is high in salt, and skip fatty oils, which won’t dehydrate well. Soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce make great bases; herbs and spices, hot sauce, and sweeteners to taste all make great additions. I used the following two marinades, each enough to cover about a half pound of turkey meat. Adjust the ratios to taste and depending how much meat you have.

Garlic Soy Marinade

• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon grated ginger
• Pinch dried ginger
• Pinch powdered garlic
• Pinch white pepper
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• Dash cayenne pepper

Spicy Korean-Inspired Marinade

• 1 Tbsp gochujang paste
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• Pinch powdered garlic
• Pinch white pepper

Cover your meat with marinade and store in an airtight container overnight in the fridge.

Dehydrate Your Turkey

Lay the pieces out on a dehydrator tray (you can line it with parchment or a tray liner to avoid marinade drips). Dry on high for two to four hours, or until there’s no visible moisture, the turkey is dry to the touch, and it’s pliable but not brittle once completely cooled. (Drying times will vary based on humidity.) Store in an airtight bag or container, if you can wait until your next hike to eat it all.