A marinade adds salt and flavor to the meat. This guide compares ingredients and shows how to adjust a mixture for your batch weight. Marinade is not a substitute for the required heating and drying steps.
Write down the amounts you use. It makes the next batch easier to repeat, and you can change one seasoning at a time if you want more pepper, sweetness or smoke.
How salt affects the marinade
Weigh salt rather than measuring it by the spoon, since grain size affects how much a spoon holds. Remember that soy sauce, Worcestershire and some seasoning blends add salt too.
Soy sauce adds savory flavor and salt. Sugar adds sweetness, while pepper, garlic and other spices change the flavor. These ingredients do not replace the required heating and drying process.
The base ratio
The table uses 1 lb (454 g) of meat as its starting weight. It describes flavor amounts, not a validated preservation formula. Account for salt already present in sauces.
| Ingredient | Amount | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Salt (the job) | 1.75% by weight | About 8 g at this percentage. Weigh it and account for salt already present in sauces. |
| Soy sauce | 3 tbsp | Umami and a little more salt. Ease off added salt if you lean on it heavily. |
| Worcestershire | 2 tbsp | Tang and depth, the backbone of classic American jerky. |
| Brown sugar | 1 tbsp | Balances the salt and helps the surface set. Optional for savory batches. |
| Garlic + onion powder | 1 tsp each | The default savory base. Fresh works but can scorch and shorten shelf life. |
| Black pepper | 1 tsp | Add more for a peppered batch; it’s hard to overdo. |
| Liquid smoke | 1/2 tsp | Optional. A little fakes the smoker; too much turns acrid fast. |
Scale it to your batch
Enter your meat weight to scale the listed ingredients. Check the salt in your sauces before deciding how much extra salt to add.
Open the Marinade CalculatorFive ways to flavor it
Here are five flavor combinations to try. Keep notes on any changes so you can repeat the ones you like.
Teriyaki
Soy, honey, ginger and rice vinegar give a sweet and savory flavor. Check the total salt when changing sauces.
Sweet heat
Brown sugar, red pepper flakes and sriracha give you sweetness and heat. Start with less chili if you prefer a mild batch.
Peppered
Use less sugar and more black pepper for a peppered batch. Record how much you add before adjusting the next one.
Korean-style
Soy, sesame, gochugaru and pear or apple juice give a savory flavor with some sweetness and heat.
Dr Pepper / cola
Cola adds sweetness. Use a recipe written for it rather than replacing liquid ingredients without checking the proportions.
Count the salt already in your sauces.
Wet marinade or dry rub?
A wet marinade uses liquids such as soy sauce to carry the seasoning. A dry rub coats the meat with dry ingredients. Choose a recipe for the method you want; neither approach makes the heating step optional.
Timing & technique
Marinate in the refrigerator for the time specified by your recipe. Drain excess marinade before the heating and drying steps. Discard marinade that has held raw meat unless your recipe provides an appropriate cooking step for it.