Hooked on Jerky

Marinade Ratio

Your batch weight in. The whole marinade, scaled and measured.

2. How salty?

Salt is weighed because it does the preserving, not just the seasoning. Get it right and the rest is flavor you can tweak.

2 lb of meat at 1.75% salt
16G SALT

Weigh the salt. Everything else can be eyeballed, but salt is the one that matters.

Marinate 6 to 12 hours in the fridge, then pat the strips dry.

Your marinade

    A solid all-purpose base. Swap in your own flavors, but keep the salt where the tool puts it.

    Straight answers

    How much salt goes in jerky marinade?

    About 1.75% of the raw meat weight is the standard. That is enough to season and help preserve without making it a salt lick. Drop to 1.5% for mild, push to 2% for bold. This tool does the grams for you.

    How long should jerky marinate?

    Six to twelve hours in the fridge covers most recipes. Longer than a day and the texture starts to go soft. Pat the strips dry before they hit the tray so they are not sitting in liquid.

    Can I scale this for a big batch?

    That is the point. Put in your real batch weight and every amount scales with it, so a 5 pound batch and a 1 pound batch both come out right.

    Equipment for marinating

    The kitKitchen scaleThe whole point is weighing the salt. A cheap 0.1g scale makes every batch repeatable.Best scales →Affiliate link · paid commission
    The soakMarinade containersFlat containers or zip bags so every strip sits in the marinade, not stacked dry on top.Best containers →Affiliate link · paid commission
    The workhorseDehydratorOnce it is marinated and patted dry, this takes it home. Holds 160°F, even airflow.Best dehydrators →Affiliate link · paid commission