How to Make Thai Beef Jerky Recipe

LOVE how heavenly Thai beef jerky is and how with this Thai beef jerky recipe you can make this beloved dish you might have had in Thailand at home?!

Chewy and crispy and pairs perfectly with a Thai chili dipping sauce full of flavors like lime, shallots, cilantro, roasted rice powder and spicy Thai chili flakes!

What does Thai beef jerky taste like? How is it different from American beef jerky?

I was hesitant to try Thai beef jerky at first because I’m not a fan of American beef jerky, but Thai beef jerky is from a different planet compared to the beef jerky you might find at the end of an aisle at your favorite American gas station. 

In Thailand they lay Thai beef jerky in the sun only until the exterior is dry, so inside it still has some moisture (unlike how American jerky is more dry) and then Thai beef jerky is deep-fried briefly and served with a Thai beef jerky sauce: made of shallots, Thai dried red chili, lime, roasted rice powder, and fish sauce, aka all your fav Thai flavors exploding in your mouth with joy dipping sauce! 

How do you say Thai beef jerky in Thai?

The Thai name for Thai beef jerky is Nuea Daet Diao, which is translated to “beef that’s been sun-dried for a day” because Thais dry it out by sitting it out in the teamy 110 degree direct sun heat. So in Thailand it probably gets dried in about 10 seconds because it’s so hot! Lol!

How to Make Thai Beef Jerky

Thai beef jerky isn’t a quick 30 minute meal. It does take some work, but doesn’t every beautiful masterpiece?

Thai beef jerky is an artisanal meal, it’s not a dish I make on a busy weeknight, or if I do I’ve done all the prep earlier in the day or the day before.

But every time I take my first bite of heavenly Thai beef jerky I’m reminded, that all that work was so worth it and how beautiful food that’s been thoughtfully created refreshes my soul and the souls of Thai Hubby and my kids around the table who always ask for seconds of and devour it with smiles.

Thai beef jerky ingredients

• 1.5 lb Milanese cut round steak: I like using Milanese cut round steak for Thai beef jerky because it’s already thinly sliced, and not too fatty, which Thai Hubby prefers. 

• 4 garlic cloves minced: Garlic appears in almost every Thai dish to add depth and richness to the flavor.

• 1/4 tsp white pepper powder: White pepper powder is used more often in Thai cooking than black pepper. White pepper powder dissolves easier in sauces and marinades, and has a more pungent, spicy flavor than black pepper.

• 1.5 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely cracked: Coriander seeds add a bright, citrus, peppery flavor.

• 2 tbsp fish sauce: My fav magical Thai ingredient! Even though it’s smelly, you’d never know once you add it to your Thai dish because all you taste is the savory, umami flavor that can’t be replicated with any other sauce!

• 2 tbsp thin soy sauce: Adds a great savory note.

• 1 tbsp brown sugar : Brown sugar’s caramel notes work well as a sub for palm sugar, which is the sugar used most often in Thai cooking.

• Vegetable oil for deep-frying: Or use peanut oil, really any oil that can handle a high heat.

How to prepare beef for Thai beef jerky

Cut the milanese beef into strips about 4 inches long and 1/2 in wide.

Place the meat on a large baking sheet, making sure the pieces are spread out and not on top of each other.

There are three different ways to dry your Thai beef jerky. Choose whichever method works best for you!

How to dehydrate Thai beef jerky in an air fryer

Using the air fryer is my favorite way to dry my Thai jerky. 

1. Turn the air-fryer to the dehydrate setting.
2. Put a layer of beef on the rack, but make sure the slices aren’t on top of each other. I usually have to do it in two batches because my air fryer isn’t huge, but maybe you won’t have to if you have a bigger model.
3. Set the dehydrate time for 1 hour.
4. Dehydrate it for 30 minutes, and then flip it and do it another 30 minutes. 
5. Once it feels dry-ish, soft and elastic, it will still have some moisture which is fine, take out the beef.
6. Marinate the strips in garlic, pepper, coriander, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar for about 20 minutes.

How to dry in the oven

This is a great option I did for years when I couldn’t dry it outside, and didn’t have an air-fryer.

For the oven method:

1. Place the meat on a large baking sheet, making sure the pieces are spread out and not on top of each other.
2. Put your oven on its lowest setting, for me it’s 220 degrees. But I prop the oven door open a few inches to help lower the temperature even more since really it should dehydrate at around 120 degrees.
3. Place the baking sheet in the oven. 
4. Let the beef dry out for about 30 minutes, and then flip it over to the other side for about 30 minutes or so.
5. Marinate the strips in garlic, pepper, coriander, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar for about 20 minutes.

How to dry in the sun

If we didn’t have a cat who might try to eat our Thai jerky if we lay it out in the sun, and if we lived somewhere where it was warmer, I might go for this method. If you have a really sunny hot spot, and no animals around, go for it!

1. If you want to dry the beef Thai-style, lay the baking sheet outside in direct sun for about 15-40 minutes or so, depending on how hot it is outside and how much sun you have.
2. Dry one side until dry to the touch, and flip it until the other side is dry to the touch.
3. Once it feels dry-ish, soft and elastic, it will still have some moisture which is fine, take out the beef and marinate the strips in garlic, pepper, coriander, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar for about 20 minutes.

How to Fry in the Air Fryer

Lately this is the method I’ve been using. 

1. Once the meat has marinated, put your Air-Fryer on Air-Fry and let it pre-heat.
2. Fry it for 3-5 minutes until just crispy. It can really get blackened fast in the air-fryer, so make sure you are checking it.
3. Optional: Pour any extra marinade over the fried Thai beef jerky strips to add even more flavor.

How to Fry on the Stove

1. Once the meat has marinated, fill a wok or deep pan with about 3 inches of vegetable oil or whatever frying oil you prefer.
2. Warm the oil over medium high heat until it starts to bubble if you drop in a bit of beef.
3. Fry the beef in small batches, stirring it constantly for about a minute until it starts to turn a deep brown, as shown in the pics.
4. Use a wire mesh strainer, or slotted spoon to place the beef on a baking sheet with paper towels.
5. Optional: Pour any extra marinade over the fried Thai beef jerky strips to add even more flavor.

Thai beef jerky sauce recipe

How can Thai beef jerky taste even more heavenly? By pairing it with this flavor packed Thai beef jerky dipping sauce!

Thai Beef Jerky dipping sauce

• 1 shallot, chopped into thin strips
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp roasted rice powder
• 1/2–1 tbsp Thai red chili powder, or to taste

How to serve and store Thai jerky

Thai beef jerky is so so yummy, and it’s understandable why it’s an addictive beer snack in Thailand. We like to serve it as an appetizer or with sticky rice along with other dishes like these at a Thai-style family feast:

• Carrot and Cucumber Som Tum: Usually made with unripe papaya, but if you can’t find it like I can’t, carrots and cucumbers are a great sub! Pairs so well with Thai Beef Jerky!
• Thai Omelette: Love to put ground pork in this and pair it with the beef jerky since it’s an easy Thai dish to make to help round out the meal.
• Larb: One of our favorite easy weeknight Isan Thai dishes!

Thai beef jerky tips

• Thai jerky is a lovely dish to do the prep work over the weekend, so you can have it as a quick weeknight meal later in the week.

• You can dry the meat first, and freeze it for up to 2-3 months beforehand, and just thaw the meat and then marinate it before you fry like the recipe says.

• You can also make the dipping sauce a few days ahead, so all you have to do day of is quickly marinate the beef, and fry it for a few minutes, and it’s ready!

• You can also substitute the beef for thinly sliced pork and make Thai pork jerky, which is also amazing!

If you make this this weekend, I have to warn you that American beef jerky won’t ever taste quite as good whenever you think back to your own homemade Thai beef jerky!

Make Thai beef jerky tonight for dinner, and share your pic with me on Instagram @thaifoodie, which is my favorite place to hang out online. Can’t wait to see your version!

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Recipe is slightly adapted from one found in one of my favorite Thai cook books, Simple Thai Food by Leela Punyaratabandhu.