Find out how to make turkey jerky with ground turkey meat in a dehydrator. It's a delicious snack that everyone in the family will enjoy!

It's fun to say turkey jerky.

Go ahead, say it out loud...I'll wait.

It's fun, no?

It's also the perfect solution to the question you've been wondering all along...what can you make with ground turkey meat?

No, not wondering that? Hmm...

I'll admit it, I love buying ground turkey just to switch things up, but a lot of the recipes I've tried in the past have been a bit...well, blah. They just fall flat and the kids and husband just don't enjoy it. And sometimes, they are just plain revolting, like the unsalvageable turkey lentil tacos of 2017...blech.

That was an unforgettable mistake.

But homemade turkey jerky?

They eat that stuff like it's fricking candy!

Making turkey jerky in the dehydrator is a breeze too, if you've never tried it. And it's oh so good! I'm drooling just thinking about it...

So I'm going to teach you how to make turkey jerky in a dehydrator so you don't have to think about it. I want you to actually taste this stuff and enjoy it more than that time I made you say turkey jerky out loud...

Turkey jerky recipe - what can you make with ground turkey?

What Can You Make with Ground Turkey? Try Homemade Turkey Jerky!

Seriously, how can you not want to lick the screen right now?

Ground turkey jerky recipe for the dehydrator

Like just look at that delicious jerky that's all up in your eyeballs right now...

Ground turkey jerky recipe

Hungry yet?

I can't promise that this turkey jerky will even make it to the stick form because it gets eaten right off the dehydrator trays.

Turkey jerky recipe dehydrator

Even if it looks like cat barf when you first place it into the dehydrator. I'm not joking. Marinated ground turkey looks disgusting and off-putting when you load up those dehydrator trays. And sometimes it looks even worse after its dehydrated, depending on how thin you make your turkey jerky.

But don't worry, I promise it tastes delicious.

Plus, the kids think it's hilarious that we point out its likeness to cat barf as we sarcastically say, "Mmmm, I love eating cat barf!"

We're strange like that though. Don't judge us.

Homemade turkey jerky sticks

How to make turkey jerky

You'll Love this Ground Turkey Jerky Recipe!

So here's why you'll want to hurry up and make turkey jerky sticks in your dehydrator:

  • Perfect snack for hiking, traveling, road trips, and on the go

  • Awesome protein to toss in the kids' lunches or to have as an after school snack

  • Keto friendly

  • Keeps forever (assuming your kids don't eat it all as it comes out of the dehydrator)

  • It's super delicious!

How to Make Turkey Jerky in a Dehydrator Using Ground Turkey

Ready to give this turkey jerky recipe a try? Good decision. Let's do this before the kids raid the pantry!

Ground turkey jerky dehydrator recipe

A recipe for how to make ground turkey jerky in a dehydrator.

  • 2 pounds ground turkey meat

  • 2/3 cup soy sauce

  • 2/3 cup worcestershire sauce

  • 2-3 dashes of Frank's red hot sauce

  • 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey

  • A few turns of fresh ground black pepper

  • 2 tsp onion powder

  • 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)


  1. Place the ground turkey meat into a large zipper seal bag. I usually double bag it just to be sure it doesn't leak everywhere).

  2. In a large glass measuring cup, mix the remaining ingredients and stir well.

  3. Pour the liquid mixture into the bag and seal the bag.


  5. Marinate in the fridge for anywhere from 6 hours to a few days. I usually forget mine for a couple of days!

  6. Line your dehydrator trays with parchment paper.

  7. Add the ground turkey mixture to the trays, pressing and packing the meat with your hands to form a thin layer.

  8. Dehydrate at 140 F for 10 hours. May take longer or shorter depending on the thickness of your meat mixture.

  9. Remove the trays and let cool for a bit before slicing into sticks with a pizza cutter.

  10. Store in an air tight container in a cool, dry place for 1 month or in the fridge for up to 6 months (if it lasts that long!).