You can easily make teriyaki jerky from buffalo, elk, antelope, alligator, ostrich – even plain ol’ beef. It’s readily available online for those not wanting to go to the trouble of making it. But making it is so incredibly easy, it’s hard to imagine why anyone would want to pay up to $33 per pound for something they can cook right in their own oven, dehydrator, or outdoor smoker.

The Japanese word “teriyaki” means a way of cooking – grilling or broiling – food with an accompanying luster or glistening quality to it. So “teriyaki jerky” really is a misnomer since it’s neither broiled nor grilled, but smoked.

However – in the United States we’ve come to know teriyaki jerky as that kind of jerky that has a unique, “oriental” flavor, which comes from nothing more than a soy-sauce-based marinade. So, with that in mind, here is a recipe for spicy teriyaki jerky you’re sure to love:

Home-Smoked Teriyaki Jerky

2 pounds thinly sliced beef (or buffalo, or elk, etc.) – sliced with the grain
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1 1/2 tablespoons dried Thai chiles (or other comparably spicy chiles)
1/2 cup good-quality soy sauce
1/2 cup sweet rice wine

Marinate meat to be used for teriyaki jerky overnight in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Drain and pat dry with paper toweling. For dehydrator method, place meat strips about one inch apart on trays. Following manufacturer’s directions, dehydrate on low for 8 to 12 hours, checking once in a while to make sure meat does not begin drying out.

For oven method, lay strips across clean, oiled oven racks. Open oven door about an inch to help with moisture evaporation.

Dry for 8 to 12 hours, same as for in a dehydrator. Smoker method: Prepare outdoor smoker according to manufacturer’s direction to smoke using low heat. Clean and oil grate. With overlapping, lay meat strips out on grate or grill. Smoke for 6 to 8 hours, checking every hour or so to determine desired degree of doneness.