Tikka Masala Beef Jerky Recipe

Tikka masala is a traditional English dish at curry houses. Our Tikka Masala Beef Jerky recipe takes the traditional flavors from the curry houses and brings it to beef jerky.

The sauce is rich and creamy with a little spice and lots of great tomato flavor.

Tikka Masala Beef Jerky Recipe

Tikka Masala Beef Jerky Ingredients

For the Tikka Masala Marinade

1 onion, diced
3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 serrano chile, deseeded and diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

For the Beef Jerky

3 lbs. of meat (about 1360 gm)
1 to 2 cups tikka masala marinade

Tikka Masala Beef Jerky Instructions

For the Tikka Masala Marinade

Heat a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add oil and warm. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and serrano pepper and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and garam masala and cook, stirring regularly, for 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and honey and bring to a simmer for around 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt and cilantro.

Let the sauce cool completely before adding it to the beef. It can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

For the Tikka Masala Beef Jerky

Trim all the fat, gristle, and silver skin from the beef. Slice the beef into thin strips 1/8" to 3/8" thick, against the grain. Set the strips down in a large container like a bowl, flat tray, or sealable plastic bag.

Pour the tikka masala marinade over the meat and mix well. Store the meat in the fridge for at least 4 to 8 hours, or overnight.

Making Tikka Masala Beef Jerky in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 160°F / 71°C, or the lowest setting it will go.

Remove the beef slices from the container and layer the strips in a single layer on a baking tray, or drying rack on top of a cookie sheet. Make sure the beef strips don't overlap and have a little space between them to enable good air circulation.

Arrange the oven shelves leaving at least 4 inches of space from the top and bottom sources of heat to achieve even heating. Place the strips in the oven to start dehydrating them.

Making Tikka Masala Beef Jerky in a Dehydrator

Preheat your dehydrator to at least 141°F / 60.5°C and up to 165°F / 74°C.

Place the strips in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Be sure to leave some space between the jerky strips for sufficient air flow. If you are not using wire or mesh trays you may need to turn the beef jerky over once in the middle of the drying process.

Dry the beef jerky for 6 to 10 hours. If thicker strips of meat are used it may take longer.

Finishing the Tikka Masala Beef Jerky

To test the beef jerky remove a strip or two from the oven racks or dehydrator trays with clean kitchen tongs. Dried beef jerky strips should be chewy but still tender. When bent, it should be flexible enough not to break but it should crack instead.

Once the tikka masala beef jerky is sufficiently dry, remove it from the dehydrator and let it cool for 30 to 60 minutes. If there is any oil or moisture on the beef jerky use paper towels to blot it dry.

Put the jerky in tightly sealed containers then refrigerate or freeze. The tikka masala beef jerky will last in the refrigerator for a month or two and in the freezer for several months.