What Does Beef Jerky Taste Like?

If you’ve never tried beef jerky, you might be curious why people love it so much.

Sure, there’s the long shelf life, densely-packed nutrients, and highly portable nature of this popular snack. Those aspects make sense rationally, even if you’ve never tried jerky before.

But people also seem to rave about the taste of beef jerky. And if those flavors have never touched your taste buds, it can be tough to imagine the experience.

While we can’t transmit beef jerky’s flavor to you through the internet, we can certainly try to describe its unique taste. After that, well… you’ll just have to go try some for yourself!

What Does Beef Jerky Taste Like?

The closest — and perhaps most obvious — comparison we can make is that beef jerky tastes like steak.

A very bold, robust, ultra-meaty steak.

Beef is beef, and that beefy flavor doesn’t go away just because the meat is dried. In fact, drying the beef concentrates the flavors, packing even more beefiness into every bite.

But that’s just the beginning of the beef jerky flavor profile.

In order to preserve it, beef jerky is also salted — often heavily. The salt cures the beef, so it doesn’t need cold storage, but it also emphasizes the juicy, umami flavors of the meat.

Many people compare the base flavor of plain, salted jerky to that of strong beef sausage. But most beef jerky is seasoned with marinades or rubs — and that’s where the flavor explosions really begin.

Beef Jerky Marinade Flavors

Marinating allows the meat to soak up flavors from other ingredients, adding new layers to its final taste. They can moderate, intensify, brighten, sweeten, and even mask the core salty, meaty flavors of plain jerky.

You could technically marinate beef jerky in just about anything — and there are indeed some crazy beef jerky flavors out there.

But there are a few common varieties that you’ll likely encounter while exploring the world of jerky. Here’s what you can expect them to taste like.

What Does Teriyaki Beef Jerky Taste Like?

Japanese cuisine often features teriyaki sauce: a sweet, tangy combination of soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar.

The soy sauce provides a salty, slightly umami base, while the rice wine adds a bright tang and just a hint of sourness. Sugar lends the teriyaki sauce a balancing sweetness, resulting in a flavor profile that activates all of your taste buds.

Teriyaki beef jerky uses beef as a vessel for these intense flavors, often adding extra seasonings like garlic, ginger, or sesame as well. It’s beef jerky with an Asian flair that’ll remind you of your favorite Japanese restaurant.

What Does Hot and Spicy Beef Jerky Taste Like?

If your tongue starts tingling at the mere thought of a chili pepper, then you’ve got a good base for understanding the flavor of hot and spicy beef jerky.

Unlike teriyaki beef jerky with its varied, nuanced flavors, hot and spicy beef jerky is all about the heat. Some varieties are seasoned with red pepper flakes or chili oil, while others make ample use of various hot sauces or even fresh chili peppers.

Of course, some spicy jerkies are hotter than others. The milder ones could be compared to a steak seasoned with a dash of cayenne pepper — but the spicier ones can taste like a raw ghost pepper with barely any detectable beef flavor.

What Does Peppered Beef Jerky Taste Like?

Not a fan of hot peppers, but still like a tiny bit of kick to your snacks?

You might enjoy peppered beef jerky. This variety is flavored with cracked black peppercorns to give it just a little heat while still letting the beef’s natural flavors shine through.

Peppered beef jerky often sports a smokey flavor as well, whether via the use of liquid smoke or preparation in a meat smoker. The smoke and peppercorn meld together to create a deep, hearty taste that still sparkles a little on the tongue.

What Does Honey BBQ Beef Jerky Taste Like?

Sweet, smooth, smokey, succulent… the thought of honey BBQ beef jerky has us salivating. And if you’re a fan of honey BBQ wings, this might just be the perfect jerky flavor for you.

Most BBQ sauce is ultra-tangy, but honey BBQ sauce tempers that tanginess with a mellow sweetness that mixes perfectly with the savory flavors of beef jerky.

It’s not spicy or sour, so it’s great for those who find other jerky flavors too intense but still want to add some excitement to their otherwise plain jerky.

What Do Other Types of Jerky Taste Like?

Beef isn’t the only meat that can be made into jerky — in fact, you can jerky-fy nearly any type of meat!

These non-beef jerky varieties certainly won’t taste like steak, but they’ll introduce you to unique flavors that are both familiar and novel. Here’s a quick overview of what you can expect from a few of the most popular kinds of alternative jerkies.

What Does Venison Jerky Taste Like?

Also called deer jerky, venison jerky is ultra-lean and nutritious, though its one-of-a-kind flavor can take a little getting used to, especially if you typically eat farm-raised meat.

Venison is earthier than beef due to the wide range of plants, nuts and other bits of nature that wild deer eat. It’s rich with natural herby notes, though some people find the musky “gaminess” of the meat unpleasant.

Whether or not you enjoy venison otherwise, you might like venison jerky. It’s often flavored with sweet marinades that balance out the earthiness of the meat.

What Does Turkey Jerky Taste Like?

Turkey jerky isn’t just fun to say — it’s also a pleasure to eat.

Its flavor is milder and smoother than that of beef jerky, without the sometimes-overbearing robustness of red meat. This simpler base combines well with all kinds of marinades, making it a great canvas for more experimental flavor combos.

What Does Pork Jerky Taste Like?

Thin, salty, dry-cured strips of pork… wait, aren’t we just talking about bacon?

Not quite. Pork jerky is as shelf-stable, portable and snackable as beef jerky — only it’s made of pork instead.

Its flavor is quite balanced: milder than beef jerky but bolder than turkey jerky, with a natural saltiness and fattiness that’s often absent from other meats. Depending on the cut of pork the jerky is made from, it may have a lighter ham-like taste or a more savory bacon-like flavor.