If you’re a fan of spicy jerky, you’ll like this recipe.
It’s slightly sweet, tender, and has a kick of heat in every bite.
Meat to Use for this Jerky Recipe
This recipe uses round tip.
If you can’t find round tip, use:
- London Broil or Top Round
- Brisket Flat
- Bottom Round
- etc.
Slicing the Meat
Dylan’s Tip: If the meat is unfrozen, put it into your freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour; This will make slicing far easier.
- For softer jerky – slice against the grain.
- For jerky with a “tug” – slice with the grain.
Slice the meat roughly 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick.
Red Chili Pepper Beef Jerky Marinade
Combine in a bowl:
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup Tamari Sauce OR Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1/3 cup Teriyaki Sauce
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tsp liquid smoke*
- 2 tbsp White Vinegar
- 2 tsp Red Crushed Chili Pepper
- 1 tsp Habanero pepper flakes*
*The liquid smoke I use is Allegro Hickory Wood Liquid Smoke.
*If you don’t have Habanero flakes, take a small whole habanero pepper, remove the stem and then mince and add to marinade.
OR simply omit and just use red chili flakes.
Marinate meat for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
Heat Treating the Beef Jerky to Improve Texture through Lower Dehydration Temperature
If you don’t care about this step, skip it – just dehydrate at 160F until the jerky is done.
I like my jerky soft – one of the better ways to achieve this is by dehydrating at a lower temperature (around 130F).
Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and then place metal cooling racks on top:
Place marinated beef jerky on top of the cooling racks.
Once your oven is at 350F, put your baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
While your meat is heat treating, get your dehydrator setup to 130F.
Dehydrating the Beef Jerky
Once the beef jerky is heat treated, transfer to your dehydrator and allow the beef jerky to dehydrate for at least 3 hours.
After 3 Hours, Start Checking the Jerky for Doneness
Most Jerky will finish in 3-5 hours.
At 3 hours, take a smaller piece out of the dehydrator and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Once cooled, bend it – the jerky should have a noticeable spider webbing at the bend.
If the jerky still feels like rubber and the bend has hues of red and pink – it’s not done.
Keep checking a new piece every 30 minutes.
Store the Jerky in a Cool, Dry, Dark Place
As the jerky starts to finish, transfer to a ziplock bag to cool.
Leave the top open and allow it to aerate.
Then zip the top and store.
Crushed Red Chili Flake Beef Jerky
Slightly Sweet with a Kick of Heat from Crushed Red Chili Flakes
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Active Time3 hours hrs
Marination Time16 hours hrs
Total Time19 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Crushed Red Chili Flake Beef Jerky Marinade
Slicing and Marinating Jerky
Take 1 lb of lean beef and cut against the grain. Slice so that the strips are 1/8-1/4" thick.
In a bowl combine the marinade ingredients in the specified quantities. Ensure the powders and sugars are well combined.
1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup Tamari Sauce OR Low Sodium Soy Sauce, 1/3 cup Teriyaki Sauce, 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce, 1 tsp Black pepper, 2 tsp liquid smoke, 2 tbsp White Vinegar, 2 tsp Red Crushed Chili Pepper, 1 tsp Habanero pepper flakes
In a non-reactive container or ziplock bag, add your marinade and sliced jerky. Massage the marinade into the beef.
Put in your refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours.Ideally, you'd marinate overnight for 16+ hours.
Heat Treating the Jerky so You Can Dehydrate at a Lower Temperature
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Then place oven-safe cooling racks on top. Put your marinated beef jerky on top of the cooling racks, ensure that pieces aren't touching or overlapping.
Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
Once pre-heated put your jerky in the oven on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
While your jerky is heat treating, set your dehydrator to 130F.
Dehydrating the Beef Jerky
Once your jerky is done heat treating, place your beef jerky in your dehydrator. Ensure pieces aren't touching or overlapping.
Allow the jerky to dehydrate for 3 hours and then start checking for doneness.
Testing Beef Jerky for Doneness
After 3 hours take a few pieces of beef jerky out of the dehydrator and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Once cooled, bend the jerky.
If at the bend you notice a "spider webbing" – it's done. If at the bend you notice the jerky is rubbery and has hues of red/pink, it's not done.
Storing the Jerky
Once done, place in a ziplock bag with the top open and allow the jerky to aerate for 30 minutes. Once aerated zip the top and store in a cool, dry, dark place.
I pre-heat my jerky because I like to dehydrate at a lower air temperature.
If you don’t want to do this, just dehydrate at 160F the entire time.
If you don’t have habanero flakes, you can take a small habanero pepper and mince and add to marinade OR just use red chili flake. 
