Crushed Red Chili Flake Beef Jerky

Slightly Sweet with a Kick of Heat from Crushed Red Chili Flakes

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.