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The best homemade beef jerky recipe made with Habanero Peppers is the last and only recipe you will ever make from now on! Learn how to make great tasting beef jerky with this easy to make recipe.
The spicy kick of the peppers and the saltiness of the Sea Salt really makes this the top jerky recipe ever!
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📋 Why this recipe works
This is a great tasting jerky because of the original flavor it has beneath the heat from the habaneros. The sugar and worcestershire help with that original flavor and also balance the heat of the peppers. I love spicy jerky, and I really love the flavor of habanero peppers, and this beef jerky recipe checks both of those boxes!
🔪 Slicing the meat
Start with a great lean cut of beef when making this jerky. Making sure to choose a lean cut of meat is important, the cuts below have little fat and are great for jerky.
Best meat to use
- Beef Eye of Round Roast
- Top (London broil) & Bottom Round Roast
- Flank Steak
- Sirloin Tip
- Ground Beef (10% fat or less)
I used Beef Eye of Round when making beef jerky, but you can find a complete list of the best cuts of meat to dry beef jerky here!
Slicing
The first step of slicing meat for beef jerky is to trim the cut of meat of all visible fat. You can see the white fat in the picture below, just trim that off BEFORE you start slicing the meat.
Fat spoils faster than meat, so the more you get off now, the longer your jerky will be shelf stable.
Now it's time to decide whether you want a more chewy jerky or tender jerky, because the way we slice the meat will determine the final texture.
- Slice ¼" wide strips in the same direction as the grain of the meat for a more chewy jerky
- Slice ¼" wide strips in the opposite direction of the grain of the meat for a more tender jerky
Slice the beef strips in even thin slices so they will dry evenly and be finished at the same time. This is best done with a very sharp knife.
- Wrap the roast in plastic wrap and partially freeze for 1-2 hours to make slicing easier.
For more in depth information and a video showing you how to slice the perfect beef jerky strips, visit my Slicing Meat for Jerky Page.
Jerky slicer
I didn't use it on this beef jerky recipe, but a jerky slicer is a FANTASTIC piece of equipment to help get even strips when slicing jerky.
This slicer simply clamps down on your kitchen counter making it really easy to use.
Butcher
Still don't want to slice your own meat? No worries, ask your local butcher to use their meat slicer to slice your eye of round roast ⅛" thick. Most of the time they will be happy to help.
🧂 Making the marinade
This beef jerky recipe has some great ingredients including: garlic powder, sugar, fresh cracked black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and of course some fresh Habaneros!
To make the marinade, just combine all the ingredients that are listed on the recipe card below in a blender and add the fresh Habaneros.
Readers Tip: Substitue ⅓ cup of the water for ⅓ cup soy sauce for a more salty intense flavor.
Blend until the peppers are fully incorporated into the marinade. Smelling this marinade made me say "Oh Wow!" after blending these habanero peppers you see in the picture above. It was a STRONG smelling of fire, heat, and goodness! Ha.
Combine the jerky slices and marinade in a bowl or ziplock bag and marinate for 6-24 hours. I like using a ziplock bag as it seems to allow the marinade to fully coat the meat.
Mix the bag up a couple times during the marinating process to also make sure each piece gets an even amount of these great tasting spices!
I marinated this beef jerky marinade for 18 hours, which was plenty of time to impart it's spicy rich flavor into the jerky.
⏲️ Dehydrating
After marinating, strain the jerky strips in a colander to remove any excess marinade. Place the strips on a paper towel and pat dry to remove even more of the excess marinade that is sitting on the surface. Doing this will help speed up the drying process.
Transfer the strips to your dehydrator trays, oven rack, or smoker racks to dry. I used a dehydrator, but you can also use an oven or smoker when making this jerky.
Dehydrator
Dehydrators are an inexpensive and great way to make beef jerky. These machines can vary in price from $50 to $500. A great starting dehydrator is the Nesco Snackmaster which will run under $100.
Place the beef strips in a single layer on the dehydrator trays with space in between each piece of meat. This allows the air to flow around each jerky strip and helps dry faster.
I used my Excalibur Dehydrator for a total of 3 hours at 165°F and 1 hour at 145°F. Make sure the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F to kill any potential bacteria. The 3 hours at 165°F in the dehydrator does the trick.
Smoker (Pellet smoker / Traditional smoker)
Smokers are a fantastic way to make beef jerky. This is the most expensive piece of equipment you can buy to make beef jerky, but they are great for making so much more than just jerky.
Maintain a temperature between 180°F to 200°F and smoke the jerky for 3-5 hours. Start checking the meat after about 3 hours, the time will really depend on the type of smoker you have and how thick the meat was sliced.
Pellet smoker
I use a pellet smoker for most of my jerky making, but also make other great tasting smoked meats like baby back ribs, prime rib, and burgers.
Pellet smokers are easy to use and hold temperature within 5 degrees, eliminating you having to stoke a fire which requires a lot of time.
Traditional smoker
A traditional smoker really gives you the best smoke flavor when making beef jerky or smoked meats. They do require a little more attention than a pellet grill, but you just can't replace that great smoke flavor.
If you enjoy sitting outside drinking beer and playing with fire, than a traditional smoker like this Oklahoma Joe's Smoker is for you!
Oven
Using your kitchens oven is the least expensive way to make this beef jerky recipe. Since most kitchens already have an oven, you already have everything you need to churn out fantastic meat treats.
Place the jerky on a cooling rack atop a baking sheet and prop the door open with a wooden spoon. The gap made from the wooden spoon will allow moisture to escape the oven and allow the jerky to dry instead of bake.
Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
Set your oven at it's lowest temperature, 170 degrees to 200 degrees and dry the jerky for 3-6 hours.
🌡️ Testing for when it's finished drying
Jerky is best dried to feel and not only to a specific amount of time. Drying time will vary by method, thickness of the strips of meat, where you live (altitude & humidity), and your specific drying dehydrator/oven/smoker.
Before testing to see if a piece of jerky is finished drying, you must remove it from your oven, dehydrator, or smoker and allow it to cool. If you don't, bending a warm piece of jerky will appear to be unfinished and result in further over drying.
- Remove a piece and allow it to cool for several minutes to room temperature
- The jerky will be finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half. You will also see white fibers within the meat when bent.
Here is a piece of my Kentucky Bourbon Beef Jerky Recipe being tested. You can see the white fibers in the meat, a tell tale sign that it is finished drying and ready to eat!
🥡 Storing jerky
To make homemade beef jerky last as long as possible, curing salt will really help as well as keeping the jerky in airtight containers.
- 1 week - Store in ziplock bags and keep in a cool dark place out of the sun, such as a cabinet.
- 1 month - Storage in ziplock bag or vacuum seal. Use curing salt in the marinade and store in the refrigerator.
- 2 months or longer - Vacuum seal, use curing salt, and keep in the fridge or freezer.
I have put together a page on storing jerky and steps you can take to make your beef jerky have an extended shelf life. Check it out!
💭 FAQ
Yes you can! Choose a ground meat that is 10% fat or less and simply omit the water. Keep everything else the same.
No, you can substitute any pepper or decide to leave the peppers out totally and have more of an original flavored jerky. Feel free to change things up!
No, curing salt does help extend the life of the finished jerky and prevents bacteria but it is not needed. Just make sure the finished beef jerky is heated to an internal temperature of 160°F. Curing salt does give the jerky that classic red color and a distinct taste, so if you decide not to use it, the finished jerky will look and taste different.
👨🏽🍳 Old Pro Tips:
- Trim all fat from the meat for longer lasting jerky
- Use fresh Habaneros for the best flavor, and cut the stem off each pepper. Use 0 peppers for no spice, 1 pepper for mild spice, 2 for medium, and 3 for HOT!
- Use a blender to blend the peppers into the rest of the marinade for more spice and even flavor.
- Use gloves when handling spicy peppers.
- Not smoking the jerky? Add a teaspoon liquid smoke to give the jerky a smoke flavor.
📖 Learn more about making jerky
Ingredients
Lean Meat
- 1 lb Eye of round
Marinade
- 1 ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 whole habaneros (3 if extra hot is wanted)
- 2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- ¾ cup cold water
- ¼ teaspoon curing salt (optional)
Instructions
- Trim all visible fat from the beef and place in freezer for an hour or two to partially freeze.
- While the meat is in the freezer, combine marinade ingredients in a blender and blend until the peppers have been chopped into very small pieces. Place in a bowl or ziplock bag.
- Remove the meat from the freezer and slice ¼" strips against the grain for an easy chew. Cut with the grain for a more chewy jerky.
- Add sliced beef to the mixture in the ziplock bag or bowl and marinate for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator.
- After the meat has finished marinating, remove from refrigerator and strain excess marinade in a colander and pat dry with paper towels.
- Load dehydrator trays with jerky strips leaving room for air to circulate I used my Excalibur Dehydrator and dried for 3 hours at 165°F and 1 hour at 145°F
- The jerky is finished when it bends and cracks, but does not break in half.
Pro Tips
- Omit Habaneros if you don't want a spicy jerky
- Wash hands before handling meat
- Make Sure to use a blender to incorporate ingredients
- Adjust the amount of peppers to your liking
Nutrition
Betty Powell says
My family and I loved this recipe. I used jalapeños to reduce the heat.
Randy says
I 've made numerous recipes from your site and all have been great but this is my (and my sister and laws) favorite. I go back to it over and over. I try to make a batch of jerky every weekend, this weekend it's your South Texas Jalapeno. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the recipes and knowledge.
Frank Netzinger says
I tried this recipe and like it a lot. I will make a hotter version and candy it with simple syrup to balance out the higher heat level. Thank you for all you do...very nice website!
Rebecca says
Tried this last night. Only marinated for about 10 hours and substituted our homegrown jalapeños (which are hotter than normal). Not bad but wish I had marinated it longer. It would likely have had more flavor. Dehydrated in my Tribest Sedona dehydrator at 165 degrees for 6 hours (but I didn’t pat it dry either). Seems like the sugar may have made it a tad more tender than It usually gets. Will definitely try it again but marinate it longer. Just started making jerky a few weeks ago but I can’t wait to try another one of your recipes! Thanks for sharing your tips, recipes and experiences! Very helpful for this newbie!
bruce says
This a Great recipe, everyone likes the stuff. I added a little red pepper flakes, and instead of regular sugar, I used brown sugar, makin another batch as we speak.
Thanks a bunch...Bruce
Will says
Great to hear Bruce! Sounds like you found a winner and have your own little tweaks to make it your favorite. Thanks for leaving a comment!
Tim says
My new favourite! Really good heat, but not so much on the toungue. The fruit flavour from the habanero is amazing. I resisted the urge to tweak and followed the recipe. It needs nothing, but in the name of science I will try the next batch with the optional soya sauce, and double the garlic powder.
E Jones says
If I use curing salt, do I need to reduce any other salt called for in a given recipe?
Will says
You can just add the curing salt. It isn't enough to really make the jerky that much saltier.
Jaymes says
Just started making this! I’m stoked! I ran out of Worcestershire so I subbed A1, tastes pretty good! I plan on cold smoking and was wondering what you recommend on smoke duration and rest after smoke.
Will says
I don't cold smoke jerky as I use the smoker to raise the IT of the meat to kill bacteria. You don't want to over smoke it though, a couple hours is plenty and then letting it rest for a couple hours before packaging.
Jeff Bernstein says
I’m curious about why you cook at 165° for 3 hours and 145° for 1 hour. My Nesco is drying this recipe as I type this!
Will says
It doesn’t make a huge difference, but instead of continuing to cook the meat, you are only drying it out with air. Can help have a more pliable jerky.
Tu Johnson says
I’ve made this recipe twice for my few coworkers and me to snack on and the 4 pound batches of top round only a short while. They absolutely love it habanero heat as well.
So before making my next batch of jerky I asked if they were tired of the flavor or spiciness and wanted a different flavor, thinking they would want a change. Instead they said NO!
My 4 pounds is marinating till tomorrow. I marinated 24h prior but will do 20h this time so I can start dehydration by 3pm.
I’m using the soy version with sugar today but used coconut aminos with coconut sugar in other batches.
Thanks for the recipe
Will says
Haha. If it's not broke, don't fix it... They know what they like!
Mike says
Will, I have to say this is a great recipe! I used chicken instead and did it on the oven and it came out awesome. I substituted 1/3 cup of soy sauce as you suggested. I used 2 habaneros on this batch but will increase in the next batch. Thanks!
Will says
Glad to hear Mike. Sounds like you like it SPICY over there!
George H says
Dear Will, many thanks for this recipe - is really inspirating for me. I will try it next two days but I'll add a few drops of japan soya sauce, pinch of ginger and cracked smoked red pepper to marinade for more tasty... And without habaneros, 'cause we don't like so hot so. I'll let You know...
Ethan says
I am going to try this recipe today and it says in the paragraphs to use 1/3 cup of soy sauce instead of water for a salty taste. But the recipe says to use a 3/4 cup of water. So since I want to make a substitution, do I use a 1/3 cup or 3/4 cup?
Will says
It was a readers tip to replace 1/3 cup of water with 1/3 cup soy sauce. So I would put 1/3 cup soy sauce and about 1/2 cup of water for easy measurements.
Ron says
Hey Will,
I'm looking to try a great recipe but also one that is either low or no-carb. Have you (or anyone else) tried to substitute either Stevia, erythritol, or other ingredients instead of the sugar? Looking forward to trying a number of your recipes!
Thanks in advance!
Ron
Will says
I have not substituted it, but don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Give it a shot and let me know how it turns out!
Chris says
I use liquid monk fruit and it adds a nice mild sweetness to the jerky. The powder alternatives can sometimes leave an odd chemical taste or other aftertaste.
Lisa B Januska says
Hi Will,
I'm new to dehydrator Jerky making, and I'm planning on using my Ninja Foodi dehydrator setting to give it a go. Not sure if you've ever seen, or heard of a Texas original store called Bucee's, if not,, it's a sight to be seen,, they have everything, plus they make their own Jerky and its mighty fine, the best I've ever had is a black pepper one. The finished product is a 6-7" stick and what I like to do, is cut it in 1/4" tabs. So the stick on one end is about an 1" and other end is tapered to1.5-1.75" in diameter. When I cut it, it nearly has the texture of a piece of beef tenderloin, it's super supple, and tender, not chewy in the least. They sell it for $20.lb, so usually I pick up one of the largest sticks and can cut up to close to 20 of these squares, that and a boiled egg or 2 is my breakfast. I'm curious if with your experience cooking Jerky, have you ever tried a more expensive cut of meat, and how that turned out for you? I don't think I want to buy a tenderloin at todays market value prices, but wondering if you have any ideas on how to get close to my description in texture? I'm eager to try your recipe mixes and either use the hubs smoker, or my Ninja, thank you for any thoughts to my question!!!
Lisa
Will says
Definitely know Bucees! Lived in Texas for almost 20 years and always stop on any road trip. It sounds more like biltong, which is made totally different from beef jerky. The problem with using more expensive cuts for jerky is that they normally have more marbling of fat which is not what you want when trying to make it store for a long period. You could try making small batches and eat it quickly if using fattier meats.
STEVE CZEMODAN says
Made this recipe today in my Bradley Digital smoker,( I omitted the hot peppers, found fresh ground black had enough spice) only took 5hrs to come to perfection!!! Love this recipe & page THANK YOU! Will definitely be trying more recipes soon.
Will says
Great to hear Steve!
Danielle says
Hello! A new subscriber. Your recipe sounds amazing. But if I don’t have habanero peppers, can I use powdered? If so how much? Thanks a million!
Will says
You can use powdered for sure! I would start with a small amount, like 1/4 tsp and taste the marinade. Adjust as needed. Let me know how it turns out!
Janice says
I have not got to try this recipe yet I do not have a dehydration unit can rhis be made on a pellet stove/oven? Thanks in advance!!
Will says
Definitely. Check out my post on smoking beef jerky for more information.
Kim says
This is my go-to jerky recipe. My husband and my friend will NOT let me make anything else. LOL
I don't use curing salt, and I sub Scotch Bonnet peppers instead of habañeros. They're the same on the Scoville scale but have a unique flavour and aroma. (Think Jamaican food). It is fantastic. I use 3 peppers per recipe, and either do a double or triple batch. It takes most of a day to dehydrate it all.
I then vacuum seal it, and store in the fridge and freezer.
Thanks for this fantastic recipe!
Will says
LOVE scotch bonnet peppers. Can be hard to find, not common at local grocery stores. Glad they are enjoying it!
Scom Anon says
The daughter-unit says this is the best batch I've made yet. So tough to let it finish it's last hour without nipping at it from the air fryer 🙂
Next time around, I am thinking about replacing the water with either cooking Sherry or Marsala. How do you think that would work ?
Will says
Sherry might turn out well, I like using beef broth instead of water as well to give it a little flavor. Try it and let me know how it turns out!
Scom Anon says
I've really been looking forward to making this recipie, I LOVE habeneros. I have a teenage daughter that is quickly becoming a hot food convert.
Quick question Will: It sounds from reading the recipe, the stems get removed, but other than that, the habaneros go into the blender whole ? If I was supposed to seed them before blending, I didn't want to miss that step.
Many Thanks !
Will says
Just cut the stem off and put in whole, no need to seed them! I hope you enjoy it!