Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky Recipe

Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky Recipe: Can You Handle the Heat?

Carolina Reaper beef jerky is a type of dried meat snack made from beef that is seasoned and marinated with spices, including the Carolina Reaper chili pepper.

The Carolina Reaper is known as the world’s hottest chili pepper, which gives the beef jerky a very intense and spicy flavor.

The intense heat of this chili pepper makes the recipe perfect for those craving an exceptionally spicy beef jerky.

It’s a unique feature of this jerky recipe that makes it truly special.

Additionally, our recipe contains a distinct mix of spices that amplify the beef’s flavor.

The delightful combination of garlic powder, onion powder, and Carolina Reaper powder can be customized with alternative spice blends to match your preferences.

This jerky is ideal for those who enjoy a seriously spicy snack and appreciate the heat and unique taste the Carolina Reaper pepper adds to the jerky.

Step 1: Ingredients for Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky

Ingredients for Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky

Before you start making Carolina Reaper beef jerky, make sure that you have the following ingredients:

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And, of course, your choice of beef.

In this recipe, I chose to use very lean ground beef, specifically eye-of-round.

However, other cuts such as top round, bottom round, or flank steak work well too. Just ensure the meat you select is lean.

Our choice of beef - eye of round
Our selected beef cut — eye-of-round

Step 2: Prepare the Beef

If the meat is overly fatty, make an effort to trim off as much fat as possible.

Cutting off fat from our choice of beef - eye of round
Cutting off fat from our choice of beef — eye-of-round

We need around 1 pound (or 454 grams) of beef for the recipe.

Weighing meat for our recipe
Weighing meat for our recipe

First, freeze your meat for approximately 1 to 2 hours.

This will make it easier to cut the beef, as it can become difficult to slice when it’s too hard.

Cut the meat into thin strips.

Eye-of-Round is an excellent choice for this purpose due to its clearly visible grain, making slicing more manageable.

Cutting meat for Carolina reaper beef jerky
Cutting meat for Carolina Reaper beef jerky

Step 3: Prepare Marinade

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a container or plastic bag and add the beef strips.

Refrigerate the mixture for a duration ranging from 5 hours to overnight.

Mixing the marinade and the beef for Carolina Reaper Jerky
Mixing the marinade and the beef for Carolina Reaper jerky

Step 4: Prepare Marinade

Once the beef has marinated, it’s important to drain any excess liquid.

To do this, place the meat on a paper towel, which will absorb some of the marinade.

Place strips on paper towels to remove the marinade
Place strips on paper towels to remove the marinade

This Carolina Reaper beef jerky recipe is cooked in a dehydrator. This recipe also works in an oven or smoker; make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. This is important and crucial for the jerky to dry properly.

NESCO FD-75A Snackmaster Pro Food Dehydrator, For Snacks, Fruit, Beef Jerky, Gray
  • EVEN HEAT DISTRIBUTION: 600 watts of drying power provides even heat distribution; consistent drying that is four times faster than other food dehydrators
  • ADJUSTABLE TEMPERATURE CONTROL: The adjustable temperature control (95°F -160°F) gives you the flexibility to achieve the best results when drying different foods that need varying temperature settings
  • EXPANDABLE TO 12 TRAYS: Comes with five (13 1/2″ diameter) trays and expands up to 12 trays so you can dry large quantities at once with no tray rotation needed; additional trays sold separately
  • EXPANDABLE TO 12 TRAYS: Comes with five (13 1/2″ diameter) trays and expands up to 12 trays so you can dry large quantities at once with no tray rotation needed; additional trays sold separately
  • ACCESSORIES INCLUDED: (2) Fruit Roll Sheet, (2) Clean-A-Screens, a sample of Jerky Seasoning & Cure, and (1) Care & Use Guide

Spread the meat strips evenly across the trays.

Beef is placed on the dehydrator for drying
Place the beef in the dehydrator for drying

Dehydrate the meat for approximately 5-6 hours at 160-170 degrees Fahrenheit or until the jerky reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit and can bend without breaking.

Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky looks like after dehydration
Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky looks like after dehydration

Once cooked, my jerky weighed 6.5 ounces or 184 grams.

Weighing Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky after cooking in grams
Weighing Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky after cooking in grams

Recipe

This recipe serves five (5) people and requires me 13 hours and 30 minutes to make.

  • preparation time: 30 minutes
  • marinade time: 7 hours
  • drying time: 6 hours
Ingredients Cost
1 lb. of beef; I choose eye of round beef, but any could work$6.84 per 1 lb in Wallmart
1/4 cup of soy sauce$1.52 for a 15 oz. container at Walmart
( 1/4 cup or 2 oz. = 0.20 cents )
1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire$1.00 for a 10 oz. container at Wallmart
(2 tbsp per oz. or 0.03 cents per 1/2 tbsp)
1 tablespoon of cane sugar0.03 cents per 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of the Carolina reaper powder$12.95 for 2 oz. a container at Walmart
(6 tsp. per oz. means that 1 teaspoon equates to 1.08 cents or 0.08 cents)
1 teaspoon onion powderBetween $4 and $5 for a 1.73 oz. container
(6 tsp. per oz. means that 1 teaspoon equates to 0.38 cents)
1 teaspoon garlic powderBetween $4 and $5 for a 2.33 oz. container
(6 tsp. per oz. means that 1 teaspoon equates to 0.28 cents)
Total Cost:$7.84/6.5 oz. (full cost: meat + ingredients)

Shot Instruction

Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky Recipe

Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky Recipe

This chili pepper is so hot, so if you are looking for a beef jerky recipe that will give you a serious kick, this is the one for you. This Carolina Reaper Beef Jerky Recipe uses a unique blend of spices that really brings out the flavor of the beef.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Marinade Time: 7 hours
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Beef Jerky
Servings: 5
Calories: 199kcal
Author: Charles
Cost: $7.84

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. 1 lb. of beef; I choose eye of round beef, but any could work
  • 1/4 cup of soy sauce or your favorite cut (any could work)
  • 1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire
  • 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon cane sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of Carolina reaper powder

Instructions

  • Trim all visible fat from beef, then pop the meat in the freezer for 50 – 60 minutes or until firm
  • Slice the beef along the grain (the long, fibrous streaks) into 1/8-in.-thick strips
  • Add the marinade to the container with the beef and store it in the refrigerator, covered, for 6 – 12 hours
  • Remove the liquid from the beef: let it drain on a paper towelLet the meat dry in the dehydrator for 5 – 6 hours or until the beef becomes dry and leathery.

Nutrition

Serving: 36.8g | Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.7g | Protein: 28.7g | Fat: 5.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 823mg | Potassium: 404mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5.2g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 17mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

QUOTE:
"You might be a redneck if you think that beef jerky and moon pies are two of the major food groups."
-- Jeff Foxworthy

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