Spice It Up With This Chili Lime Beef Jerky [Recipe]

I came up with this chili lime beef jerky because I wanted to try something new. I knew I was going to make beef jerky, but why not give it some spice? I particularly love having this on a hot summer day.

This Chili Lime Beef Jerky Is The Perfect Spicy Snack

Bring on the spice!

First, I noticed I had some leftover kombucha, which I wasn’t going to be drinking. I love its tartness and it goes well with marinades. You can use other ingredients, though, like apple cider vinegar, malt vinegar, or lime juice.

The fire cider is something I had come up with before, but you can use regular cider or even plain apple juice. If you feel like making this dish hotter, add a dash of hot sauce or sriracha.

The spicy part was a bit more difficult to come up with for me, but I decided to use hot pepper and horseradish, maple syrup, garlic, chili-lime salt, and applewood salt in my cider. You can change these ingredients for others that are easier to find. Some good alternatives include apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, honey, chili powder, and lime juice.

Why do I make beef jerky? It’s a very easy process and a super healthy snack, especially for my kids. I use my oven, which can be set to 160 degrees F. If you have a gas oven or you don’t feel confident, use your dehydrator! It takes a bit of time, usually around 4-6 hours, but I check on my jerky often.

Finally, my secret to safe jerky is placing it in the oven after it is dry for another 10 minutes at 275 degrees F. This final step kills pathogens and prevents microbial growth in the long run.

This chili lime beef jerky is perfect to eat on its own, with Spanish rice, on a sandwich, or even as the protein in a salad.

I love making this recipe year-round, but especially during hot days with a spicy margarita or ice-cold lemonade. Bring on the spice for this special beef jerky!

Chili Lime Beef Jerky

Recipe by Gillian Lightman

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) beef steak, ideal is a low-fat marinating steak

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) kombucha, vinegary, older brew

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) rosemary, soaked in white balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) fire cider

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tsp grated lime zest

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed

• 1 tsp chili-lime salt

• 1/2 tsp applewood smoked salt

Directions

• Cut the steak into 1/4 inch (2.5 cm) thick slices. To avoid bacterial contamination, pre-soak them in 5% strength white vinegar. After 10 minutes, drain and set aside.
• Combine ingredients and stir until salt is dissolved.
• Place jerky meat in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid.
• Pour marinade over the jerky meat.
• Make sure meat is completely covered with marinade, add more water if necessary.
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Drain meat of marinade.
• Place meat in dehydrator and dry at 160 F (71 C) for 4-6 hours.
• Transfer meat to oven and heat to 275 F (135 C) for at least 10 minutes to kill any pathogens.
• Let jerky cool completely then store in an airtight container.