There's nothing in life that a spicy piece of beef jerky can't cure, or at least a bag of it. Maybe it's the addictive saltiness or the satisfying chew of it that keeps you working out those jaw muscles and going back for more.
Whatever it is, once you sink your teeth in you start to hear Bob Marley playing and you feel like everything is gonna be alright. So put down the chicken soup and turn on your Traeger to cure what ails you.
HOT JALAPENO JERKY
PREP TIME: 10 minutes plus marinate overnight
COOK TIME: 4 to 5 hours
RECOMMENDED PELLETS: Apple, Mesquite or Hickory
SERVES: however many people you want to share it with
INGREDIENTS
1 – 2 jalapeños, stemmed and seeded (or leave the seeds in for a hotter jerky)
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup Mexican beer
1 tablespoon Morton Tender Quick® curing salt (optional)
2 pounds trimmed beef top or bottom round, sirloin tip, flank steak, or wild game
PREPARATION
In a blender or small food processor, combine the jalapeño(s), lime juice, soy sauce, curing salt (if desired) and brown sugar and process until the jalapeño is finely chopped.
Pour into a mixing bowl, and stir in the beer. With a sharp knife, slice the beef into 1/4-inch thick slices against the grain. (This is easier if the meat is partially frozen.) Trim any fat or connective tissue. Put the beef slices in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade mixture over the beef, and massage the bag so that all the slices get coated with the marinade.
Seal the bag and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight.
When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Remove the beef from the marinade and discard the marinade.
Dry the beef slices between paper towels. Arrange the meat in a single layer directly on the grill grate.
Smoke for 4 to 5 hours, or until the jerky is dry but still chewy and somewhat pliant when you bend a piece.
Transfer to a resealable plastic bag while the jerky’s still warm. Let the jerky rest for an hour at room temperature. Squeeze any air from the bag, and refrigerate the jerky. It will keep for several weeks in the fridge.
PRINTABLE RECIPE: