Chilli Lime Beef Jerky Recipe

Chilli lime has been a favorite snack for meat lovers over the past few years. It has a salty, earthy taste with a mix of spicy, sweet, and citrus flavors. A thin, lean cut is slowly marinated with chili, lime, and seasonings and then dried for the jerky. It has a balanced combination of spicy chili and tart lime with a hint of honey or sugar. This low-fat, high-protein snack keeps you energized throughout the workday. 

Why You'll Love Chilli Lime Beef Jerky

Chilli Lime Beef Jerky is a delicious mix of sweet, spicy, and zesty flavors with high nutritional value. The natural sweetness of honey fused with the bold, tangy kick of chili lime makes each bite irresistible. You notice bittersweet, sour, and sweet hints all in one bite. Adding Extra spice, garlic, or more lime flavor is up to you. Jerky doesn’t require refrigeration and is a perfect snack while traveling. Low in fat and calories and high in protein content, it makes a healthier choice than other junk snacks. It is a quick, great source of energy for trekkers, road travelers, and workout enthusiasts.

What are the Ingredients of Chilli Lime Beef Jerky

Here are the key ingredients for Chilli Lime Beef Jerky: 

• 2-3 lbs of round (top or bottom round) lean beef. Remove all the fat for long storage.

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar/honey

• 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

• 1 zest of lime

Optional Additives

To make it extra spicy, you can add black pepper and red pepper according to taste.

Marinade Preparation

Mix chili garlic sauce, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl. Adjust salt and spices with red chili or black pepper. Add fresh lime juice and balance it with brown sugar or honey to get the desired sweet and tangy flavor. Marinate the strips in the refrigerator for 6 to 24 hours. Never let the beef slices marinate at room temperature. Always keep it in the fridge to prevent the marinade from spoiling. The more time you give for marination, the more flavorful the jerky will become.

Cutting and Preparation

Use the top or bottom round part to make the best beef jerky. Put the meat in the freezer for 2 hours to make slicing easy.

Trim off all the white fat before starting to cut, because the fat is more prone to spoiling than meat. Removing fat increases the shelf life of jerky. Slice the beef into ¼-inch pieces. Cut against the grain to get perfectly tender, chewy bites. Cut them into thin, even-sized, chip-like pieces, as even slicing allows them to dry evenly at the same time with no raw edges or uncooked centers. 

Next, put the beef strips in the marinade bowl and mix well. Make sure each strip is deeply coated with the flavorful marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and leave for a minimum of 6 hours, or overnight, or a maximum of 24 hours for more flavor. 

After marination, let all the beef strips pat dry and drain the extra moisture.

Cutting and marinating the meat properly makes it tender, helps it cook evenly, and extends its storage life.

What are the Drying/Cooking Methods for Chilli Lime Beef Jerky

Here are the three drying and cooking methods for chilli lime beef jerky:

1. Dehydration

2. Oven Drying

3. Smoke Drying

Dehydration

Dehydration is the old-school method of drying beef jerky. Spread the juicy strips on a dehydrator tray and set the temperature at 160°F. Make sure the meat cooks at a constant temperature for 4 to a maximum of 15 hours.

If your dehydrator doesn’t reach 160°F, you can preheat the meat in the oven before drying. This helps in cooking safely before the drying process starts. Once the Chilli Lime Beef Jerky has dried, store it in an airtight container right away to keep it fresh for a long time.

Oven Drying

Drying beef jerky in the oven is an easy and convenient method to use at home. Preheat the oven to 170-200°F.  

Wrap the baking sheet in aluminum foil on the lower rack to absorb drippings. Put marinated beef strips on the top metal rack in a hanging position. Place the pieces below the rack with enough space between them so the air can circulate around each beef jerky strip. Insert wooden sticks in each strip to help them hang and avoid falling down.

Normally, it takes 3 to 8 hours to dry completely, but the time varies with the thickness. Start checking after 3 hours and continue after every 30 to 45 minutes. The jerky is done when it bends and gets minor cracks but does not break into two pieces. This process took 4 hours to reach the desired texture.

Smoke Drying

Drying beef jerky in a smoker gives the best results. Set the smoker temperature between 160 - 200°F. Place marinated strips on a rack with enough space between each piece. This method usually takes 3-10 hours, based on the kind of smoker used and how thick the beef slices are. Keep the smoker temperature constant at 160°F to get the desired texture.

What is the Storage & Shelf Life of Chilli Lime Beef Jerky

To keep it fresh for a short time, wrap chilli lime beef jerky in plastic or seal it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to two weeks. Proper wrapping helps maintain its flavor and texture.

For long-term storage, keep the homemade jerky in an airtight plastic container or zip lock freezer bag. Freezing can increase its shelf life to more than two weeks. Vacuum-sealed, frozen jerky stays fresh for months.

What is the Nutritional Value of Chili Lime Beef Jerky

Here’s general nutritional data for a 1-ounce serving of Chilli Lime Beef Jerky:

• Calories: About 90 calories. The exact nutrition of beef jerky can vary slightly depending on the brand and ingredients.

• Fat: gives 1.5 gm trans-fat-free healthy fat, with 0 gm saturated fat.

• Sodium: 380mg is included in seasonings like salt, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce.

• Total Carbs: around 11 g, slightly varies due to added sugar and sauces in the marinade.

• Sugars: 8 g, depending on the quantity of sugar or honey added.

• Protein: Approximately 12g of lean meat provides a great source of protein.

Chilli lime beef jerky is high in sodium.  Sodium and sugar content can vary according to recipe ingredients.