Every single month, when we ask our official Taste Testers to guess the next flavor drop, Taste Tester Rudy Coy Daniels says the same thing: jalapeño lemon pepper. We already make a lemon pepper and a whole lineup of jalapeño flavors, so this one had to earn its place. Here's how the Jerky.com Test Kitchen made it, and whether the panel thought it beat our regular lemon pepper. If you love bright citrus and cracked pepper, try our Lemon Pepper Beef Jerky.
Instructions:
Mix the marinade: Stir together the soy sauce, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, jalapeño powder and cayenne. The cayenne is the surprise: its heat shows up late without covering the lemon.
Slice into strips: Start with top round sliced close to 1/8 inch and fairly even so everything dries at the same pace. We cut ours into strips of the same width.
Marinate: Pour the marinade over the beef and fold and massage until every slice is fully coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours; we went closer to 48 in these marinade containers.
Rack it up: Lay the slices in a single layer with space between each piece. Pieces that touch or fold over won't dry properly.
Dry it: We dried ours in our Cosori dehydrator at 167°F and checked at 2 1/2 hours. We expected 3 to 6 hours, but ours was done at 2 1/2. Check regularly for color and surface dryness.
Check for doneness and cool: Bend a piece and crack it: white fibers mean it's done. Let it cool, since that's when the final texture sets.
Want more citrus? Try our lemon honey beef jerky recipe, or build your own flavor with our jerky marinade guide.
Taste test notes: Texture first: "It's drier on the surface, but it has that tear to it, which is kind of nice." Citrus led: "I like I instantly get some citrus," and "The more I chew on it, the more the lemon comes out." The heat was slow: "I'm getting heat on the back end. It kind of takes a minute." Mouthfeel landed in the middle: "I was expecting to be tougher than what it actually chews. So I actually I actually dig this texture." Two tasters would go back for a second piece. The fix for next time was clear: "Really good, but could use some more jalapeño." Against our regular lemon pepper, the panel split: "I would put our lemon pepper above this," versus "I like this version actually. The the texture and the mouthfeel kind of puts it over the top for me."
Can I buy it? Jalapeño Lemon Pepper isn't one of our flavors right now. Want first shot at new Test Kitchen flavors? Sign up to become an Official Jerky.com Taste Tester. You'll try new flavor drops first and vote on which ones stay.
Jalapeño Lemon Pepper Jerky FAQ
What goes in jalapeño lemon pepper jerky marinade?
Soy sauce, lemon juice, no-salt lemon pepper seasoning, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, jalapeño powder and a little cayenne.
Why use no-salt lemon pepper seasoning?
The soy sauce, garlic salt and celery salt already bring the salt, so no-salt lemon pepper keeps the marinade balanced.
How long should I marinate it?
At least 24 hours. We went closer to 48 hours.
How do I get more jalapeño flavor?
Our panel wanted more. Add more jalapeño powder or flakes, or try fresh jalapeños in the marinade.
What temperature should I dry jalapeño lemon pepper beef jerky at?
The USDA recommends heating beef to 160°F (poultry to 165°F) before or during drying. The simplest way is to dry at 160°F. If your dehydrator can't reach 160°F, steam or roast the strips to 160°F first.
Rather skip the work? Try ours: Lemon Pepper Beef Jerky or Jalapeño Beef Jerky, or browse all our beef jerky.
What flavor do you guess every month? Tell us in the comments!
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Test Kitchen RecipeJalapeño Lemon Pepper Beef Jerky Recipe (Taste Tester Request)
Top round marinated 24-48 hours in soy, lemon juice, no-salt lemon pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, jalapeño powder and cayenne, then dried at 167F.
Ingredients
Steps
- Stir together the soy sauce, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, jalapeño powder and cayenne. The cayenne is the surprise: its heat shows up late without covering the lemon.
- Start with top round sliced close to 1/8 inch and fairly even so everything dries at the same pace. We cut ours into strips of the same width.
- Pour the marinade over the beef and fold and massage until every slice is fully coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours; we went closer to 48 in these marinade containers.
- Lay the slices in a single layer with space between each piece. Pieces that touch or fold over won't dry properly.
- We dried ours in our Cosori dehydrator at 167°F and checked at 2 1/2 hours. We expected 3 to 6 hours, but ours was done at 2 1/2. Check regularly for color and surface dryness.
- Bend a piece and crack it: white fibers mean it's done. Let it cool, since that's when the final texture sets.
Rather let us do the drying? Over 100 flavors, ready when you are.
Browse our jerky
