Mango Habanero Beef Jerky Recipe

Our Mango Habanero Beef Jerky recipe is a fiery, flavorful jerky. The mango and vinegar help cut the extreme heat of the habaneros but this is still not a jerky for the faint of heart!

If you don't love spicy foods but still want to try a version of this you can reduce the number of habanero peppers used or even substitute jalapeno peppers for a much milder version of the mango habanero beef jerky.

Mango Habanero Beef Jerky Recipe

Mango Habanero Beef Jerky Ingredients

For the Mango Habanero Marinade

1 mango coarsely chopped
1 red onion coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
6 to 12 habanero peppers
1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup sherry

For the Beef Jerky

3 lbs. of meat (about 1360 gm)
1/2 to 1 cup mango habanero marinade

Mango Habanero Beef Jerky Instructions

For the Mango Habanero Marinade

Saute the onion, garlic, and ginger over medium-high heat for 5 to 10 minutes.

In a pot, bring the apple cider vinegar and sherry and a pinch of salt to a boil.

Remove the stems from the habanero peppers.

Put the onion / garlic / ginger mixture into a blender with the mango, habanero peppers, spices, and honey. Puree the mixture until it is smooth.

Add the hot vinegar mixture to the blender with the habanero pepper puree. Allow to cool and then pulse the blender two or three times to combine all the ingredients.

Let the sauce cool completely before adding it to the beef.

For the Mango Habanero Beef Jerky

Trim all the fat, gristle, and silver skin from the beef. Slice the beef into thin strips 1/8" to 3/8" thick, against the grain. Set the strips down in a large container like a bowl, flat tray, or sealable plastic bag.

Pour the mango habanero marinade over the meat and mix well. Store the meat in the fridge for at least 4 to 8 hours, or overnight.

Making Mango Habanero Beef Jerky in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 160°F / 71°C, or the lowest setting it will go.

Remove the beef slices from the container and layer the strips in a single layer on a baking tray, or drying rack on top of a cookie sheet. Make sure the beef strips don't overlap and have a little space between them to enable good air circulation.

Arrange the oven shelves leaving at least 4 inches of space from the top and bottom sources of heat to achieve even heating. Place the strips in the oven to start dehydrating them.

Making Mango Habanero Beef Jerky in a Dehydrator

Preheat your dehydrator to at least 141°F / 60.5°C and up to 165°F / 74°C.

Place the strips in a single layer on the dehydrator trays. Be sure to leave some space between the jerky strips for sufficient air flow. If you are not using wire or mesh trays you may need to turn the beef jerky over once in the middle of the drying process.

Dry the beef jerky for 6 to 10 hours. If thicker strips of meat are used it may take longer.

Finishing the Mango Habanero Beef Jerky

To test the beef jerky remove a strip or two from the oven racks or dehydrator trays with clean kitchen tongs. Dried beef jerky strips should be chewy but still tender. When bent, it should be flexible enough not to break but it should crack instead.

Once the mango habanero beef jerky is sufficiently dry, remove it from the dehydrator and let it cool for 30 to 60 minutes. If there is any oil or moisture on the beef jerky use paper towels to blot it dry.

Put the jerky in tightly sealed containers then refrigerate or freeze. The mango habanero beef jerky will last in the refrigerator for a month or two and in the freezer for several months.