The Hottest Peppers Used in Jerky: 4 To Try

Many types of jerky have different levels of spiciness, from mild to tear-jerkingly hot. The spiciest jerky has peppers that give it a kick you’ll need to experience yourself for a memorable sensation. Here are four of the hottest peppers used in jerky; remember them the next time you want a new feeling of blazing heat with every bite.

Jalapeño (4,000 SHU)

The first pepper on our list is the classic jalapeño which many people use as the bar for what’s considered extremely spicy. These peppers can reach a rating of 8,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU) when grown in the right conditions. The zingy flavor they bring to your tongue and the front-of-mouth warmth make it a distinguishable pepper.

Although this pepper does rank higher than average peppers, it’s only a mild hot pepper. Some of the hottest peppers have hundreds of thousands of SHUs, making even the most seasoned pepper fanatics sweat. But the jalapeño still adds a great feeling of spice to jerky that people enjoy and provides enough heat to excite your tastebuds when combined with other flavors.

Habanero (100,000 SHU)

When you add habaneros to jerky, you create spicy, savory meat, especially when you use habanero flakes. This pepper’s sweet, fruity flavor balances out the potent heat that it boasts.

This pepper has a rating of 100,000 to 350,000 SHU. Anyone who loves the hot taste of jalapeño jerky will love this next step in spiciness. Consider trying habanero jerky with additional flavors like mango for a combined taste of sweet and spicy that makes you want more.

Ghost Pepper (800,000 SHU)

The ghost pepper is one of the most notable peppers that will set your mouth ablaze. Its rating on the Scoville scale is of the highest tier, making it one of the hottest peppers used in jerky to try. People typically experience a slow burn with this pepper, which benefits other flavors combined in jerky.

Beef jerky with ghost peppers has a nice meaty taste with a subtle burning sensation on the tongue as you chew. The spicy feeling on your tongue lasts a while, but as you grow used to the feeling, you‘ll taste the other jerky flavors that improve the experience.

Carolina Reaper (2.2 million SHU)

This pepper falls short of being the hottest pepper in the world by another two million SHU, but it’s still a daunting addition to jerky that you should try. A strip of jerky with a Carolina Reaper pepper has subtle hints of sweetness behind the spice.

The spiciness doesn’t last as long as that of a ghost pepper, but it’s still significant. A bag of jerky with Carolina Reaper pepper flavoring will last for a while as you take your time to eat each strip and enjoy its sensations and tastes.

Peppers are important parts of some of the best jerky flavors, making the snack worth trying. Look for jerky with these peppers and prepare your mouth for an experience that warms your body and leaves your tastebuds wanting more.