I’ve got another protein-packed snack for you to add to your beef sticks arsenal: spicy beef sticks! This recipe is just a super fun way to make homemade beef sticks, but with a bent toward spicy that I know your taste buds will love.
The Duraflame Char-Logs were super helpful in making these spicy meat sticks. The company makes its real wood charcoal in the U.S. from oak and hickory. Plus, the cylinder shape makes for quicker lighting, consistent high heat charcoal and longer burns. That clean burn and rich wood-smoke flavor is perfect for the low, slow cook for these spicy beef sticks!
Post sponsored by Duraflame
Why You’ll Love Spicy Beef Sticks
I love making beef sticks since you can really take your snack game up a notch, both in terms of quality and flavor. For this version, I wanted spicy flavor, so I got spicy flavor! And using real ingredients means that these spicy beef snack sticks are so freakin’ delicious. The natural flavors are way better than anything you’d pick up in the gas station aisles.
I decided to flavor the beef in these spicy snack sticks with cheddar cheese, fresh jalapeño peppers and my own spice rub. The mixture of sweet, savory and hot spices created the perfect balance for the spicy sticks. You can also put your own spin on this recipe very easily! Omit the cheddar and jalapeños if you don’t want dairy or just want a little heat. Swap out some of the dry ingredients for combinations you know that you love, squirt in a dash of your favorite hot sauce, or even substitute venison or elk for the ground beef. Make ’em your own!
Looking for more snacks? Check out my recipes for Smoked Beef Sticks, Texas Twinkie Beef Sticks, Crispy Brisket Jerky and Smoked Salmon Jerky.
Spicy Beef Stick Ingredients
- Beef: I’m making these beef sticks with 90/10 ground beef, cubed cheddar cheese and diced fresh jalapeños. The cheese and peppers are optional, but when I tried the finished product, I was so stoked I decided to include them.
- Spicy Rub: It’s a long list, but the flavor is so worth it. We’re using kosher salt, smoked paprika, cayenne powder, garlic powder, chili powder, chipotle powder, cumin powder, dried oregano, cinnamon, lime juice, brown sugar and coarse black pepper.
- Binder & Cure: To bring this snack attack all together, you’ll need Prague Powder #1 and ice water.
Your Recipe for Spicy Beef Stick Success
If it’s your first time making beef sticks, here are a few things to keep in mind.
- You can eat the spicy beef sticks right off the smoker, but I recommend letting them completely cool as they might crumble before then.
- I used 90/10 ground beef so the mixture is meatier and less fatty, but use what you like.
- Make sure the mixture is a wet-ish paste so it presses out better.
- Use a slightly larger jerky gun tip (about ½-¾”) so the sticks stay more moist.
- The temperatures are to prevent breakage and dryness, so go slowly on the smoker.
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How to Make Spicy Beef Stick Ingredients
To start making these spicy beef sticks, combine 5 pounds ground beef, spice rub, and 1 teaspoon pink powder cure. The spice rub is super easy: just mix together 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon cayenne powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons lime juice, 2 teaspoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper.
Add 1 cup ice water slowly while mixing. Mix aggressively until the meat becomes tacky/sticky. Fold in 10 ounces of cubed cheddar cheese 3-4 diced fresh jalapeños at the end until well incorporated.
Next, load the meat into a jerky gun. Grease some wire cooking racks and press out long ropes of the beef sticks with spacing between. Make sure to go slow and steady so they don’t break apart.
Add the spicy beef sticks to your smoker at 130 degrees Fahrenheit using Duraflame Char-Logs for one hour to dry the outside and create a pellicle. Bump up the heat 10 degrees F every hour until the smoker gets to 170 degrees F. Let cook until the internal temperature of the beef sticks is at least 150 degrees F. Cooking should take about 5-6 hours total. In the last hour, you can brush with beef tallow to get some extra flavor and shine if you like. This step is optional though!
Once done, pull the beef sticks off the smoker and place in the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours. Serve and enjoy!
What to Serve with Spicy Beef Sticks
Yes, you’ve elevated your snacking game with these spicy beef sticks. But one of my favorite ways to enjoy them is as part of a tailgate spread or as an appetizer as your backyard BBQ. For sides, you can use cornbread, mac and cheese, baked beans or slaw to balance the spicy kick of these beef sticks.
Leftovers and Reheating
If you’ve got leftover spicy beef sticks, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. No need to reheat — just grab and go!
Bring On the Spice
FAQs
This is a curing salt that preserves the spicy beef stick mixture and prevents bacterial growth during the smoking process. When you’re making beef sticks, using this powder isn’t optional. You need it for food safety in smoked meat products like these. You can find it at specialty cooking stores, butcher shops, or online.
You can omit the jalapeños (or keep them and use the ribs and seeds if you want more spice) and substitute out some of the dry ingredients. The cayenne, chipotle and chili powder will be your spiciest powders.
You can buy Duraflame products at hardware stores, grocery stores and retailers across the country. Check out the company’s Where to Buy page to find a store that carries Duraflame near you.
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Spicy Beef Sticks
Ingredients
Beef
- 5 lbs 90/10 ground beef
- 10 oz cheddar cheese small cubes (optional)
- 3-4 fresh jalapeños finely diced (optional)
Spicy Rub
- 2 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tbsp Cayenne Powder
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Chile Powder
- 1 tsp Chipotle Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 2 tsp Lime Juice
- 2 tsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Coarse Black Pepper
Binder & Cure
- 1 tsp Prague Powder #1
- 1 cup Ice Water
Instructions
- Combine ground beef, rub, and pink powder cure. Add ice water slowly while mixing. Mix aggressively until the meat becomes tacky/sticky. Fold in the cheese & jalapeños at the end until well incorporated.
- Load the meat into a jerky gun. Grease some wire cooking racks and press out long ropes of the beef sticks with spacing between. Make sure to go slow and steady to not create breakage.
- Add to your smoker at 130F using Duraflame CharLogs for one hour to dry the outside and create a pellicle. Bump up the heat 10F every hour until the smoker gets to 170F. Let cook until the beef sticks are at least 150F internal. Cooking should take about 5-6 hours total. (Optional) In the last hour, brush with beef tallow to get some extra flavor and shine if you like.
- Once done, pull off and place in the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can eat the spicy beef sticks right off the smoker, but I recommend letting them completely cool as they might crumble before then.
- I used 90/10 ground beef so the mixture is meatier and less fatty, but use what you like.
- Make sure the mixture is a wet-ish paste so it presses out better.
- Use a slightly larger jerky gun tip (about ½-¾”) so the sticks stay more moist.
- The temperatures are to prevent breakage and dryness, so go slowly on the smoker.
