Slim Jim Dare Monster Freakin’ Hot Habanero Beef Sticks have appeared in the past few months at a close-by convenience shop. I’ve tried several of these in that period, including today. Here are my thoughts on them.
As with all the monster-sized Slim Jims, I love the bigger, 1.94-ounce size; this habanero-spiced version being no exception. While this flavor, like all the other Slim Jims is a highly processed, highly seasoned beef stick, these flavorful snacks completely arrest that mid-afternoon hunger at work.
Plus, Slim Jim Dare Monster flavors are a wonderful night-time food to enjoy when it’s too early for bed but too late to eat anything really heavy. But watch out for the extra heat in the Dare series, as they’re very hot on the tongue (almost as hot as Atomic Fire Balls candy) and I believe that they may upset sensitive stomachs if eaten too close to saying good night. They can burn!
The heat of that habanero pepper taste slowly reveals itself as I chew the first few bites while writing. Yes, Slim Jim Dare habanero beef sticks set themselves apart from the Slim Jim originals. So do not eat these if you’re expecting to taste much of that original smoked beef flavor. To be sure, this stick still supplies a mildly smoked-beef taste and aroma. But the habanero chili rules over the rest of the flavors.
Benefits, Features, Pros, and Advantages
- This flavor does not taste much like pepperoni, except for the hotness. Slim Jim went with a more Mexican and much more powerful taste sensation with this particular Dare product.
- Kids enjoy these snack treats, which is good since this meat snack has far less added sugar than candy bars or other sweet confections that children find themselves drawn to typically.
- These beef habanero snacks are much hotter, though less chewy than beef jerky. While I love jerky chew and strips occasionally, I also like the often more diverse and modern, out-of-country flavors of Slim Jims without having to open and close my lower jaw so many times, to get that beefy morsel ready to swallow.
- Slim Jims are way easier to get down the esophagus than beef jerky, and that’s so, even with the extra heat of these Freakin’ Hot Habanero snacks.
- This hotter variation of the Slim Jim beef sticks still matches the original-flavored Slim Jims in terms of texture, chewiness, and color. So, since I liked the original flavor so well, those good feelings come forward into the newfangled flavors like this habenero one.
- The aroma hides well the habanero heat flavor. In fact, these Slim Jims smell virtually identical to the originals. So their more aggressively spiced Really Freakin’ Hot taste can indeed surprise you if you’re expecting the scent of these to mirror their taste. It does not.
- I can’t imagine ever growing tired of this Slim Jim hot habenero flavor. Put them away for a few days after eating several, then resume them again, and you will likely observe that they taste just as good this time as they did the first time.
- That spicy juice, though a bit irritating, is a delightful and flavorful asset of the habanero Monster Slim Jims, though water and soap are needed to completely get it off of fingers and lips. Unfortunately, it takes far more work to get this fat off of the hips. So eat this snack in moderation.
- They cellophane wrapping is indeed air-tight, keeping the aromas and flavors inside from escaping, and any odors and flavors outside from entering. This wrapper peels off with little effort.
- This product has a pleasant, non assuming aroma of smoked beef that mirrors the scent of the original-flavored Slim Jims. So smelling these Dare sticks can open the water gates in the mouth, as the aroma portends the satisfying experience to come at the first bite. But the aroma as with the other Dare series Slim Jims, does not hint at all about how hot the actual taste will be. So brace yourself. You have been warned.
Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, and Concerns
- Any flavor of Slim Jim beef sticks is a highly processed food with a significant list of undesirable (in my opinion) food additives, including dextrose, salt, corn syrup, and sodium nitrite.
- Freakin’ Hot Habanero Slim Jims are also rich in total sodium at 920 milligrams per serving, and 270 calories too.
- These numbers restrict this snack at my dwelling to a once-in-a-while treat, though its deliciously satisfying beef and extra spicy taste can lure you into eating it way more often.
- 22 fat grams per monster stick, and 9 of those is saturated fat. 1.5 grams of trans fats also appear. Indeed, the included Nutrition Facts label paints a pretty ugly picture of Slim Jim Habanero Beef Sticks as a healthy food. But they are however, an excellent-tasting treat.
Product Rating
I’d recommend this habanero snack, says my tongue. So I’d award a 92 of 100 rating. I prefer the original flavor to this one though, but not so much more as to appreciably lower rating for this Slim Jim flavor.
Where To Buy Habanero Slim Jim Dare Monster Beef Sticks
Look for this snack food at larger 24-hour convenience stores and bigger grocery outlets. They come in a red and black wrapper with the white backing and black text. The Freakin’ Hot Habanero emblem is coal-black with bright red text inside, where the phrase FREAKIN’ HOT HABANERO is printed boldly.
References
- Habanero Chili Pepper on Wikipedia
- Slim Jim Snack Food on Wikipedia
- Sodium Nitrite on Wikipedia
- Where To Buy Slim Jim Dare Monster Freakin’ Hot Habanero Beef Sticks
Revision History
- 2015-01-15: Fixed typos, adjusted ad placement, rearranged tag and category assignments, and added whitespace.
- 2012-04-25: Originally published.