Slim Jim Dare Monster Freakin’ Hot Jalapeno Beef Sticks Review

Slim Jim Dare Monster Freakin’ Hot Jalapeno Beef Sticks have appeared recently at my local convenience store. I’ve tried a few of these recently, including today, and as with all the monster-sized Slim Jims, I love the bigger, 1.94-ounce size, including this jalapeno-spiced version. While this flavor, like all the other Slim Jims is a highly processed, highly seasoned beef stick, these flavorful snacks completely stop hunger pangs during the work afternoon in their tracks. Plus, Slim Jim Dare Monster flavors are a great night-time snack to enjoy when it’s too early to go to bed but too late to eat anything really heavy. But watch out for the extra heat in the Dare series, as they’re quite hot on the tongue and I believe that they may upset sensitive stomachs if eaten too close to bed.

The heat of that pervasive jalapeno pepper taste is lightning-speed apparent in the first bite as I munch on one of these while jotting down these thoughts. The mouth heat is much more noticeable than in the more mild Tabasco flavor of these sticks reviewed previously. These Dare jalapeno beef snacks taste much like the original flavor than did the Tabasco ones, and more like a hot Mexican taco salad. Thus, the Dare jalapeno sticks distinguish themselves from Slim Jim originals. So do not eat these if you’re seeking that original smoked beef flavor. Now this stick still sports a mildly smoked flavor and aroma. But the jalapeno dominates way more than the more mild, Tabasco flavored Slim Jim Monster stick.

Benefits, Pros, Advantages, And Features

This flavor does not taste much like pepperoni, except for the hotness. Slim Jim went with a more exotic and much stronger taste sensation with this Dare product.
Kids love these snack treats, which is nice since they have far less added sugar than candy bars or other sweet confections.
Nor do Slim Jims make much mess of the child’s clothing or hands, although you may have to wipe off the slimy juice that sometimes oozes from the really fresh sticks. Many children are not repelled at all by the bit of extra jalapeno pepper warmth in this Dare flavor of these popular beef sticks.
These beef jalapeno snacks are much hotter, though less chewy than beef jerky. While I enjoy jerky chew and strips occasionally, I also like the often more diverse and modern, abroad-tastes of Slim Jims without having to open and close my jaw muscles so many times, just to swallow the beefy morsel without it sticking in my throat.
Slim Jims are way easier to swallow than beef jerky, and that’s true even with the extra heat of these Freakin’ Hot Jalapeno snacks.
This hotter variation of the Slim Jim snack sticks still matches the original-flavored Slim Jims in terms of texture, chewiness, and color. So, since I liked the original flavor so well, much of that good feeling comes forward into the newfangled flavores like this one.
Stringy bits of this beef snack stick in the teeth far less often than those of beef jerky. Any advantage the original-flavored stix have over beef jerky is also true of these jalapeno sticks.
The aroma hides well the heat flavor. In fact, these Slim Jims smell virtually identical to the originals. So their more aggressively spiced taste can indeed take you by surprise if you’re expecting the scent of these to match their taste. It does not.
I can’t imagine ever becoming burned out on this Slim Jim hot jalapeno flavor. Put them away for a few weeks after eating several, then resume eating them again, and you will likely realize that they taste just as delicious as before.
That spicy juice, though a bit irritating, is a delightful and flavorful feature of the jalapeno Slim Jims, though it requires soap and water to completely get off of the fingers and lips.
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 turn the mouth water on, as the aroma portends the satisfying experience to come at the first bite. But the aroma does not clue you in as to how hot the taste will be. So brace yourself and consider yourself forewarned.
They cellophane wrapping is indeed air-tight, keeping the aromas and flavors inside from getting out, and any odors and flavors outside from getting in. This wrapper easily peels off.

Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, and Concerns

Any flavor of Slim Jim beef sticks is a highly processed food with a sizable list of undesirable (in my opinion) food additives, including dextrose, salt, corn syrup, and sodium nitrite.
Freakin’ Hot Jalapeno Slim Jims are also rich in total sodium at 960 milligrams per serving (100 MG higher than is found in the Tabasco flavor), and 270 calories to boot (30 calories less than in the Tabasco flavor sticks).
These numbers restrict this snack at my house to a once-in-a-blue-moon treat, though its deliciously satisfying beef and extra spicy flavors can entice you to eat it way more frequently.
22 fat grams per monster stick, and 9 of those is saturated fat. 1.5 grams of trans fats are also indicated. Indeed, the included Nutrition Facts label paints a pretty negative picture of Slim Jim Jalapeno Beef Sticks as a healthful food. But it is however, an excellent-tasting meat.

Product Rating

I’d highly recommend this jalapeno snack, says my taste buds. So I’d award a 94 of 100 rating. I slightly-more prefer the original flavor to this jalapeno however, but not so much more as to appreciably lower rating for this delicious beef snack.

Where To Buy Jalapeno 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 yellow and red wrapper with the white backing and black and white text. The Freakin’ Hot Jalapeno decow is coal-black with bright yellow text inside, phrase FREAKIN’ HOT JALAPENO is boldly printed.

References

Revision History

2015-01-15: Fixed typos, added whitespace, adjusted ad placement, and rearranged category and tag assignments.
2012-04-25: Originally published.