HFM Farm 7th Layer Extreme Hot Beef Jerky
HFM Farm 7th Layer Extreme Hot Beef Jerky
7th Layer is the hottest jerky HFM Farm makes, and the ingredient list is the proof: ghost pepper, Carolina reaper, capsaicin extract, cayenne, red pepper flake, chili powder, and Tabasco, all over A1-marinated beef. An ounce carries 16 g of protein at 90 calories, so a 2 oz bag runs 32 g of protein for 180 calories.
This is a chase-the-burn jerky, not a jerky that happens to be spicy. Carolina reaper and capsaicin extract are both in there, and capsaicin extract is a concentrate — it does not behave like pepper flake. The A1 base gives you a few seconds of steak-sauce flavor before the heat arrives and stays. Treat it as a novelty and a dare, and don't hand it to somebody without telling them what it is.
Two things worth knowing: MSG is on the ingredient list, and an ounce carries 370 mg of sodium, 15% of a day's value. Sealed, it's shelf-stable — refrigerate once opened and finish within 7 days. Single 2 oz bag or a 3-pack at 6 oz total, $3.98 under three singles. Made in small batches by Joey and Brandi Federico in Jacksonville, Florida.
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Overview
7th Layer is HFM Farm's extreme-heat beef jerky: A1 steak sauce as the base, then ghost pepper, Carolina reaper, and capsaicin extract stacked on top. It carries 16 g of protein per ounce in a 2 oz shelf-stable pouch, and it is meaningfully hotter than everything else in the line.
Key features
- 16 g protein and 90 calories per 1 oz serving; 32 g and 180 calories per 2 oz bag
- Ghost pepper, Carolina reaper, and capsaicin extract — the three ingredients that separate it from Fiery A1
- A1 steak sauce marinade underneath, plus cayenne, red pepper flake, chili powder, and Tabasco
- Shelf-stable sealed; no cooler needed until the bag is opened
- Made in small batches by HFM Farm at their USDA-inspected facility in Jacksonville, Florida
- Two sizes: single 2 oz bag, or a 3-pack totaling 6 oz
Use cases
This is a camp novelty and a challenge snack more than an everyday protein source. It earns its keep around a fire, on a group trip, or anywhere somebody needs proving wrong. If you want heat you can eat a whole bag of on a drive, buy Fiery A1 instead — this one is deliberately past that line.
- Net weight: 2 oz (57 g) per bag; 3-pack is 6 oz total
- Serving size: 1 oz (28 g)
- Servings per bag: 2
- Calories: 90 per serving (15 from fat)
- Protein: 16 g per serving
- Total fat: 1.5 g per serving (2% DV)
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Trans fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg (17% DV)
- Sodium: 370 mg (15% DV)
- Total carbohydrate: 4 g (1% DV)
- Dietary fiber: 0 g
- Total sugars: 3 g
- Ingredients: Beef, A1 Steak Sauce, Ghost Pepper, Red Pepper Flake, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Tabasco Sauce, Carolina Reaper Pepper, Seasoned Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Potassium Sorbate, Capsaicin Extract
- Allergens: Contains MSG
- Heat level: Extreme — the hottest in the HFM Farm line
- Made by: HFM Farm, Jacksonville, Florida — small-batch, USDA-inspected facility
- Storage: Shelf-stable sealed; refrigerate after opening and consume within 7 days
How hot is this compared to Fiery A1?
Substantially hotter, and not by degree — by ingredient. Fiery A1 gets its heat from cayenne, red pepper flake, chili powder, and Tabasco. 7th Layer has all of that plus ghost pepper, Carolina reaper, and capsaicin extract. The extract is a concentrate, so it carries further and lasts longer than pepper alone.
Is it actually edible, or is it a gag?
It's real jerky with a real A1 marinade — you get a couple of seconds of steak-sauce flavor before the heat lands. But it is built for people who seek out heat. If you don't, you won't enjoy the bag.
Does it contain MSG?
Yes. Monosodium glutamate is listed as its own ingredient, and the allergen line declares MSG.
What are the allergens?
The panel declares MSG. Note there's no soy declaration on this one — unlike Monty's Original and the teriyaki flavors, 7th Layer's marinade is A1-based rather than soy-sauce-based.
Does it need to be refrigerated?
Not sealed — shelf-stable and fine in a hot vehicle. Once open, refrigerate and eat within 7 days. Use it by the date printed on the package.
Is the 3-pack cheaper?
Yes. $19.99 for 6 oz against $23.97 for three singles — $3.98 saved. Worth it if you're stocking a group trip; probably not if you're buying it to try.
Who makes this?
HFM Farm — Joey and Brandi Federico of Jacksonville, Florida, in small batches at their USDA-inspected facility.