Jerk chicken has become a very popular cuisine globally while remaining a hot favorite here in Jamaica. This relatively easy menu will give you finger-licking spicy real Jamaican jerk chicken. Jerk chicken is one of Jamaica’s 12 most popular dishes. You may want to see the other nine. So, what is “jerk” cooking?
Jerk refers to a way food, primarily meat, is seasoned and cooked. This style of cooking originated in Jamaica. The essence of jerk cooking is the type of seasoning used: True jerk cooking requires the use of pimento, often called allspice, and scotch bonnet peppers, also known as habanero, for the marinade. The marinated meat is then grilled over pimento wood. The smoke emitted from the pimento wood gives the meat a distinct smoke flavour.
This recipe comes as close as possible to pimento-wood-jerked chicken.
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Marinate: 6-12 hours
- Cook: 35 minutes
- Servings 8
Ingredients
Directions
Step 1: Prepare Marinade
Place the ingredients (excluding the chicken of course) in a food processor and process to a coarse paste.
Step 2: Apply the marinade
Place the chicken quarters into a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Massage the marinade into the meat, ensuring that it gets under the skin of the chicken by pulling the skin away from the meat. Cover the bowl and leave it to marinate in the fridge for at least 6 to 12 hours.
Step 3: Grill time
Remove the marinated meat from the fridge an hour before cooking, so it has time to come up to room temperature. Otherwise, it will take much longer to cook. Light grill and grill the chicken over a medium-hot fire for approximately 35 minutes, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through. (Covering the grill produces a smokier flavor)
Step 4: Enjoy your Jamaican jerk chicken
Remove the chicken from the grill and place on platter and serve. Jamaican jerk chicken goes well with baked sweet potato, Jamaican festivals, fried breadfruit, fried bammy, or French fries.
Best Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe
Jerk chicken has become a very popular cuisine globally while remaining a hot favorite here in Jamaica. This relatively easy menu will give you finger-licking spicy real Jamaican jerk chicken.
Type: Main dish
Cuisine: Jamaican
Keywords: jerk chicken
Recipe Yield: 8 servings
Preparation Time: PT0H15M
Cooking Time: PT0H35M
Total Time: PT0H50M
Recipe Ingredients:
- 2 chickens (3½ to 4 lbs. each) quartered
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 3 stalks scallion, chopped
- 3 Scotch bonnet peppers, chopped and seeds removed
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon allspice berries (coarsely grounded)
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely grounded
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (leaves removed from sprigs)
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup soy sauce (preferably dark)
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
Recipe Instructions: Step 1: Prepare Marinade Place the ingredients (excluding the chicken of course) in a food processor and process to a coarse paste. Step 2: Apply the marinade Place the chicken quarters into a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Massage the marinade into the meat, ensuring that it gets under the skin of the chicken by pulling the skin away from the meat. Cover the bowl and leave it to marinate in the fridge for at least 6 to 12 hours. Step 3: Grill time Remove the marinated meat from the fridge an hour before cooking, so it has time to come up to room temperature. Otherwise, it will take much longer to cook. Light grill and grill the chicken over a medium-hot fire for approximately 35 minutes, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through. (Covering the grill produces a smokier flavor) Step 4: Enjoy your Jamaican jerk chicken Remove the chicken from the grill and place on platter and serve. Jamaican jerk chicken goes well with baked sweet potato, Jamaican festivals, fried breadfruit, fried bammy, or French fries.
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