Recipe For Jerk Chicken

The recipe for jerk chicken originated on the island from Arawak Indian influence...

who wrapped their meat in pimento leaves and buried them in the hot ground to cook slowly.

The maroons who lived in the mountains at the time of the British colonization made their contribution by cooking their meats in the mountains with smoke and pimento spices.

This is one of the most delicious recipe you will ever taste on the island. It comes in many variations depending on who is doing the cooking.

There are, however, some essential ingredients that cannot be missing if it is to be taken seriously as the "real" recipe for jerk chicken.

...plus you cannot ignore the smoke from the pimento seeds and chips...and you must grill it over the pimento wood.

Here it is for your enjoyment...

MEAT
one 2 1/2 pound chicken

ESSENTIAL JERK SPICE INGREDIENTS:
1 handful of fresh thyme
3 Scotch bonnet peppers (hottest of all peppers)
1/4 cup. ground Jamaican allspice seasoning
5 stems of green onions (chopped scallion)
1 1/2 tbps coarse salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup diced white onion
2 Tbsp. fresh garlic (crushed)

SMOKE ELEMENTS
1 small bowl of pimento seed soaked in water
1 small bowl of pimento chips soaked in water
1 small bowl of pimento leaves
4-5 small pimento woods that can fit on half of your grill

ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
(add as many of these as you wish to add your own zing to the flavor)

2 habanero peppers (make it hotter)
3 jalapeno pepper (not so hot)
1 tbsp cinnamon (hard spice)1 tbsp nutmeg (hard spice)2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup Orange juice
1/4 cup ginger
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Put all the essential ingredients in a blender, plus any additional optional ingredients you decide to use and whiz until smooth.

2. cut up your chicken into four quarters

3. Place chicken in a large bowl and marinade with the Jerk spice.

4. Let chicken it sit in the spice for a least 4 hours, preferably 24 hours until properly soaked.

5. Wrap soaked pimento seeds and chips in aluminum foil and place on the hot side of grill to produce smoke...This is essential for the final flavor.

6. Soak the pimento leaves for about 1 hour and place them on grill away from the heat so that they will steam slowly.

7. Place wood on top of steaming pimento leaves away from the heat so that they don't get burned.

8. Place chicken on top of wood.

9. Close grill and let it cook slowly for about 2-3 hours until all the juices have drained out and it's fully cooked.

9. Enjoy with bread, festival, rice or whatever else your heart desire!

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USING AN OVEN
1. If you choose to use an oven, pre-heat to 150 degrees

2. Still put your pimento seeds and bark in the aluminum foil to produce the smoke, but this time place chicken on a roasting pan and roast slowly.

You do not want to use the logs this time because they may burn.However, you will still get the critical smoked flavor.

You will also need to turn the chicken on the other side so that both sides get a full dose of the smoke.

This is as close a recipe for jerk chicken you will get to original stuff that's done at the jerk centers on the island.
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Get your pimento products here