Preparing the Jerk Marinade from Scratch
Are you looking for a tantalizing Caribbean flavor to add to your next grilled chicken dish? Then you need to try Jerk Chicken with Jerk Sauce! This spicy and savory combination is the perfect way to add a unique flavor to your next cookout.
With a few simple steps, you'll be able to craft the perfect grilled Jerk Chicken that's sure to impress your guests. So read on to find out the secret to perfectly grilled Jerk Chicken with Jerk Sauce!
1. Choose Your Chicken Wisely
You'll want to use dark meat, such as thighs or drumsticks, as they are more flavorful and will stay juicier during the grilling process. It is also important to select pieces that are of similar size so that they cook evenly. To ensure the best flavor and texture, look for chicken with an organic or free-range label.
If possible, try to find chicken that has been previously frozen, as this will help keep the moisture locked in during cooking. Once you have chosen the chicken, make sure to rinse it off and pat it dry before you begin marinating it.
2. Marinate the Chicken
Marinating your chicken in a jerk marinade is the key to giving it its signature flavor. Start by mixing all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl. This includes garlic, ginger, thyme, allspice, chili powder, brown sugar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, lime juice, and salt. Give the marinade a good stir until everything is combined.
Then, place the chicken pieces in a huge ziplock bag and pour the marinade over it. Seal the bag. Place the bag in the refrigerator and let it marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. The longer you let the chicken marinate, the more flavorful it will be. When you are ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the remaining liquid.
3. Addition of the Jerk Sauce
This spicy, aromatic sauce is often used to marinate or baste meats and vegetables before grilling or roasting. It can also be served as a dipping sauce for fried plantains and other sides. Jerk sauce has become a popular condiment around the world, as it adds an incredible depth of flavor to any dish.
When marinating the chicken in jerk sauce, it's important to give it enough time for the flavors to sink in. Start by combining equal parts of your jerk sauce with good-quality olive oil and a generous helping of fresh lime juice.
Mix it all in a bowl, then pour the mixture over the chicken pieces in a large bowl or baking dish. Make sure to coat each piece completely and evenly. Allow the chicken to sit in the marinade for at least two hours, or overnight if you can. Once it's done marinating, remove it from the marinade and pat dry. Now your chicken is ready to grill!
4. Grill the Chicken
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When it's time to cook your jerk chicken, fire up your grill and make sure the coals are nice and hot. Place the marinated chicken onto the grill and let it cook for about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken every couple of minutes so that each side is nicely browned and cooked through.
To ensure even cooking, rotate the chicken as needed, keeping an eye on the heat of the coals. Depending on the size of your chicken, it should take about 20-25 minutes to cook through. When the internal temperature reaches 165°F, the chicken is cooked and ready to serve.
Be sure to not overcook the chicken - the last thing you want is dry, overcooked chicken. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the heat and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and ensures that your jerk chicken will be juicy and flavorful.
5. Serve the Chicken
Once your chicken is done cooking, let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This will allow all of the delicious juices to settle back into the chicken and give you that perfect juicy bite every time. Now it's time to enjoy your perfectly grilled jerk chicken!
Learn to know more about Jerk Sauce and Caribbean cuisine. Contact me for the best jerk sauces to get them delivered to your doorsteps.
FAQs
It's wonderfully spicy, smoky, and fragrant — everything you want jerk chicken to be. But what puts this one above all others? The key is including five-spice powder in the marinade, a Chinese spice blend made of cinnamon, fennel seed, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns, and star anise.
What mixture gives you a jerk flavor? ›
Jerk seasoning principally consists of allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers. Other ingredients may include cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and salt.
How long can I marinate jerk chicken? ›
Use fresh ingredients to make the jerk marinade for an authentic Caribbean taste. Skip the habanero peppers to make it more kid-friendly. Marinate your chicken for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours for the best-tasting jerk chicken.
What is the original cooking technique for jerk? ›
Traditionally, jerk involved dry-rubbing wild pig (now also chicken, fish and tofu) in a fiery dry-spice blend and then cooking it in a pit. Allspice (also known as pimento), Scotch Bonnet chillies, ginger and thyme are the cornerstones of a jerk seasoning.
What makes a chicken jerked? ›
Jerk refers to a style of cooking in which the main ingredient—which most often is chicken but may also be beef, pork, goat, boar, seafood, or vegetables—is coated in spices and slow-cooked over a fire or grill traditionally composed of green pimento wood positioned over burning coals; the resulting smoke is key to the ...
What does jerk chicken do to your body? ›
Health benefits of the Jamaican jerk chicken
It helps digestion. On the other hand, thyme spice kills certain bacteria producing inflammations. Cinnamon is used in the recipe helping to relieve arthritis pain. Your body experiences less inflammation, due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Is jerk seasoning or marinade better? ›
With adding authentic jerk flavoring, neither dry rub nor wet marinade is really better than the other. Both types deserve a place in your pantry. For vegetables and other dishes where you want just a hint of spice, sprinkle on a little Booyah dry Jamaican seasoning. It's quick, easy, and delicious.
What does jerk sauce contain? ›
Blend green onions, peanut oil, vinegar, allspice, habanero chile peppers, ginger, garlic, lime juice, brown sugar, thyme, soy sauce, ketchup, peppercorns, and cinnamon in a blender until smooth.
What is a good substitute for jerk seasoning? ›
In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together paprika, garlic powder, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Generously coat on your choice of protein and cook. Serve and enjoy.
Does jerk marinade go bad? ›
In our experience if you refrigerate the marinade, the heat from the peppers rapidly diminishes within a month or so. If you 'd prefer a flavorful, but mild, jerk marinade then by all means refrigerate. Otherwise, just keep the bottle at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. It will keep for several months.
9 Sides for Jerk Chicken
- 01 of 09. Jamaican Rice and Peas. Abby Hocking. ...
- 02 of 09. Jamaican Callaloo. ...
- 03 of 09. Jamaican Hot Sauce. ...
- 04 of 09. Snapper Escovitch. ...
- 05 of 09. Jamaican Chicken and Potato Curry. ...
- 06 of 09. Kwame's Pepper Shrimp. ...
- 07 of 09. Jamaican Jerk Pork Patties. ...
- 08 of 09. Jamaican Coco Bread.
It definitely shouldn't be. The paste you make to season it should have enough salt in it to effectively brine it, making it very moist. I find that chicken wings and legs work better than breasts, since the smoking process allows the cartilage to break down and add more moisture to the chicken.
What meat is the best to jerk? ›
Here are some of the most common types of jerk meat: Jerk Chicken: This is one of the most popular types of jerk meat. Chicken is marinated in a blend of spices and then grilled or roasted to a crisp. Jerk Pork: Pork is a delicious and versatile meat that works well with the bold flavors of jerk seasoning.
What is the common method used when cooking jerk chicken in Jamaica? ›
The more traditional method is to marinate the chicken for as long as possible, to let the flavors really penetrate to create super moist chicken, then cook the chicken over the aromatic wood of the pimenta dioica, Jamaica's allspice tree.
What is a fun fact about jerk chicken? ›
The Roots of Jerk Chicken
Jamaican jerk chicken holds a delicious history that dates back centuries. Derived from the techniques of the indigenous Taino people, and later adapted by enslaved Africans, this unique cooking style combines a medley of spices and flavors like no other.
What is the flavor profile of jerk chicken? ›
Jamaican Jerk Chicken boasts a distinctive flavor profile characterized by spices native to the island of Jamaica. It is seasoned with spicy, Scotch bonnet chiles (or easier to find habanero chilies) and aromatic, complex, sweet yet smoky, earthy notes from allspice, thyme, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
What is the difference between jerk seasoning and jerk marinade? ›
A: The jerk seasoning is a thick paste that you rub in and is best to leave on for a day or more before cooking. Use sparingly! Gives wonderful flavor throughout. The marinade, which I haven't tried yet, is thinner and you can cook right away.
Why is jerk chicken so good? ›
The signature blend of the aforementioned spices creates an aromatic flavour profile that is synonymous with Jamaican jerk and the traditional wood-fire cooking method is what imparts the smoky flavour to the meat, adding the depth and complexity for which the dish is known.
Why was it so important that jerk chicken be made in smokeless pits? ›
Roaming wild boar became their primary food source, which began the origins of jerk. They seasoned them with salt and wild herbs, then dug holes in the ground filled with wood and buried the meat in pits. They covered these roasting pits to hide any smoke emitted that could attract attention.
