Jamaican jerk

“It’s said the aroma of jerk being cooked in the warm air of Jamaica is partly the allspice (pimento) wood it’s cooked over and partly the heady spice mix of allspice berries and cloves, ginger and garlic. Essential to the mix are the adored beautifully spicy scotch bonnet chillies, which add heat and flavour. Jerk refers to both the dry rub/wet marinade and the finished result. This recipe works with chicken or pork and is exotic, delicious and easy.” Maeve O’Meara, Food Safari Fire

• serves

  8

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  3:30 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 16 chicken leg quarters (or 3.5 kg pork shoulder)
• 3 tbsp whole allspice berries
• 2 tsp whole cloves
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 bunch of spring onions (scallions), washed and roughly chopped
• 3–4 scotch bonnet chillies, depending on taste
• 2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
• 4–6 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ bunch of thyme
• 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 2 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 125 ml (½ cup) dark rum

Jerk sauce (optional)

• 3 tbsp jerk spice
• 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated purée)

You will need to marinate your meat 24 - 48 hours prior to cooking

Your cooking time will depend on whether you use chicken or pork. See below.

Instructions

Grind the allspice, cloves and peppercorns in a coffee mill or spice blender until you have a fine powder. Add the ground spices, the spring onion, chillies, ginger, garlic, thyme, sugar, salt and oil to a food processor and purée. Add the rum a little at a time to form a paste. If you’re making the jerk sauce recipe as well, set aside 3 tablespoons of this paste.

If you’re preparing chicken, rub the marinade under the skin as well as on top. If you’re using pork, score the pork skin with a sharp knife and salt the shoulder well before rubbing on the jerk spice.

Rub the spice mix onto the meat and leave to marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours before using. (Marinate the pork for 48 hours and the chicken for 24.)

Remember to wash your hands thoroughly after rubbing on the marinade!

If you’re cooking in an offset smoker over medium heat, the chicken will take around 1 hour 40 minutes. Alternatively, grill on a hot barbecue for 5 minutes each side and then finish in a 170°C oven for 25 to 30 minutes  or until cooked through.

If you’re cooking pork in a smoker over medium heat it will take around 2–3 hours. Alternatively, grill on a barbecue for 5 minutes each side and then finish in a 170°C oven for 3.5 hours or until cooked through.

To make the jerk sauce, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with the meat and tropical slaw.

Recipe from Food Safari Fire by Maeve O'Meara (Hardie Grant, hbk, $55).  Photography by Toufic Charabati.

For more on Food Safari Fire visit the program page for recipes, videos and more.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.