Authentic Jamaican Jerk chicken – how can you make it easy?
I visited at one of the south’s most authentic jerk festivals to try to get some tricks on spices that will unlock authentic Jamaican Jerk flavor. I learned some basics:
Most often you’ll get leg quarters… With the skin scored… Jerk spice rub is typically a fiery blend of allspice, Scotch bonnet peppers and sometimes scallion, thyme, ginger, even rum. The folks i talked to in the video were big into escovitch (pickled vegetables).
The habanero is the standard scotch bonnet substitute- they are different, but the same species. When ripe, the Scotch bonnet looks sort of like a little squashed reddish orange paper lantern.
flickr-Jason Smith
After some research (tasty research) I adapted this rub and here’s how to make it at home…
Good news is the leg quarters are really affordable.. Start with that. I used half Chickens here but the breast is less forgiving than the dark meat – that’s why competition BBQ teams use thighs exclusively… I also used the remaining sauce in the small blender after coating chicken and added 4 tablespoons of cane syrup and 4 tablespoons of texas pete plus another habanero and blended to create a VERY hot but wonderful hot sauce. Great flavor.
JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN 4 chicken leg quarters
¼ cup canola oil
2 Tbsp whole Allspice Berries (pimento berries)
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp salt
8 cloves
6 sliced habanero peppers
¼ cup cane syrup
1 green onion, chopped Score chicken and heat smoker to 275°F. Brush the chicken with canola oil. Combine the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth and sticky. Use apple or cherry wood chips for a sweet smoked flavor and throw in a few of the whole allspice berries as well. Brush mixture on chicken and under skin. Smoke approximately 45 minutes – 1 hour. Remove chicken from the smoker when the temperature is 160°F and let it stand about 10 minutes so it will be at the targeted temperature of 165°F by the time you are ready to eat. Baste with additional jerk seasoning before serving.
