Jerk Chicken

Hey

I'm looking for a really good Jerk Chicken recipe. The woman in the cafeteria at work is from Jamaica and makes it about once a week. She won't part with her recipe. Several attempts on google have given me inferior recipes.

Any Islanders out there willing to part with the family secret??

DT

Wheres Tiki when you need him?

If you don't mind cheating some, buy some Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning. It's a paste that you rub on. Leave it on overnight; thinning with orange juice or rum if you don't want it to scortch your mouth.
I's probably better than 90% of all home mades. A large grocery store will carry it and if not, any good hot sauce outlet will have it. It's amazing stuff and what I try to copy when I make my homemade (which I won't give out either)
The key to a great homemade is fresh thyme, scotch bonnet or habanero's, green onions and crushed allspice in a food processor or blender. Some recipe's call for Maggi's or soy sauce. I don't use that, I use fresh lime juice; enough to make a paste. Feel free to add garlic but I don't. I also do not use brown sugar, salt, cinnamon or ginger but some do but in moderation only. Dried spices and any other pepper will leave you with a poor product. Fresh thyme, green onions, allspice and the right peppers are the key. Sysco makes a passable but mild dry seasoning that our local bar uses to make "Jamaican" jerk chicken wings which are pretty good for the states. Let me know how yours turns out. Ya mon!

I've been told to use chipotles in adobo sauce for the heat. I'm wondering if it's any good. I could see where the smoked peppers would add a very interesting dimension to it.

DT

quote:

Originally posted by MilwFoodlovers

If you don't mind cheating some, buy some Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning. It's a paste that you rub on. Leave it on overnight; thinning with orange juice or rum if you don't want it to scortch your mouth.
I's probably better than 90% of all home mades. A large grocery store will carry it and if not, any good hot sauce outlet will have it. It's amazing stuff and what I try to copy when I make my homemade (which I won't give out either)
The key to a great homemade is fresh thyme, scotch bonnet or habanero's, green onions and crushed allspice in a food processor or blender. Some recipe's call for Maggi's or soy sauce. I don't use that, I use fresh lime juice; enough to make a paste. Feel free to add garlic but I don't. I also do not use brown sugar, salt, cinnamon or ginger but some do but in moderation only. Dried spices and any other pepper will leave you with a poor product. Fresh thyme, green onions, allspice and the right peppers are the key. Sysco makes a passable but mild dry seasoning that our local bar uses to make "Jamaican" jerk chicken wings which are pretty good for the states. Let me know how yours turns out. Ya mon!

Definitely thin it out IMO. My brother in law made some jerk chicken once using a paste(no thinner), marinated it for 2 hours, grilled it. I thougt I was gonna die. I raved about it all the while wishing I never put it in my mouth. He actually gave me a jar....

I can vouch for the Walkerswood, good stuff, doesn't it have to be stored refrigerated though? I was just thinking that might also limit the places that carry it.

Nashville's farmer's market has a Jamaican stall that carries it and other products, as well as offering cooked jerk chicken take-out.

I thought the heat was pretty moderate (of course I'm comparing to Princes, Boos etc...), very tasty though. I need to pick up some more.

While I like chipotles in adobo, I'm a real traditonalist about my jerk. I've been down there over twenty times and I like the taste of the scotch bonnet (or habanero). Walkerswood doesn't need refrigeration until its been opened. You really control the heat by how much or little you thin it along with how long you do it.

Jerk Chicken

Serves 4 to 6

6 spring onions

1 to 3 scotch bonnet peppers, according to your tolerance for spice

2 teaspoons allspice berries or 1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup cane vinegar or white-malt vinegar

1 teaspoon oil

one 2 1/2 -pound chicken

lime or lemon juice for washing chicken (about 1 cup)

Mash all the ingredients except the chicken and juice with a mortar and pestle. This will make about 2/3 cup of marinade.

Wash the chicken with lime or lemon juice and pat dry. Cut into pieces. Rub the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate overnight. The next day, grill the chicken, cooking it over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Lower the heat, cover the grill and cook for another 20 minutes.

Per serving (based on 6 servings): 230 calories, 24 grams protein, 14 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 1 gramfiber, 74 milligrams cholesterol, 364 milligrams sodium


From "Eat Caribbean: The Best of Caribbean Cookery," by Virginia Burke

Thanks Greymo... saved and will be used.

Casper