Jamaican Jerk Chicken
Smoky, fiery, intensely aromatic: chicken marinated in a paste of Scotch bonnet, allspice (pimento), thyme, ginger, and scallion, then grilled low over wood until charred at the edges and falling-tender within.
Blend Scotch bonnet, scallion, garlic, ginger, thyme, ground allspice, and a little soy, lime, and brown sugar into a jerk paste. Marinate bone-in chicken at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. Grill skin-side down low and slow over indirect heat (with pimento wood or wood chips if you can) 35–45 minutes, turning, until charred and cooked through.
- Allspice (pimento) is the soul of jerk — ground allspice plus, if possible, pimento wood smoke.
- Scotch bonnet brings the heat AND a fruity aroma you can't get from other chilies. Handle with gloves.
- Low and slow over indirect heat, not a fast hot grill — that's how the skin chars without the inside drying out.
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Grill (charcoal ideal) or oven + broiler
- Gloves (for the Scotch bonnet)
Ингредиенты
Jerk marinade
- 2–3 Scotch bonnet peppers, stemmed (deseed for less heat)
- 6 scallions, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 thumb ginger, peeled
- 10 g fresh thyme leaves
- 8 g ground allspice (pimento)
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground nutmeg
- 45 ml soy sauce
- 30 ml lime juice
- 20 g brown sugar
- 30 ml neutral oil
- 5 g salt
Chicken
- 1.2 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken (thighs, drumsticks, or quarters)
Приготовление
- ШАГ01
Put all marinade ingredients in a blender and blitz to a coarse paste. Wear gloves — Scotch bonnet oils burn skin and eyes. Taste cautiously; it should be punchy, sweet, hot, and intensely aromatic.
- ШАГ02
Score the chicken a few times to the bone. Rub the paste all over and into the cuts, reserving a few spoonfuls. Marinate covered in the fridge at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- ШАГ03
For charcoal: bank the coals to one side. For gas: heat one side. For oven: heat to 180°C / 360°F. If you have pimento wood or wood chips, get them smoking.
- ШАГ04
Place the chicken skin-side down over the cooler (indirect) side, not directly over the flame. Cover and cook 35–45 minutes, turning every 10 minutes and basting with reserved marinade, until the juices run clear (74°C / 165°F at the bone).
- ШАГ05
For the final 3–5 minutes, move the chicken directly over the hot side (or under a broiler) to blister and char the skin. Watch closely — the sugar burns fast.
- ШАГ06
Rest 5 minutes, then chop into pieces the Jamaican way (through the bone) and serve with the charred edges showing.
Make ahead
Marinate overnight for the deepest flavor — the longer the better up to 24 hours. The jerk paste can be made days ahead and freezes well.
Storage
4 days refrigerated. Reheats well in a hot oven. The marinade keeps 1 week refrigerated, or freeze it in portions.
Variations
Jerk pork
Use pork shoulder steaks or a whole shoulder, cooked low until tender — the traditional jerk meat alongside chicken.
Oven + broiler
No grill? Roast at 180°C / 360°F for 40 minutes, then broil to char. You lose the smoke but keep the flavor (add ½ tsp smoked paprika to compensate).
Milder
Use 1 deseeded Scotch bonnet, or substitute a milder habanero-adjacent chili. The allspice and thyme still carry it.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Частые вопросы
What is allspice and can I substitute it?
Allspice (called pimento in Jamaica) is a single dried berry that tastes like a blend of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg — it's the defining flavor of jerk. Ground allspice is essential. A makeshift blend of cinnamon + clove + nutmeg approximates it but real allspice is worth buying.
How hot is it really?
Authentic jerk is genuinely hot — Scotch bonnet is among the hottest common chilies. Two to three peppers is traditional. Deseed them or use just one for a milder version; the fruity aroma comes through even with less heat.
Do I need pimento wood?
Traditional Jamaican jerk is smoked over pimento (allspice) wood, which adds an irreplaceable aroma. You can't easily get it elsewhere — wood chips, or even just good charcoal and ground allspice in the marinade, get you most of the way there.
Why cook it low and slow?
Jerk is barbecue, not a quick grill. Low, indirect heat lets the thick marinade and bone-in chicken cook through and the skin char gradually without the sugar burning or the meat drying out. Then a final blast over direct heat chars it.
Can I do it in the oven?
Yes — roast at 180°C / 360°F for about 40 minutes, then finish under the broiler to char. You'll miss the smoke, so add a little smoked paprika to the marinade to compensate.
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