Jamaican Jerk Chicken: Scotch Bonnet, Allspice and Smoky Char

Where Jerk Chicken Comes From

Jerk is a cooking style from Jamaica, and it has deep roots. The Taíno, the island's Indigenous people, smoked meat over fires. Later, the Maroons, Africans who escaped slavery and built communities in Jamaica's mountains, developed methods of seasoning and slow-cooking meat over pimento wood in pits, which helped preserve it and kept their cooking fires discreet. Over time these techniques became the jerk known today.

Jerk seasoning is defined by two ingredients: scotch bonnet chillies, which bring fruity, intense heat, and allspice, known in Jamaica as pimento. Thyme, spring onions, garlic and ginger round out the flavour. In Jamaica, jerk chicken is often cooked over pimento wood on grills made from oil drums. A home barbecue or even a hot oven can still produce excellent, smoky, charred chicken if you marinate it well.

Serves: 4–6  |  Prep: 20 minutes, plus 12–24 hours marinating  |  Cook: 45 minutes

Ingredients

Jerk marinade

• 2–4 scotch bonnet chillies, stemmed (use fewer for milder heat)
• 6 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2.5 cm (1 in) piece of ginger
• 1 tbsp ground allspice or 2 tbsp whole allspice berries, toasted and ground
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp dried
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon and ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce
• Juice of 2 limes
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil
• 1½ tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper

Chicken

• 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in, skin on
• Lime wedges, to serve

Method

1. Wear gloves to handle scotch bonnets. Blend all the marinade ingredients until fairly smooth.
2. Cut two or three deep slashes into each piece of chicken so the marinade can penetrate.
3. Rub the marinade all over the chicken and into the cuts. Set aside a few tablespoons for basting. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, ideally 24.
4. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
5. To grill: set up a barbecue for two-zone cooking, with coals on one side. If you have them, add soaked allspice berries or wood chips to the coals for smoke. Sear the chicken over direct heat for 3–4 minutes per side, then move it to the cooler side, cover, and cook for 30–35 minutes until cooked through.
6. To roast: heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Roast the chicken on a rack set over a tray for 35–40 minutes, then finish under a hot grill (broiler) for 3–5 minutes until charred in places.
7. Baste with the reserved marinade during the last 10 minutes. The chicken is ready when the juices run clear and the internal temperature near the bone reaches 74°C (165°F).
8. Rest for 5 minutes, then chop into pieces and serve with lime wedges.

Tips for Success

• Scotch bonnets are very hot. Remove the seeds and pale membranes for less heat, or substitute habaneros, which have a similar fruity flavour.
• Long marinating is what gives jerk its depth. Overnight makes a noticeable difference.
• Embrace the char. Dark, slightly blackened spots are part of jerk's appeal, but avoid burning the chicken over flames that are too hot.
• Wash hands, knives and boards thoroughly after handling the chillies, and avoid touching your eyes.

Variations

Jerk pork is just as traditional and works especially well with pork shoulder or belly. The marinade also suits prawns, fish, tofu, cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Reduce marinating time to 30 minutes for seafood.

For a milder, family-friendly version, use one deseeded scotch bonnet and add a little more brown sugar and lime.

How to Serve

Rice and peas, made with kidney beans, coconut milk and thyme, is the classic side. Fried or grilled ripe plantain, festival (sweet fried dumplings), coleslaw and hard dough bread are also popular.

Balance the heat with a cold drink such as ginger beer, sorrel or a fruit punch. Leftover jerk chicken is excellent in wraps, salads or fried rice.

Jerk marinade keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for about a week, so it is worth making a double batch. Use the extra on burgers, grilled vegetables or a weeknight tray of roast chicken wings, which need only a few hours of marinating and about 40 minutes in a hot oven.