The JERK Thread

My old favorite was some stuff from Mo Hotta Mo Betta, which I found at their store in the Mall of America. But this is even better.

What's your favorite jerk rub/marinade, and your favorite meats and prep methods?

I like Walker's Wood, which is made in Jamaica. Marinate overnight in the WW, and near the end of cooking put on a little ordinary American style barbecue sauce. This is how I had it in Jamaica, and according to an article I read in the airplane mag on the way there, that's how it's normally done. They had what looked like a good recipe for jerking chicken in the mag and I figured I'd get it on the way back, but my stay extended into the next magazine cycle and that issue was nowhere to be found.

like it? i LOVE it!

dudes does anybody mix up they own blend of this spice mixture? i would like to see yr recipes

here is the one i crafted for my chicken last night:
one medium yellow onion
a thumb of ginger
3 cloves of garlic
a couple jalapenos (i couldn't find scotch bonnets and didn't want too hot)
juice of one lemon (we didn't have limes)
2 tbsp dried rosemary (subbed for thyme)
blitz the shit out of then add
1 tsp ea of nutmeg and cinnamon
5 cloves, ground
a handful of freshly ground allspice
1 tbsp of kosher salt
100 grinds of black pepper (perhaps = 1-2 tbsp)
1 tbsp each of white vinegar and orange juice
blitz to nice paste consistency.
then i used about 1/2 cup of this paste diluted more with 1:1 orange juice and vinegar (perhaps 1/2 cup)
also added maybe 1 tbsp grain mustard and 1/4 cup vegtable oil to make a marinade for chicken
marinated 4 hours, then charcoal grilled using direct grilling to char surface and then indirect to glaze brushed on marinade to the surface of the chicken.
this recipe did not blow my mind but it was quite good. come summer i will tinker with it some more for sure as i do enjoy jerk chicken!

I don't do my own mix, my post from way back still holds --

I started the thread because I've found my new favorite jerk seasonings — the hot and mild varieties have different brand names, weirdly enough, but they're both made by a company called Tijule. The hot one is Juliana and the milder version is Nel's Old Time.

So f'in good, and the hot is hot enough to make you see into next week.

jerkin like 3/1 tonite again now! w/ Hamm's

i have a special purpose!

update pls - jdchurchill do you still stand by that recipe?

dude it's alright. i have been digging around and found this thread as well
when i used up what was left my gurl and me agreed that the flavor was ok but shoulda been mo spicey
will report when i do jerk again tho

6 habanero peppers
3 tablespoons freshly ground allspice
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
8 cloves garlic
1 1/2 yellow onions
1/2 C dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt
juice of 2 limes + zest
2 tablespoons soy sauce

blitz. dilute 6-8 spoons with 1/4c cider vinegar, 1/2c orange juice. marinate yr meat for 8hrs or more. grill with some wood. mmm

Gotta get my grill back working again.

I always add some neutral oil, usually canola, to my meat marinades. It doesn't impede the flavor getting in, and it helps keep the meats from scorching. worthwhile/worthless?

yo oil the meat and oil the grate

Canola oil in marinade is absolutely ok.

Everybody is forgetting to throw some allspice on the fire itself, though. Do that.

i've been throwing allspice at everything lately

totally addicted to jerk chicken. have mine marinating since yesterday, can't wait to smell the wood smoke and jerk combinations later