Jerk Chicken

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Authentic Jamaican jerk chicken marinated in a fiery paste of scotch bonnet, allspice (pimento) and thyme, then grilled low and slow over a smoky fire for an iconic char and bold flavour.

Prep

30 min

Cook

75 min

Total

105 min

Serves

4-6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 kg (3¼ lb) whole chicken, cut into halves or quarters, skin-on, bone-in for authentic flavour
• •60 g (½ cup) scotch bonnet chillies, stems removed; wear gloves to handle. Habaneros are the closest substitute
• •30 g (¼ cup) allspice berries (pimento), freshly toasted and ground - essential to authentic jerk
• •20 g (4 large sprigs) fresh thyme, leaves only
• •60 g (½ cup) scallions, roughly chopped, both white and green parts
• •6 g (4 cloves) garlic
• •30 g (1 thumb) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• •15 g (1 tbsp) black peppercorns, freshly cracked
• •5 g (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
• •5 g (1 tsp) ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce, or tamari
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) neutral oil, vegetable or grapeseed
• •60 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed, about 2 limes
• •10 g (2 tsp) salt, or to taste
• •15 g (1 tbsp) brown sugar, optional - adds caramelisation

Steps

1. 1 SAFETY FIRST: Wear disposable gloves when handling scotch bonnets and do not touch your face. Wash hands and any utensils thoroughly after preparation.
2. 2 Toast the allspice berries and black peppercorns in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
3. 3 Make the marinade: combine scotch bonnets, allspice, peppercorns, thyme, scallions, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, soy sauce, oil, lime juice, salt and brown sugar in a blender. Blend to a coarse paste, adding 1-2 tablespoons water if needed. Set aside about 4 tablespoons of marinade, before it touches any raw chicken, in a small covered container in the fridge for basting later.
4. 4 Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, make 3-4 deep slashes through the flesh down to the bone on each piece - this allows the marinade to penetrate fully.
5. 5 Coat the chicken thoroughly with the remaining marinade, rubbing it into every cut and under the skin where possible. Place in a non-reactive dish, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, preferably 24 hours.
6. 6 REMOVE chicken from fridge 45 minutes before cooking to bring closer to room temperature.
7. 7 Prepare a grill for indirect, low-heat cooking at roughly 150-170°C (300-340°F). If using a charcoal grill, add soaked pimento wood or fruit wood (apple, cherry) to the coals for authentic smoke. Gas grills cannot replicate traditional pimento smoke - soak pimento or hardwood chips in water for 30 minutes and place in a smoker box as the closest substitute.
8. 8 Place chicken skin-side up on the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat). Close the lid and cook slowly, maintaining a low temperature. Turn occasionally and baste with the reserved clean marinade. Cook for 45-60 minutes. If you want to use the marinade that touched the raw chicken instead, pour it into a small pan and boil it hard for at least 1 minute first, then use it as a baste or spoon it over at the table, never as a raw sauce.
9. 9 Move the chicken to direct, medium heat for the final 5-10 minutes to char the skin, watching carefully to prevent burning the spices. Discard any remaining basting marinade that has sat out at room temperature.
10. 10 TEST FOR DONENESS - chicken is SAFE only when the thickest part of the thigh reads 75°C (165°F) on an instant-read thermometer and the juices run clear with no pink near the bone. The meat should pull easily from the bone.
11. 11 Remove from heat and tent loosely with foil. Rest for 10 minutes before serving - this keeps meat juicy.
12. 12 Serve traditionally with rice and peas, festival or fried plantain, and a wedge of fresh lime. The natural drippings can be poured over the rice.