Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Grilling season does not have to be limited to basting every conceivable type of meat known to man with barbeque sauce. For something a bit different, try todays recipe for Jamaican style Jerk chicken. Yes there are a lot of ingredients, and yes there is some prep to be done in advance. But trust me when I tell you the end result is more than worth the small effort. This dish is typically served with rice and beans and a green salad. Here is a brief history on the Jerk:

(No, not Steve Martin! .... The new phonebooks are here, I'm somebody!!)

Sorry, I digress. But if you know what I am talking about, then have a laugh with me!

"Jerk Chicken is believed to have been conceived when the Maroons introduced African meat cooking techniques to Jamaica which were combined with native Jamaican ingredients and seasonings used by the Arawak. The method of smoking meat for a long period of time served two practical purposes, keeping insects away from the raw meat and preserving it for longer once it has been cooked. This process also introduces a strong smoky flavour to the meat. There are two commonly held theories regarding how the name "Jerk" came to be used. One is that it originates from the Spanish word "Charqui", used to describe dried meat. Over time this term evolved from "Charqui" to "Jerky" to "Jerk". Another theory is that the name derives from the practice of jerking (poking) holes in the meat to fill with spices prior to cooking. Nowadays, the word "Jerk" is used as a noun to describe the seasoning applied to jerked food and as a verb to describe the process of cooking used. " © 2006 Jamaica Travel and Culture .com

JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN

Yield : 4 SERVINGS


INGREDIENTS:

4 bone-in chicken quarters
juice of one fresh lime
¼ cup orange juice
½ cup cider or cane vinegar
¼ cup Pickapeppa sauce *
¼ cup light olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 green onion, finely chopped
1 t Ground allspice
1 tbl. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsps. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground sage
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbl. fresh minced garlic
1 tbl. light brown sugar
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded & minced **


TECHNIQUE:

Combine all ingredients, starting with liquids first, and whisk together. Pour over chicken quarters and marinate overnight, or at least 4 hours. Just before grilling, sprinkle with kosher salt to taste. Grill for 45 minutes or until internal temp. reaches minimum 165 degrees. An alternate cooking method would be to sear the chicken in a cast iron skillet to get a nice dark crust, and then finish cooking in the oven at 325 degrees.

NOTES:

*Pickapeppa, or “Jamaican Ketchup” is a blend of tomatoes, onions, sugar, cane vinegar, mangos, raisins, tamarind, peppers, and spices. I LOVE this stuff.

**Scotch bonnet peppers are traditional, but VERY spicy. Substitute jalapenos if desired.