Jerk Seasoning Recipe (5 Minutes!) - Wholesome Yum (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between jerk and jamaican jerk? ›

Jerk basically refers to a type of meat, whether it is chicken, pork, beef, fish, goat, fruit or vegetables, and in Negril, Jamaica, a Jamaican jerk is referring to how the food is cooked. This delicious style of cooking refers to using a paste or marinade that will at least include pimento.

It's wonderfully spicy, smoky, and fragrant — everything you want jerk chicken to be. But what puts this one above all others? The key is including five-spice powder in the marinade, a Chinese spice blend made of cinnamon, fennel seed, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns, and star anise.

Jerk seasoning is a blend of garlic powder or granules, onion powder, dried thyme, ground allspice, ground ginger, cayenne pepper, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, smoked paprika, ground cloves, ground white pepper, and dark brown sugar.

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix together paprika, garlic powder, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Generously coat on your choice of protein and cook. Serve and enjoy.

Here are some of the most common types of jerk meat: Jerk Chicken: This is one of the most popular types of jerk meat. Chicken is marinated in a blend of spices and then grilled or roasted to a crisp. Jerk Pork: Pork is a delicious and versatile meat that works well with the bold flavors of jerk seasoning.

Jerk seasoning principally consists of allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers. Other ingredients may include cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and salt.

Preparing Jerk Chicken in Advance

It marinates overnight, so the work of creating the marinade happens a day before you cook it. You can even make the marinade up to a week in advance and refrigerate it. We don't recommend cooking the chicken in advance, because it will lose some of its crispness and juiciness.

Jerk sauce contains paprika and allspice for antioxidants, cayenne pepper for reducing blood pressure, garlic for immune boosting, nutmeg to aid in digestion and sleep, cinnamon for lowering blood sugar and cholesterol, vitamin C from citrus plus many more!

Jerk chicken is one of the healthier options if consumed in a balanced diet that consists of fibrous and complex carbohydrates. The chicken itself is a lean meat and is one of the healthiest options, especially if you opt for chicken breast.

Health benefits of the Jamaican jerk chicken

The allspice seasoning is healthy. It helps digestion. On the other hand, thyme spice kills certain bacteria producing inflammations. Cinnamon is used in the recipe helping to relieve arthritis pain.

What goes well with jerk chicken? ›

A: No, Creole seasoning and jerk seasoning are different. Creole seasoning originated in Louisiana and is a blend of spices that includes peppers, onions, and garlic. Jerk seasoning is a Caribbean spice blend that typically includes allspice, cinnamon, and scotch bonnets.

While pimento wood is the traditional wood used for Jamaican Jerk, Manchester Barbecue Pellets can be used as a substitute. To make up for the lack of pimento wood, you will need to add a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove to the spice blend used in the marinade.

A: The jerk seasoning is a thick paste that you rub in and is best to leave on for a day or more before cooking. Use sparingly! Gives wonderful flavor throughout. The marinade, which I haven't tried yet, is thinner and you can cook right away.

How Long Can I Store Jamaican Jerk Seasoning? Jerk seasoning can be safely kept in your pantry, if stored properly for about 1 to 2 years.

The word jerk reportedly stems from the Spanish charqui, meaning dried strips of meat similar to the modern-day jerky. In Jamaica, jerk chicken is famous for its pungent marinade, marked by allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers, which are similar to habanero chili peppers.

They're very different. Jerk is BBQ, which tends to be spicy, salty, often a bit sweet, with allspice. Curry is a saucy dish that comes in MANY forms, which tend to be more savory IMO, often having cardamom & turmeric. They're both great.

Sweet, smoky, fiery, and fruity, jerk has a flavor that is as nuanced as its history. And while it's famously delicious on chicken, it's downright profound on eggplant, potatoes, and corn. I first sampled true jerk almost twelve years ago during a visit to Jamaica.

"Whilst BBQ tends to be sweet and smoky, jerk seasoning incorporates savoury and sour flavours followed by a spicy peppery kick from the scotch bonnet peppers," he tells The Independent.