Jerk Chicken

Name: Jerk Chicken
Prep time: 780 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 860 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients: 1.8 kg chicken leg quarters (skin on, bone in, split into thighs and drumsticks); 8 stalks scallions (roughly chopped, green and white parts); 4 whole Scotch bonnet peppers (stems removed, seeds left in for full heat); 1 whole small onion (roughly chopped); 6 cloves garlic (peeled); 30 g fresh ginger (peeled and sliced); 2 tbsp whole pimento (allspice) berries (for the marinade); 10 sprigs fresh thyme (leaves stripped); 1 tsp black peppercorns (freshly ground); 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg; 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 60 ml fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes); 2 tbsp white vinegar; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 tsp salt; 2 tbsp extra whole pimento (allspice) berries (optional, soaked in water, for smoking on the coals)

Serves 6 · 860 min · Jamaican

Ingredients

1.8 kg chicken leg quarters
8 stalks scallions
4 Scotch bonnet peppers
1 small onion
6 cloves garlic
30 g fresh ginger
2 tbsp whole pimento (allspice) berries
10 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp black peppercorns
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
60 ml fresh lime juice
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp extra whole pimento (allspice) berries

Method

01
Toast the pimento Put the whole pimento berries for the marinade in a dry pan over medium heat and toast them, shaking the pan, until they smell fragrant.
02
Grind the spices Grind the toasted pimento berries and the black peppercorns to a coarse powder in a mortar or spice grinder.
03
Blend the marinade Put the scallions, Scotch bonnets, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme leaves, ground pimento and pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, vinegar, oil and salt in a blender and blend to a thick, slightly coarse paste.
04
Score the chicken Cut two or three deep slashes into each piece of chicken, down to the bone, so the marinade can soak in.
05
Marinate overnight Rub the paste all over the chicken and deep into the cuts, then cover and refrigerate for at least twelve hours.
06
Bring to room temperature Take the chicken out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the fire.
07
Light the coals Light a charcoal grill and pile the coals on one side only, so you have a hot side and a cooler side, and wait until the coals are covered in grey ash.
08
Cook slowly with the lid on Place the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill, away from the coals, close the lid and let it cook slowly.
09
Turn and baste Turn the pieces over, brush them with any leftover marinade, close the lid again and keep cooking on the cooler side.
10
Char over the coals Move the chicken over the hot coals and cook for about four minutes on each side until the skin is blackened in spots and the juices run clear.
11
Rest and chop Let the chicken rest for five minutes, then chop it into smaller pieces with a heavy knife, the way jerk pits serve it, alongside hard dough bread or festival.

Method

Toast the pimento

Put the whole pimento berries for the marinade in a dry pan over medium heat and toast them, shaking the pan, until they smell fragrant.

Take them off as soon as they smell sweet and spicy. Burnt berries make the marinade bitter.

Toast the pimento · 2 min

Grind the spices

Grind the toasted pimento berries and the black peppercorns to a coarse powder in a mortar or spice grinder.

Blend the marinade

Put the scallions, Scotch bonnets, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme leaves, ground pimento and pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, vinegar, oil and salt in a blender and blend to a thick, slightly coarse paste.

Wear gloves when handling Scotch bonnets and keep your hands away from your eyes. If you cannot find Scotch bonnets, habanero peppers are the closest substitute.

Score the chicken

Cut two or three deep slashes into each piece of chicken, down to the bone, so the marinade can soak in.

Marinate overnight

Rub the paste all over the chicken and deep into the cuts, then cover and refrigerate for at least twelve hours.

Overnight is what gives jerk its flavour all the way through. Four hours is the absolute minimum if you are short on time.

Marinate overnight · 720 min

Bring to room temperature

Take the chicken out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the fire.

Bring to room temperature · 30 min

Light the coals

Light a charcoal grill and pile the coals on one side only, so you have a hot side and a cooler side, and wait until the coals are covered in grey ash.

Jerk pits burn pimento wood. At home, scatter the soaked extra pimento berries and a few thyme stems over the coals just before cooking to get a similar smoke.

Light the coals · 20 min

Cook slowly with the lid on

Place the chicken skin side up on the cooler side of the grill, away from the coals, close the lid and let it cook slowly.

With no grill, bake on a rack at one hundred ninety degrees Celsius for about forty five minutes, then finish under a hot grill to char.

Cook slowly with the lid on · 35 min

Turn and baste

Turn the pieces over, brush them with any leftover marinade, close the lid again and keep cooking on the cooler side.

Turn and baste · 10 min

Char over the coals

Move the chicken over the hot coals and cook for about four minutes on each side until the skin is blackened in spots and the juices run clear.

Watch closely here because the sugar in the marinade burns fast. The thickest part of a thigh should read seventy five degrees Celsius.

Char over the coals · 8 min

Rest and chop

Let the chicken rest for five minutes, then chop it into smaller pieces with a heavy knife, the way jerk pits serve it, alongside hard dough bread or festival.

Rest and chop · 5 min

Jerk Chicken

Ingredients

Method

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