Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe
Sun hanging low directly above, I tong the last of the juicy chicken off my half barrel grill, eyes and mouth watering from the smoke and spice. A scoop of rice, and I head to the hammock. The sweet desert breeze refreshes my hand as I free an ESB from the confines of the cooler. After a pop and a pour, I tear into the chicken while my beer settles. Succulent warmth, island aromatics, crisp char. The heat is building, so I take a pull off the pint. The piquant citrusy hops raise the temperature and the tang until the caramel malts balance it out, leaving a sweet herbal pimento wood undertone. With the chicken turned to bone, I revitalize my fire licked lips with each subsequent quaff until the day fades into dream.
Just as you can bring the island to your hammock, you can also bring the brewery to your home with ourCamilla's Folly recipe. This is an excellent example of an ESB, balanced English hops and malts plying for your attention. Camilla finally got her prince and so can you.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¾ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup orange juice
- Juice of one lime
- 1 T ground allspice
- 1 T dried thyme
- 1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp ground sage
- ¾ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 T kosher salt
- 2 T garlic powder
- 1 T sugar
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), rough chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion, rough chopped
- 3 green onions, rough chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 ½lb whole chicken (or 4 chicken breasts)
- Pimento wood (if available)
- In a blender, combine soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice, and lime juice. Add the allspice, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, garlic powder and sugar. Add scotch bonnet, yellow onion, green onion, and blend, pulsing until smooth. With blender on high, slowly add olive oil. Set aside.
- If using whole chicken, cleave into 4 parts. Place in a non-metal dish and rub sauce into chicken, saving some for basting and dipping later. Cover and marinate overnight in refrigerator.
- Grill over charcoal (with pimento wood if available), turning and basting frequently until fully cooked.