2024-05-15
Headlines

JAMAICAN JERK SEASONING

admin013 mins

JAMAICAN JERK SEASONING

Jerk Seasoning is a dry spice blend from Jamaican, but also popular in the Cayman Islands and throughout the Caribbean. Jerk seasoning is unapologetically bold, packed with aromatic onion and garlic powder, laced with smoky-sweetness from the smoked paprika, herbaceous earthiness from the parsley and thyme, spicy pungency from the ginger, warm, nutty, notes from the allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg, a kiss of sweetness from the brown sugar all punctuated by fiery heat from the cayenne pepper (or ground habanero pepper if you live for heat).
The combination of seasonings may seem odd, but expertly walks the tightrope of heat, dimension, and complexity.

WHAT IS JERK?

Jerk refers to a style of cooking in which the main ingredient (anything from chicken to beef to seafood to vegetables) is either coated in jerk seasonings or marinated with jerk seasonings.  In the traditional method, the protein is then cooked over the aromatic wood of the pimenta dioica, Jamaica’s allspice tree native to the Caribbean, imbuing it with smoky undertones and enhancing the heat.

The name jerk, is the Spanish version of an Andean dialect word for dried meat, ch’arki, meaning dried strips of meat similar to the modern-day jerky.

WHERE IS JERK SEASONING FROM?

The origins of Jerk Seasoning are twofold, starting with the jerk method of cooking.  The native people of the Caribbean, the Taíno people, used the aromatic pimento wood from local island trees to cook and smoke their food, imparting that authentic allspice flavor.

The method of cooking Jerk Chicken in smoking pits and the distinctive seasonings of native Scotch bonnet peppers, sweet allspice berries, thyme and ginger, however, is credited to escaped African slaves in the 1600s, today referred to as Maroons.  Groups of African slaves had been brought to Jamaica by both the English and Spanish to work the sugar plantations.  When they escaped, they mingled with the Taínos, who taught them the jerk way of cooking.

Today, Jerk Seasoning celebrates the flavors of the Caribbean and strives to approximates the flavors produced by grilling over pimento wood in a quicker, easier spice rub.  Scotch bonnet peppers are traditionally swapped for ground habanero peppers, although we are using tamer cayenne and black pepper in this recipe, and the pimento wood is replicated with the ground allspice, combined with other warming spices of cinnamon and nutmeg, and of course, plenty of ginger, thyme and smoked paprika.  The resulting earthy, sweet, and spicy blend of exotic flavors will whisk you away to the Caribbean!

top view of a diagram of labeled jerk seasoning in a bowl

INGREDIENTS IN JAMAICAN JERK SEASONING

Jerk Seasoning is one of the most flavorful seasonings out there made with easy-to-find, pantry friendly seasonings.  If you don’t already own all of the seasonings called for, I highly suggest you add them to your pantry – they are staples you will use all the time!  Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:

  • Aromatics: onion powder and garlic powder

  • Heat: cayenne pepper

  • Spices: smoked paprika, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, ground ginger

  • Herbs: dried parsley and dried thyme

  • Seasonings:  salt and pepper

  • Sugar:  light brown sugar

DIY JERK SEASONING RECIPE

  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder.  Garlic powder is made from dehydrated garlic and lends the signature, garlicky flavor that compliments the heat.  

  • 1 tablespoon onion powder.  Onion powder is dehydrated, ground onion to bring the pungent onion flavor.

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar.  This balances and compliments the heat and warm spices.

  • 2-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper. Really spicy blends use dried habanero peppers, but we are sticking with more palatable cayenne pepper.  2 teaspoons is medium spicy and 3 teaspoons is probably more of what you think of as spicy Jerk Seasoning.

  • 2 teaspoons black pepper.  This adds a peppery kick without the fiery heat of cayenne pepper.

  • 2 teaspoons salt.  Use regular table salt. Enough salt is crucial to enhance the rest of the seasonings or your spice blend will taste bland no matter how much it’s loaded with spices!

  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika. Smoked paprika is rich, mild, sweet, and smoky made from smoked pimento peppers dried over oak fires then crushed.  It is not spicy, just flavorful.

  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger.   Adds a spicy, zingy depth.

  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley.  The bright, herbaceous, clean and slightly bitter taste cuts through the warm earthiness of the spice blend.

  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme.   The minty earthiness with sharp grass, wood, and floral notes cuts through the warm spices.  

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice.  The people of the Caribbean named the berries from pimenta dioica, Jamaica’s allspice tree, allspice because they thought they tasted like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and pepper. Allspice is crucial to the authentic Jerk Seasoning taste because it replicates the pimento wood Jerk seasoned meat is usually cooked on so please don’t skip it!

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Spicy, sweet, warm and woody that’s pungent and slightly bitter.  You use it commonly in baked goods, now see how it adds that something-something to savory dishes as well!

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Just a little goes a long way with nutmeg. It’s nutty, warm and slightly sweet, rounding out the warming spices in a big way.

top view of showing how to make Jamaican Jerk seasoning by whisking the seasonings together in a bowl

HOW TO MAKE JAMAICAN JERK SEASONING

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is easy to make in 5 minutes!  See detailed measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Gather seasonings.  Measure out the seasonings and add them to a small bowl. This is the step when you can double or triple the recipe – measure once and enjoy many times over!

  • Mix the seasonings.  Whisk the seasonings together with a fork or wire whisk until thoroughly combined.  That’s it!

HOW TO STORE JAMAICAN JERK SEASONING

This recipe will make about ½ cup which is perfect to fit in an empty spice jar, small sealable bag or any airtight container.  Once your seasoning is secure, label and store it in a cool, dry place away from heat and moisture like the pantry.

HOW LONG WILL JERK SEASONING LAST?

If you make this Jerk seasoning with newly purchased spices, it has the potential to last up to 3 years, but will gradually lose potency over time.  If you if make the recipe with spices that have been sitting in your pantry for a while, it will last closer to 1 to 2 years.

As a general rule, ground spices will last for about 2 to 3 years and dried herbs for 1 to 3 years.  So, this recipe will last as long as your oldest spice is fresh.

side view of making Jamaican jerk seasoning recipe by whisking the spices in a bowl
light bulb

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SPICES ARE STILL FRESH

To see if your Jerk Seasoning is still fresh, you’ll want to pay attention to the appearance and smell.  The spices should be as vibrant as when it was whisked together. If they are starting to fade and look dull, your seasoning may be starting to lose flavor.

If you suspect your blend is going stale, it’s time for the sniff-test.  Crush or rub a small amount in the palm of your hand.   It should smell bright and fragrant.  If the scent is weak and the flavor is lackluster, then it’s time to whip up a new batch.

RECIPE VARIATIONS

Adjust measurements:  While we love this recipe as written, it’s super flexible to adjust the ratios to suite your personal taste. Bump up the garlic, add more or less cayenne, increase the allspice, etc.   

  • Go spicier:  Increase the cayenne pepper or use powdered Scotch Bonnet or habanero, both local to Jamaica, or try super-hot Moruga or Reaper powder. 

  • Use your own Peppers:  Dehydrate Scotch bonnet peppers or habanero peppers then grind them into a powder for this recipe.  You will need much less than the cayenne pepper called for in the recipe card because they are both much spicier. Both Scotch bonnet peppers and habaneros range from 100,000 to 350,000 SHU on the Scoville scale, whereas cayenne pepper ranges from 30,000-50,000 SHU.

  • Make it paleo:  Use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar.

  • Scale up or down: This Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is perfect to make in bulk because it lasts for so long.  Double triple, quadruple, the recipe by increasing the quantity on the sliding scale.

showing how to make Jamaican jerk seasoning by whisking the spices together in a bowl

Leave a Reply

Related News