riacmt@ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu (Carol Miller-Tutzauer) (10/30/90)
Below are two recipes I have for Jamaican Jerk Chicken. By one
account, this cooking method dates to the Carib-Arawak Indians who
inhabited Jamaica. After capturing an animal and thoroughly cleaning
and gutting it, the Indians placed it in a deep pit lined with stones
and covered with green wood, which, when burned, would smoke heavily
and add to the flavor. But first the carcass was "jerked" with a sharp
object to make holes, which were stuffed with a variety of spices. The
holes also allowed heat to escape without loss of moisture.
By another account, the dish was created by escaped Maroon slaves as a
method of preserving meat by rubbing it with a paste of spices and hot
peppers and then grilled slowly until it dried out. Basically the idea
is to rub a spice mixture over chicken (or pork) pieces and then grill
until just done (instead of until dried out as was done by slaves to
preserve the meat for the longer term).
I think you can probably develop your own spice mixture since every
time I have had this dish it has tasted quite different depending on
who was cooking it. The two recipes below should give you some idea of
what is possible:
-----------------
Jamaican Jerk Rub -- From Thrill of the Grill by Chris Schlesinger
----------------- & John Willoughby, NY: Morrow, 1990
1/4 c Inner Beauty Sauce (see note below), or other Caribbean hot sauce,
or 10 pureed Scotch Bonnet chili peppers (or substitute 15 of your
favorite fresh chili peppers)
2 T dried rosemary
2 T parsley, chopped
2 T dried basil
2 T dried thyme
2 T mustard seeds
3 Scallions, finely chopped
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 c cheap yellow mustard (or less if you prefer, we omit altogether,
especially when we use that yellow-mustard-type Carribean hot sauce)
2 T orange juice
2 T white vinegar
6 chicken thighs with legs attached (We have also slathered this over a whole
chicken and roasted in a slow oven, too!)
Combine all the rub ingredients in a food processor or blender, and
blend them into a paste, making sure that all the ingredients are fully
integrated. The paste should be approximately the consistency of a
thick tomato sauce. If it is too thick, thin it out with a little more
white vinegar. Cover and let rub sit in the refrigerator for at least
2 hours to allow flavors to blend together. (Note: This stuff will
keep indefinitely so feel free to make up a large batch & leave in the
refrigerator in a jar.)
Rub the chicken pieces with the paste and place them on the grill over
very low heat. If you have a covered cooker, put the coals to one
side, the chicken on the other, and cover.
Cook about 1 hour without a cover or 1/2 hour if covered. The key here
is to use a very low heat. You need to be patient and give yourself
plenty of time. The chicken is technically done when the meat is
opaque and the juices run clear. However, the ideal is about 10 to 15
minutes past that point, when the meat pulls away from the bone
easily. It is very hard to overcook this. In fact you can only screw
it up if you burn the paste by having the heat too high. The longer
the chicken stays on the grill, the more superior the smoky flavor.
(Note: We have made this with boneless chicken breasts and then used a
somewhat higher heat on the grill with equally tasty though different
results!)
Note on obtaining Inner Beauty Sauce: Call the East Coast Grill (the
authors' place) (617) 491-6568. Also available from Le Saucier, 632
Hyde Park Avenue, Boston, MA 02131 (800)EAT-SAUC.
Personal accompaniment suggestions: grilled bananas, fresh pineapple
and/or navel orange slices.
-------------------------------
"Jerk" Chicken Sugar Reef Style -- From Sugar Reef Caribbean Cooking by
------------------------------- Devra Dedeaux, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1989
1 T ground allspice
1 T dried thyme
1 1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 t ground sage
3/4 t ground nutmeg
3/4 t ground cinnamon
2 T salt (we use only 2 t as this amount was too salty for us)
2 T garlic powder
1 T sugar
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c soy sauce
3/4 c white vinegar
1/2 c orange juice
juice of 1 lime
1 Scotch Bonnett pepper, seeded and finely chopped (we leave the seeds in if
we find one of these; otherwise we substitute some sambal ooleck,
Chinese hot chili oil or chili paste, chopped Thai chiles, or Carribean
yellow-gold hot sauce)
1 c chopped white onion
3 green onions, finely chopped
4 6- to 8-ounce chicken breasts, skinned and trimmed of any fat
In a large bowl, combine the allspice, thyme, cayenne pepper, black
pepper, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, garlic powder, and sugar. With a
wire whisk, slowly add the olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice,
and lime juice. Add the Scotch bonnet pepper, onion, and green onions
and mix well. Add the chicken breasts, cover, and marinate for at
least 1 hour, longer if possible.
Preheat an outdoor grill. Remove the breasts from the marinade and
grill for 6 minutes on each side or until fully cooked. While
grilling, baste with the marinade. Heat the leftover marinade and
serve on the side for dipping.
One Final Note: A little place called Curly's in town here in Buffalo
also has a great version of this dish although it is quite different
from either recipe above. To the best of my figurin', they use every
spice in the kitchen (reportedly 21 different herbs & spices) in their
rub. But an important part of the dish is that it is marinated in a
lot of lime juice, then rubbed with the spice mixture, and roasted in
the oven at a very high temperature (whole chickens) then cut up and
served with a Scotch Bonnett pepper sauce (homemade) on the side.
EXCELLENT!
Carol.