www.PimentoWood.com since 2006 is the only approved importer of pimento wood and leaves. We were profiled in the New York Times a decade ago - thank you for this awesome article!!
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Looking for a pre-made jerk that isn’t too mild, too thin, or corn syrup based? Busha Browne’s packs authentic spices and good heat (so it’s probably not at your local American grocery). It also sticks to your chicken, etc throughout grilling so u don’t have to reapply once cooked. A small jar goes a long way.
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It would be nice if these articles included a recipe and tips.
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@Larry. Recipes are located at the bottom of the article.
Midwestern me has never understood this mythical delicacy until now. Thank ya.
Note to Times: I wish this had a recipe with it so i could link back to this article by saving the recipe in Cooking.
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Thanks for the great article. Jerk with it's moreish flavor has travelled a long way from the Maroons in the mountains of Jamaica. For those of us who have spent years researching it's origins and taking it to the Jamaican diaspora and mainstream markets worldwide, through bottled marinades, chefs, restaurants and cookbooks... the challenge has always been in keeping it authentic. The commercial market often demands quicker, simpler methods of cooking ie. boneless breast (which to me is a non-starter), smothered in gravy (not necessary), no heat (ridiculous) soya sauce and ketchup (no, never). I have seen it dried out and under-seasoned more times than I care to mention. I can only wish that everyone's first taste will be an excellent, spicy, falling off the bone tender, smoky, succulent 1/4 chicken! You will always want more.
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Hi @Virginia Burke. I'm happy you enjoyed this read. And I hope you keep those jerk standards of yours high! :)
Great article! Brings back so many good memories.My first taste of authentic jerk was 1973 in a small outpost in the hills ovelooking MoBay. Saturday nights at Juniors were legendary among a mix of locals and some Britt ex-pats. The evening into morning always ended with Juniors chicken jerk. Never pork. Even the local squaddies would show up for a taste casually overlooking some of the interesting activities that drew a crowd to Juniors shack. Years later I still enjoy the jerk served by the vendors late at night along Norman Manley Blvd outside the clubs in Negril. In my garden the first small fruits of Scotch Bonnets have just emerged and my thyme plants are doing beautiful. The scallions I get gifted by a local farmer. I have a 20 year old recipe for jerk from a Miss Sonja who had a patty shack down a small path in Negril that backed up against the Great Morass. I admit, lacking the pimiento wood here I can't say I slow cook authentic Jamaican jerk but it's close. In lieu of the proper wood we'll add a lttle Dennis Brown or Gregory Issacs to make up for what we miss. Some Burning Spear too!
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@Jay Amberg Thanks for taking us down memory lane. I'm happy you enjoyed my article. I'd love to see that 20-year-old recipe. Here's my twitter handle: @Rochelle_Oliver
But how did they arrive at the word "jerk"?
"Pulled pork" makes sense as pork that has been pulled apart. How has the chicken been "jerked"?
@ Third.coast Earth
From American Spanish charquear, from charqui, from Quechua ch'arki.
Then, 1. (Caribbean) A rich, spicy Jamaican marinade, and 2. (Caribbean) Meat cured by jerking; charqui.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/jerk
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@Third.coast This is a great question. I chose not to include the etymology of jerk in the story because the history is very unclear.
Some say the word came from the Spanish word for jerky "charqui." But, in doing research for the story, I found that the term "Spanish" was being used too loosely. Some used Spanish while referring to the Arawak Indians, and at other times, Spanish referred to the Taino Indians. Sometimes, Spanish was used to refer to the Spaniards who were invading the islands.
Here's the thing, research suggests that by the time the Spaniards began bringing Africans and Maroons to the island of Jamaica, these groups of Indians had all been killed. This further complicates how the (blanket term) Spanish could have helped influence the naming of jerk. Also, these groups were making actual jerky strips that were left to dry in the sun. The Maroon's version of jerk was very different.
Others say that the word refers to the way the meat is jerked around during the cooking process.
Hope this helps,
@Rochelle_Oliver
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Unless it's smoked on an open pit with corrugated roofing laid over the top of the meat to hold down the smoke, it's just not real jerk.
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@John Binkley
OK
"Over the years, the definition of jerk has become open for interpretation. Is it a flavor? Is it the ingredients? Is it the way the meat is cooked? The truth lies somewhere in the middle". -- Whatever it is, grilling chicken on open fire is the only acceptable way of cooking this pedestrian bird. As far as the various spices are concerned, different combinations go with the preparations in individual regions or countries.
I am very experienced at the grill and smoker, and tried for many years to get a jerk recipe that "works." Most just ended up with sticky burned sauces with no depth, or things that had heat but no flavor. Many of the generic recipes and off-the-shelf preparations were duds. Till I tried this one, which is now our house go-to.
https://www.silkroaddiary.com/jerk-chicken/