Kingston Jamaica and Jerk Chicken

A quote from Thumper in the animated Walt Disney Classic 'Bambi', "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all."

A long time ago I went to a Jerk Master Class in Jamaica and learned how to make this typical Caribbean beauty first hand.

Back in Kingston now I am feeling the love and want to make it again. The method of Jerking originates in Jamaica and uses the typical Jamaican Pimento Berries as well as the Pimento tree for the BBQ process. You could put the entire contents of your spice cupboard into this marinade, but Pimento, Scotch Bonnet and Thyme are the most important.

Since my last recipe turned out better then my teachers ;-) I will use that same one again!

Ingredients for the Jerk wet marinade:

1 large Spring Onion

1/2 Onion

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tbs All Spice (Pimento)

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp dried Thyme

2 tbs Soy Sauce

1 or 2 Scotch Bonnet Chillies (how hot do you like it?)

4 cloves of Garlic

1 inch of Ginger

a small bunch of fresh Thyme

1 tbs Peppercorns

2 tbs Oil

1 tbs Brown Sugar

1 Bay leaf

a splash of Pineapple Juice

Blend all Ingredients in a food processor until it is of a thick shake consistency.

Add a splash of Pineapple Juice to get it right.

This is my personal version of the Jerk marinade, everyone here makes it differently. My teacher added something called Old Bay,  a spice mixture I haven't ever used before. She also added Cloves, but I am leaving those out, as the All Spice is pungent enough.

Take a whole Chicken and cut out the backbone to butterfly.

Massage the whole Marinade into it, paying attention to getting it under the skin as well.

Leave to marinate for up to 2 days.

BBQ your Chicken on Pimento Tree Charcoal, or failing that roast in a 200C oven, turning a few times, until tender and juicy.