Basic Jamaican Jerk Marinade
The cuisine of Jamaica shows its eclectic history through the spicy, complex flavors used to season the local ingredients. These distinctive flavors and recipes establish new flavor combinations that yield incredible results. This unique seasoning found in Jamaican Jerk can be further refined to use different beer styles to accentuate different proteins used in making a Jerk marinade. This recipe creates a Basic Jamaican Jerk Marinade that can be put on almost any protein or vegetable.
For specific proteins, look below for a list of all the other Jamaican Jerk Marinade recipes, that use different beers styles and ingredients to highlight the flavors of that particular protein | vegetable.
More Jamaican Jerk Marinade Variations:
Basic Jamaican Jerk Marinade
Basic Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Fish | Seafood | Shellfish
Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Beef | Bison | Buffalo
Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Chicken | Duck | Fowl
Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Goat | Lamb | Venison
Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Pork | Wild Boar
Jamaican Jerk Marinade For Tofu | Tempe | Vegetables
Makes: about 8 ounces of marinade
Adapted from BeerAdvocate Magazine: Cuisine à la Bière | Aug 2008 | Issue #19
This recipe creates a unique flavor of the Caribbean Islands, in a Basic Jamaican Jerk Marinade Recipe that can be used on many different proteins, vegetables and used to season other dishes | recipes.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 8 people | 5 minute |
| Passive Time |
| 24 hour |
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This recipe creates a unique flavor of the Caribbean Islands, in a Basic Jamaican Jerk Marinade Recipe that can be used on many different proteins, vegetables and used to season other dishes | recipes.
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Ingredients
- 2 each limes, zested and juiced
- 4 each garlic, cloves peeled
- 2 each onions, green, washed
- 1 - 3 each chilies, Scotch Bonnets or Habanero, depending on your heat | spice tolerance
- 1 each shallot peeled and chopped
- 1/2 bunch thyme, fresh stems and leaves
- 1 tablespoon allspice, whole, Jamaican from Savory Spice Co.
- 2 teaspoon paprika, sweet from Savory Spice Co.
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated from Savory Spice Co.
- 1 teaspoon salt, sea
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns, black freshly cracked, from
- 2 tablespoon Double IPA, DIPA such as American Double | Imperial IPA
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce | tamari | liquid aminos
- Pimento wood available Here
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
Basic Jamaican Jerk Marinade Directions:
- In the pitcher of a blender or bowl of a food processor, add citrus zest and juice, garlic, green onions, chili peppers (depending on your heat level, the seeds and ribs of the chilies can be removed to drop the heat and retain the flavor of the chilies | peppers), shallot, thyme, allspice, paprika, nutmeg, salt, pepper, DIPA, molasses and soy sauce | tamari | liquid aminos. Pulse the mixture a few times, breaking up the ingredients, scraping the sides down with a spatula. Then purée until mixture is smooth, creating a thick paste. Add more 1 - 2 more tablespoons of beer if the mixture is too dry and not mixing well. Taste the jerk before using, as the Scotch bonnet pepper is one of the hottest peppers (not the hottest) around and will make a spicy marinade.
- To use, coat your choice of meat | vegetable liberally, rubbing the marinade into each nook and cranny. Give most proteins at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours of contact time with the marinade for optimum flavor, deep into the protein. This marinade will last for two weeks refrigerated in a sealed container.
Cooking Instructions:
- Traditionally jerk was cooked over Pimento wood, imparting its unique flavor to the main course. Since this type of tree isn’t in everyone’s backyard, experiment with different woods and cooking techniques, depending on your choice of protein.
Grill:
- Start a small amount of coals, adding some different wood chunks (or chips soaked in water or beer for 30 minutes prior to use) atop, giving different flavors to the protein. Cook the protein indirectly at first, letting the flavor of the wood envelop the meat/vegetable for 30 - 45 minutes. Finish by placing the protein over the direct heat to sear the outside and form a crust.
Smoker:
- If using a larger piece of meat, low and slow will help the cooking and infuse a lot of flavor. Use restraint when adding wood chunks, as the main flavorings should come from the jerk, not just the wood. Cook at 250°F | 121°C - 300°F | 149°C for 6 - 10 hours, depending on the size and type of meat being cooked.
Pit:
- Traditionally this is the way jerk is cooked. Using several cinder blocks, create a pit 3 feet high, 3 to 4 feet wide and in length fire pit. Make your fire, using some charcoal and hard wood, covering the “pit” with either rebar or a heavy gauge wire. Cook as you would a grill, about an hour or longer for larger size meats.
Oven:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F | 191°C - 400°F | 204°C. Place protein on top third of the oven and cook for 20 - 35 minutes to sear the meat. Lower temp to 325°F | 163°C and finish until desired cooking temperature and doneness is reached.
Recipe Notes
Beer Pairing Tips for Jamaican Cuisine:
With the strong and aggressive flavors from the curry and Jerk, try stronger beers that will stand up to the spices and chilies. Think IPA's, Double Reds, American Double | Imperial IPA or even unusual Herb | Spiced Beers. These will stand up to the intensity of the food, rather than be muted by it. Hops will add a nice bitterness that isn’t found in this style of food, adding more complexity to the pairing.
Other Jamaican Recipes to Compliment this Recipes:
Coconut Curried Prawns
Fried Sweet Plantains
Jamaican Peas & Rice
More Jamaican Jerk Marinade Variations:
Basic Jamaican Jerk Marinade
Basic Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Fish | Seafood | Shellfish
Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Beef | Bison | Buffalo
Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Chicken | Duck | Fowl
Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Goat | Lamb | Venison
Jamaican Jerk Marinade for Pork | Wild Boar
Jamaican Jerk Marinade For Tofu | Tempe | Vegetables
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