Jerk chicken is one of the most popular dishes in Jamaica! The word ‘jerk’ refers to a style of cooking, where meat (or your choice of protein) is seasoned in lots of spices and slow-cooked over a fire or grill. A jerk marinade is the perfect way to bring a burst of flavour to your BBQ or dinner.
Sticky, sweet and just enough of a spicy kick, this marinade is the star of any BBQ. It’s traditionally made for chicken but trust us - it works just as well on different meats and your favourite vegan swaps too.
Great jerk starts with a good marinade and a little patience. Let it sit for 24 hours – that’s how we do it in our restaurants. Pair with rice & peas plus slaw and you’ve got yourself a Caribbean-inspired feast.
Check out our jerk marinade recipe!
Ingredients
Everyone’s jerk marinade recipe is a little bit different so don’t be afraid to add your own personal twist, or change things up a little bit if you haven’t got all the ingredients. You don't have to worry about getting measurements exact - rough amounts are completely fine here.
- A blender or food processor
- Something delicious to marinate!
- A handful of the following, roughly chopped:
- Spring onion
- Scotch Bonnet (stems, seeds, everything!)
- Onion
- All spice (whole or ground)
- Fresh Thyme
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Then a good tablespoon or so of
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Dried basil
- Dried parsley
- Chilli powder
- Cumin
Method
- Turn up the tunes! Cooking without music is no fun at all. Head to our Spotify for some playlists to bring your kitchen to life.
- Ok, now we’re ready. Roughly chop your fresh ingredients.
- Throw it all into a blender and fill up to the top of the ingredients with water.
- Whizz for a couple of minutes or until it’s a nice smooth consistency.
- Add your dry herbs and spices to the mix and stir!
- All that's left is to rub over chicken or your chosen food to marinate and leave for at least 3 hours so the flavours really get to work. We like to leave our chicken for 24 hours overnight in the fridge – but can you wait that long?
- How about a Reggae Rum Punch or two whilst you wait?
Cook your dish however you prefer – BBQ is best for delicious smoky flavours but if you're giving this a go during the winter months your dish will still be full of flavour baked in the oven or grilled.
If you're in need of taking your BBQ skills to the next level, check out our BBQ Tips here!
Enjoy!
Don't fancy the washing up?
If you're not feeling like washing up, but can't stop thinking about those bold, rich flavours of jerk, you can leave the cooking to us!
Our talented chefs have nailed the jerk marinade recipe. Our Jerk Pit dishes are marinated for 24 hours in our aromatic spice rub, then fire-grilled & basted to bring out the unique flavours. Sounds amazing, right?
From our signature Jerk Chicken to a flavour-packed vegan “chicken” breast, chargrilled and finished with rich jerk gravy, every dish brings the heat in its own way.
Craving seafood? Try our Jerk Salmon – fresh, flaky, and full of bold Caribbean flavour.
And for something indulgent, our Jerk Pork Belly is fire-grilled, slow-roasted, and smothered in the classic jerk marinade you know and love.
