Jerk Seasoning is a recipe for a dry rub and it used throughout the Caribbean,but most people are familiar with the Jamaican version and we will be talking about that. It recieved the name as it was a dry rub is used in the making of Jerky. Jerky was about the only way meat can be stored in the heat of the Caribbean.
Today Jerk Seasoning is used in a wide variety of meat dished and can be either a dry rub or a marinade. It is both on Chicken and Pork and in my limited experience I have never seen it used in a beef dish but I am sure somewhere someone has used it that way.
The Jamaican recipe for Jerk Seasoning uses a lot of peppers. This helped cure the meat as it was being cured and made sure the meat was safe to eat. As this was the primary source of protein many people developed the taste for hot and spicy food.
Two other spices or herbs used in Jerk Seasoning was Allspice and Thyme. One of my favorite dish is Jamaican Jerk Chicken over rice. The hot and spicy chicken is so good.
Quick Recipe.
Jerk Seasoning
Yields 12 Servings
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1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon and 2-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon and 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2-3/4 teaspoons white sugar
3/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2-3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
You can buy Jamaican Jerk Seasoning in a mix but I belief that recipe is better
