Traditional Jamaican jerk chicken: chicken marinated in scotch bonnet, allspice and thyme, grilled over charcoal

Jerk was born in the mountains of Jamaica, with the Maroons, enslaved people who escaped the plantations in the 17th century and took refuge in the forests of the interior. To preserve and cook meat without drawing attention, they seasoned it with chili and spices and roasted it slowly in pits covered with leaves and allspice branches, a technique that already came from the Taíno, the island's first inhabitants.

Today jerk is sold from halved metal drums at roadside stands in Boston Bay and all over Jamaica, with the smell of allspice smoke filling the air. The marinade is the heart of the recipe: scotch bonnet, the fruity and very hot Caribbean chili, ground allspice, thyme, scallion, ginger, brown sugar and acid.

At home, a lidded grill or even the oven with the broiler gets close to the result. The important thing is to marinate for many hours and cook over medium heat, without rushing, so the skin caramelizes without burning.

Recipe card

• Origin: Jamaica
• Category: Main course, grilled
• Difficulty: Easy
• Preparation time: 25 minutes (plus 8 to 24 hours marinating)
• Cooking time: 1 hour
• Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 kg skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 3 scotch bonnet or habanero chilies (or 4 milder red chilies for less heat), seeded
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 piece of ginger, 4 cm, chopped
• 2 tablespoons ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 dried)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Method

1. Blend all the ingredients except the chicken into a thick, smooth paste.
2. Make deep cuts in the chicken, cover with the marinade and massage well, including under the skin.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably 24.
4. Light the charcoal and wait for the coals to turn gray; set up a medium-heat zone and a cooler one (or preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F with the broiler).
5. Shake off the excess marinade and place the chicken on the grill in the medium zone, skin side up, and close the lid.
6. Turn every 10 minutes, brushing with the marinade for the first 30 minutes, for about 50 to 60 minutes.
7. In the last minutes, move to the hotter area to crisp the skin; it should be dark and caramelized, not charred.
8. Check that the juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced and let rest 5 minutes before cutting.

Tips and variations

• Throw bay branches or fruitwood chips on the coals to mimic the allspice smoke.
• In the oven, roast at 200 °C (400 °F) for 45 minutes and finish 10 minutes under the broiler.
• The same seasoning works for pork (jerk pork), fish and even vegetables.
• Leftover marinade never goes to the table: boil it for 5 minutes if you want to use it as a sauce.
• Rice and peas, the rice with red beans and coconut milk, is the classic side.
• A mango sauce with lime and chili balances the heat.
• Wear gloves when chopping scotch bonnet and do not touch your eyes.

Jerk chicken is a party: smoke, chili, loud music and cold beer. Make it on a Saturday afternoon and serve it straight off the grill.