Jerk Seasoning
Jerk is a style of cooking where meats, seafood or veggies are dry-rubbed or marinated with jerk spice seasoning and cooked to perfection over pimento. Jerk is believed to have been originally developed by the Maroons of Jamaica. It was used as a means to preserve food for long periods of time.
History of Jerk
Jerk cooking is a very old style of cooking and can be traced back to the 17th century. The spices used for this style of cooking include allspice, cinnamon, thyme, scotch bonnet peppers, nutmeg, cloves and garlic. The spices are mixed with salt and brown sugar to produce a paste and used as the marinade.
It is historically smoked over pimento wood, infusing the allspice flavour into the slow cooking marinated meats and vegetables.
Jerk is not only very popular in Jamaica, where “Jerk” originated from, but also in other Caribbean countries, especially Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Bermuda, Suriname, the Bahamas, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Barbados, and others. It is also popular in Brazil, North America and increasingly in Europe, especially in Great Britain.
What is Jerk spice
The Jamaican jerk spice mixture contains allspice, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme and Scotch bonnet peppers. The Scotch bonnet is one of the hottest pepper’s in the world and is one of the key ingredients in the jerk spice mixture.
How to get Jerk spice
If you’re not much of a home chef you can visit one of Sydney’s Jerk vendors and get yourself a piping hot Jerk. Or if you love to BBQ you can get your seasoning at “The West Indian Store”, where you’ll find a variety of rubs and marinades from the Caribbean and local Jerk seasoning producers.
Meat, seafood, and veggies are best marinated in jerk seasoning for up to 24 hours, but sometimes marinating them for less than an hour works just as well if you can’t wait for that Jerk meal. The longer the meat, seafood, or veggies are marinated in jerk spice, the more flavourful they will become.
Be the BBQ King or Queen this summer!
“The West Indian Store“, has all your Jerk spice needs. Try a variety of rubs and marinades that will be sure to impress your guests. Ask about our Jerk BBQ auce to accompany your Jerk feast!