Our inspired version comes together in just 5 minutes with easy-to-find ingredients! It’s so versatile and adds instant flavor to everything from chicken to plantains, veggies, chickpeas, and more. Let’s spice it up in here!
Origin of Jamaican Jerk Cooking
When it comes to Jamaican cuisine, “jerk” refers to a style of cooking that traditionally involves marinating meat in a spicy seasoning and cooking it over a wood fire for a smoky flavor. This method is believed to have originated with indigenous peoples in Jamaica. The spicy, warming seasoning typically contains Scotch bonnet peppers and allspice as key ingredients. Since it’s challenging to find Scotch bonnet in our area, we came up with an inspired twist using cayenne pepper. For a version using Scotch bonnet peppers and other fresh ingredients, check out this more traditional recipe from Island Style Kitchen.
How to Make Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
The term “jerk seasoning” is sometimes used to refer to a dry spice rub and sometimes to a marinade. To keep things super simple and convenient, we like to make a dry spice rub with sugar, salt, and spices. This dry mixture keeps well for months in the pantry, and if you want to make a marinade, it’s as easy as stirring in a few liquid ingredients! For the jerk spice rub, we combine onion powder, granulated garlic, ground allspice, brown sugar, sea salt, and dried thyme with ground coriander, black pepper, cayenne, and cinnamon. You can use this rub as is, or turn it into a marinade by adding oil, tamari, and maple syrup. Either way, it’s DELICIOUS! We hope you LOVE this Jamaican jerk seasoning! It’s:SpicySavorySubtly sweetBalancedEasy to make& SO versatile! Enjoy it on everything from chickpeas, tofu, and cauliflower (recipe coming soon!) to roasted plantains, mushrooms, and other veggies. It’s so flavorful that it would probably even make cardboard taste good 😜 (not recommended, though!).
More Caribbean-Inspired Recipes
Jamaican Jerk Grilled Eggplant (30 Minutes!) Zesty Mango Habanero Hot Sauce Plantains 101: Perfectly Roasted Every Time! 2-Ingredient Piña Colada Smoothie
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
