Starting a conversation in a group of Jamaicans about “real jerk” is like asking six people from different southern states about “real BBQ.” You’ll get as many answers as there are people in the group. That’s because just like Southern BBQ each area of Jamaica lays claim to their own “authentic” version of jerk. The real beauty lies in the fact that each of those answers is correct. Jerk is regional and the subtleties from one region to the next make all the difference.

As with Southern BBQ, there seem to be a few basics that every “authentic” jerk recipe includes. Those ingredients are allspice berries (and as always please don’t buy pre-ground…we’ll talk about all that in another rant), scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, nutmeg and salt and pepper.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-6 scotch bonnet peppers, halved and seeded
• ½ cup ground allspice berries
• 2 tbl fresh thyme leaves (cut in half if using dried)
• ½+ cup packed brown sugar
• 6-8 cloves garlic
• 2 bunches scallions
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tbl soy sauce to moisten
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• ½ tsp fresh ground nutmeg
• 2oz fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 tbl vegetable oil
• juice of 2 fresh squeezed limes
• OPTIONAL: Add some pineapple juice to the mixture if that suits your palate.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put all the ingredients for the jerk sauce into a food processor and whizz until smooth.
2. Place the meat in a large shallow dish pour the sauce over it. Rub the meat all over making sure to get even coverage on all parts, folds, and cavities.
3. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours, turning every now and then.
4. Barbecue the meat over medium-hot coals. As it cooks the thick sauce will go quite black in places, but as it falls off it will leave behind really well flavored “crispy bits” with lovely moist tender meat underneath.