Jerk style cooking uses distinctive spices to flavor slowly grilled meats and seafood. Food cooked with this method is tender and has a delicious spicy-sweet taste. The term jerk is most likely derived from the Spanish word charqui, a term used for dried meat. Another explanation is that it describes the poking or jerking of meat with a sharp object to create holes where spices are inserted in the meat to impart flavor. The Cormantee hunters who came from West Africa and inhabited Jamaica were the first to use jerk seasoning to preserve meats that were then smoked over wood.
Jerk began in the 17th century as a method for preserving meats, and today has become a favorite way to add vibrant Island flavor to meat and seafood recipes. One secret to good jerk cooking is to let the meat marinate in the seasoning to pass on and layer the spice flavors into the cooking process.
Caribbean Tuna Burgers Recipe:
Try and source only the freshest sushi grade tuna you can find
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ red onion grated
- 1 jalapeno or habanero pepper, finely diced
- 2 pounds yellowfin tuna ( no sinew or red blood line)
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro or ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- arugula greens or leaf lettuce
- 4 pineapple rings
- 2 teaspoons jerk seasoning** see note
- ¼ cup Curry Mayo (recipe follows)
- vegetable oil for cooking
- 4 bulkie or water rolls- toasted
- flour for dusting
Directions:
- Pulse the honey and ginger in a food processor. Add the onion, diced peppers, tuna and seasonings and just pulse a few times to combine. Make 4 patties and chill.
- Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Dust the burgers with flour and sear for 1 minute on the first side.
- Flip over and sear another minute if you like them rare.
- To cook the burgers longer dump out the excess oil in the pan and place in oven until cooked to your liking.
- Season the pineapple rings with the jerk seasoning and a drizzle of oil, grill or broil until lightly charred.
- Construct the burgers on toasted buns, topping with the pineapple rings, arugula leaves and curry mayonnaise
Serve with fried plantain chips.
Curry Mayonnaise Recipe
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
Combine the mixture with a whisk making sure it is well incorporated.
**-note if you don't have jerk seasoning use this basic mixture
- 2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
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