There is nothing like saddling up to a big plate of jerk chicken and a cold Red Stripe beer on a hot day. The spicier the better. It gets the blood flowing.
"Jerk" is a Jamaican method of cooking that uses a fiery spice blend for anything from pork to tofu. Chicken happens to be the most common but don't be afraid to use whatever meat (or meat substitute) you're in the mood for.
The term "jerk" comes from the Spanish word "charqui", which means dried meat. It has the same root as the word "jerky", as in beef jerky.The cooking method is a combination of Caribbean cooking styles influenced by the African slave communities.
The Caribs, a native Caribbean group known for their aggressiveness and their cooking, would construct makeshift grills of green sticks over an open fire to prepare jerkies and grilled meats. The Maroons, runaway slaves brought over from Africa to work as sugar plantation slaves, introduced their methods of meat preparation to the Arawak indians of the Caribbean. The Arawak combined these African cooking techniques with local Caribbean ingredients.
The Arawak were constantly raided by the Carib tribes and many of their women were taken as captives. The combination of these three cultures: Carib, Arawak, and African, has lead to this cooking technique.
Because the history of this technique is so varied, there is a lot of flexibility here so get creative with your spice blends. The one rule for jerk: don't skimp on the spices even if you cut down on the heat.
1) Put all the ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth.
This is a great recipe to serve with Rice and Peas.