4 Jerk Recipes For Your Favorite Grill Master

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The Caribbean island of Jamaica is internationally known for a style of seasoning called “jerk”. Its origins can be traced back to the 1600s and a group of escaped slaves known as the Maroons. They hunted wild boar and preserved it for days in the spicy marinade we now know as jerk, cooking the meat in holes they dug in the ground of the mountainside. 

As exotic as the original method sounds, today we have adapted it to slow cooking the meat over slow burning pimento wood, or even using your basic kitchen oven and the signature spice rubs.

The powerful flavor, crispy-juicy crust, and blackened bits of meat that the seasoning produces makes this authentic cooking method irresistible. Take your taste buds on a trip to the irie isle with the 4 delectable recipes listed below!

1. Chef Irie’s Jerk Pork Medallions

Try Chef Irie’s Jerk Pork Medallions with his Herb Apple Salad and a drizzle of mango chutney for a mix of spicy and sweet flavors. This is a great entree to throw on the grill if you love outdoor cooking, or like chef suggests if you don’t have an outdoor unit, get a grill pan and get your barbecue on inside your kitchen. Just make sure you have the fan on. It might get smoky in there. 

2. Jerk Chicken

The most popular way to finish the seasoned chicken parts or chicken wings, and the way we recommend doing it for the summer is by grilling it, sprinkling occasionally with Red Stripe or other available Caribbean beer. You can also try smoking it for a fall-off-the-bone tender texture or baking it for an easier finish. 

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3. Jerk Shrimp

This is a quick and simple recipe to serve as finger food for a tailgate party or a family gathering. Try putting a few pieces of red and green peppers and tropical fruit such as pineapple or mango on your skewers to really balance the Jamaican jerk spices in the shrimp, and add a bit of reggae color. Reusable stainless steel skewers are always the best to use for grilling but if you plan to use wooden ones, be sure to soak them for at least 20 minutes before piercing your shrimp and fruit to avoid splintering.

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4. Jerk Turkey Pumpkin Frittata

Chef Irie’s Jerk Turkey Pumpkin Frittata takes jerked scrambled eggs to a whole other level. It’s the perfect dish for breakfast or brunch and is a great way to use those leftovers from the night before. You can try sprinkling a little dry jerk seasoning or mixing a little moist jerk paste into your regular scrambled eggs for a spicy kick. But if you want to go full force on a jerk frittata, this is the way to do it right!

Click the image to get the recipe