Ingredients
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- 3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 bunch scallions (white and green parts), roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 2 tablespoons Pickapeppa sauce (see Cook's Note, below)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated peeled ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 chicken halves (about 6 pounds)
Directions
Pulse the vinegar, rum, brown sugar, scallions, garlic, chile, Pickapeppa sauce, ginger, allspice and pumpkin pie spice in a food processor to make a slightly chunky sauce. Heat the oil in a medium skillet and cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring, until the oil is absorbed and the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Cool.
Rub the jerk paste all over the chicken halves, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
Prepare an outdoor grill with a medium-high fire for both direct and indirect grilling. Position a drip pan under the grate on indirect side. Place the chicken, skin side down, over direct heat and cook until skin crisps and has definite grill marks, about 4 minutes per side. Move to indirect heat over the drip pan and cook skin side up, covered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let the chicken rest about 5 minutes, then cut into pieces and serve.
Cook's Note: Pickapeppa -- the celebrated Jamaican bottled sauce -- is a blend of tomatoes, onions, sugar, cane vinegar, mangoes, raisins, tamarind, peppers, and spices. Fans use this "Jamaican ketchup" on all manner of grilled foods. It adds a distinct punch to this version of the island's spicy jerk marinade
Photo: Jerk Chicken Recipe

















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By Jamguyfood
Kingston
on July 18, 2011
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I have been making Jerk Seasoning for over twenty one years, that is used to make the best jerk chicken for the top jerk pits here in Jamaica. The recipe lacks the authentic Jamaica ingredients, hence it would taste much different from the world famous Jamaican jerk chicken.
By Wowthisisrandom
Funkytown
on July 17, 2011
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This was really good considering how little prep time it took. I don't know how authentic it is because I have never tried the real thing though. If you like it spicier don't seed the pepper. I also don't know if the people who have written poor reviews are trustworthy, as most of them are close to their 80s. If your 80 years old probably every recipe is a hassle to you and your taste-buds are deadened when you're that old.
By adrock5_13100811
newport, 79
on August 25, 2010
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good recipe for jerk chicken, just needs a little salt to bring out the flavors......
I've had the real thing in Jamaica, and it was always quite salty as well as hot and spicy
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