Over the years dad’s tolerance for anything spicy has diminished considerably, and it’s to the point where he can’t handle any ‘spicy’ heat. Sadly it means no more of his fav Jerk Pork and Jerk Chicken. With that in mind and with a new crop of Pimento (seasoning) Peppers in the garden, I knew I had a solution.
You’ll Need…
1 large onion (chopped)
6-8 pimento peppers
6 scallions (chopped)
15-20 sprigs thyme (no woody stems)
4 thick slices of ginger
8 cloves garlic
3/4 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon Pimento (allspice) berries
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
3/4 tablespoon black pepper
3 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 cup rice vinegar (any plain vinegar will work)
1 cup veg oil
6 bay leaves
2 tablespoon mushroom flav soy sauce
Notes. If making this marinade gluten free, use Tamari instead of soy sauce. May I suggest that you follow along with the video below as much more about the recipe is discussed there. Especially why you’ll get better results from crushing the pimento berries vs using already ground allspice. Likewise for grating the nutmeg fresh vs using nutmeg powder. Using the pimento peppers will give you the scent, flavors and oils of a scotch bonnet without the heat.
Give the necessary ingredients a good wash with cool water, drain and rough chop. Be mindful that if you use thyme with woody stems it will not break down and become a potential choking hazard later on when you use the jerk marinade.
Crush the pimento (allspice) berries (seeds).
As explained in the video I prefer using a food processor instead of a blender as I like the finished jerk marinade to have a bit of texture. However, if you want a more smooth paste, the choice is all yours.
Place everything in the food processor and go at it for a couple minutes. Why I included bay leaves in the marinade is explained in the video.
I didn’t add the thyme to the mixture at first as I didn’t have room in the food processor.
Should you want to use honey or maple syrup instead of the brown sugar, it’s all up to you.
If you can source the pimento peppers (try West Indian and Asian supermarkets), you’ll understand what I mean about the fragrance once you cut into them. Disclaimer! Typically there’s no heat in pimento peppers, however the odd time (depending how close they’re planted to spicy peppers) they can be spicy. Nibble on a piece to confirm before you go all in.
If you don’t have a lemon, you may add the juice of a couple limes. In the past I’ve used orange, clementine and mandarin juices with great success.
After a minute or two, you may scrape down the sides of the food processor and add the thyme. Continue until you get the consistency you desire.
Store in glass jars in your fridge for up to 6 months. Be sure to stir well before you season and marinate your meats and seafood, for that wicked Jamaican jerk kick!
Yes, no scotch bonnet peppers, but you’ll be very happy with the pimento pepper replacement. Especially if you’re like my dad and heat is your enemy!
