Over the years I’ve shared countless recipes for making jerk marinades, sauces, how to make finger-licking Jamaican jerk in the oven and classic jerk on your grill and bbq. As we continue our annual July Month Of Grilling I thought I’d shift focus and share a gluten friendly version of a classic Jamaican jerk marinade for our friends who deal with gluten intolerance. A jerk marinade which goes well with fish, shrimp, pork and in this case, some chicken legs which we’ll marinate before slowly cooking them over a moderate coals-fire in the back yard.

You’ll Need…

8 lbs chicken legs.

For the gluten free jerk marinade…

4 scallions
1 orange (juice)
1 lime (juice)
1/2 cup vinegar (white)
8-10 sprigs thyme
2 scotch bonnet peppers
4 slices ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8-12 pimento berries (allspice)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic

NOTE: It’s important that you go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs – especially the Soy Sauce.

You’ll need a food processor or blender for making this marinade… or some knife skills as you’ll need to finely chop everything. Remember when handling scotch bonnet peppers to wear gloves and to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. The “raw” heat will be in the seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds, so trim and discard that area if your worried about such heat. Give everything a rough chop and place it in the food processor (or blender).

Here you have two options, you can puree until smooth, or do as I like – pulse so you get a sort of chunky consistency. You can now pour this over your desired protein or store it in a the fridge until you’re ready to use it. It will remain good for up to a week. The vinegar will act as a natural preservative.

In my case I was doing chicken legs with it, so I trimmed off all the fat and excess skin. You can remove the skin, but I like leaving the skin as it adds flavor as it cook and renders and it also helps to form a protective barrier as the chicken cooks so it does not go dry. I also like piercing the thick parts of the chicken so the marinade gets into the meat and really infuse it with maximum niceness. Pour in the marinade and massage the chicken pieces. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hrs in the fridge – overnight would be ideal. Then get ready to grill as you would normally.

I had a relatively hot fire going, so I placed the chicken pieces away from the direct heat (indirect grilling), lid on and allowed it to go until it was cooked to my likeness (about 50 mins to 1 hr). I used the remaining marinade in the bowl to baste it the first 30 minutes or so – remember raw chicken was in the bowl, so try to cook off the marinade. Flip the chicken pieces every 10 minutes or so and rotate around the grilling surface so you grill them evenly.

The final 5 minutes is when you can place the chicken pieces over the direct heat to allow for that sort of caramelized color you want to achieve – that comes from the heat and cooked sugars in the marinade. Remember if you put the chicken pieces too early over the direct heat, those same sugars will char or burn the outside of the chicken and the inside will be raw.

If you want, you can double the marinade recipe and reserve 1/2. That remaining 1/2 add a bit of honey, orange juice or apple and cook/reduce for a wicked sauce to serve with the cooked pieces of jerk chicken.

I like squeezing on some fresh lime juice as soon as I take it off the grill for that little blast of citrus, which I think awakens the jerk chicken even more. just my take though!

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Simple Homemade Burgers.

July 14, 2015July 14, 20156 Comments

I must have been about 6 at the time… a bit vague, but that would have been my first “burger’ experience. Dad took my brother and I to ‘town’ (Port of Spain) to spend the day at the zoo and the choice was Burger Boys or Wimpy’s! This was before McDonalds, Burger King and Wendys invaded the Caribbean. Not sure why we ended up at Wimpy’s, but I still recall sharing a massive platter with my brother as we joked with my dad that it looked like something from the Flintstones. Even to this day, when we grill/BBQ in the Caribbean burgers and hotdogs rarely ever touch the grates.. we want REAL meat (and fish)!

You’ll Need…

1 1/4 lbs ground beef (medium)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper finely diced (optional)
2 scallions (chopped)
1/2 cup parsley (chopped)
3 sprigs thyme (optional)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon Montreal steak spice (optional)
1/4 teaspoon allspice (optional)

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs – especially the Worcestershire sauce.

Finely chop the parsley, scallions and scotch bonnet pepper – don’t use any seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds as that’s where you’ll get the raw heat and remember to wash your hands after with soap and water. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together. You’ll notice that I do not use eggs or any sort of filler in my burgers. Shape into 4 large burgers or 6 smaller burger and you can place them in the fridge to set (so they don’t fall apart on the grill) or grill immediately.

For a little more island flavor you can add a touch of allspice in the mix. And once formed, if you have Montreal Steak Spice, you can sprinkle on some as you grill these burgers. If you don’t have access to a grill, you can definitely pan fry them on your stove top (a dry non stick pan will work best). Basically all you do now is grill on a medium flame ( I used a propane grill – too lazy to do charcoal this time) and cook as you would normally do your burgers.

Having moved to North America and slowly immersing myself in the culture over the years, good homemade burgers is something I look forward to every summer! So gone are the days when I’d reach for the roadhouse burgers in the frozen section at the Costco, as I much prefer to control what I put in my burgers.. maybe next time I’ll share my trick of using spicy sausages in the mix and grilling some slices of pineapple to top them with!

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Curry Chicken With Chickpeas & Potato (channa and aloo).

May 27, 2025July 10, 201513 Comments

Curry channa and aloo (chickpeas and potato) is a classic vegetarian curry dish hailing from the Caribbean… with a strong Indian influence. Due to the fact that Indian indentured laborers where brought in from India after slavery was abolished to upkeep the sugarcane industry. I started adding chicken to the mix as a means of adding more flavor and added texture to the mix. Plus it’s a great way to use chicken breast, without it going dry and bland. I may have mentioned that I’m no fan of chicken breast – more a dark-meat kinda guy. In this recipe we’ll cut back on the overall cooking time by using canned chickpeas (Channa) and in an upcoming post, I’ll show you how to use shrimp instead of chicken.

You’ll Need…

1 lb boneless chicken breast
1 can chick peas (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 scotch bonnet
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tomato
1 teaspoon caribbean green seasoning
2 tablespoon veg oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic
1/2 small onion
2 tablespoon cilantro (or shado beni | culantro)
2 cups water
1 large potato
2 slices ginger (optional)

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs (specially the curry powder – some brands contain flour as a filler).

Place the cubed (1 inch pieces) chicken in a bowl and season with the chopped tomato, salt, black pepper, Caribbean green seasoning, chopped scotch bonnet (no seeds) and diced tomato. Mix well and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers.

In a deep saucepan heat the oil on a low heat, then add the diced onion and garlic and cook (low heat) for about 3 minutes. Then add the curry powder (your fav) and cook for another 3-4 minutes on low. This step we’re cooking the rawness of the curry and highlighting the spices which make up the curry blend.

Turn the heat to med/high and add the seasoned chicken pieces to the pot and stir well. The idea is to deglaze the bottom of the pan to pick up all the curry goodness. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring often. the chicken will spring it’s own juices.. that’s natural.

Add the 2 cups of water to the same bowl you marinated the chicken in to pick up any remaining marinade..we need that. By this time the liquid in the pan will start burning off and you’ll start seeing the oil we started off with. Add the cubed potato (large pieces) and chickpeas (be sure to wash and drain).

Stir well, add the water, ginger and bring to a boil. As it comes to a boil, reduce to a rolling boil and cook with the lid slightly ajar for about 25 minutes. Basically until the pieces of potato are tender and you have a nice thick gravy.

Taste for salt and adjust if necessary (remember we only added salt when we seasoned the chicken) – that was enough for me. If by chance you find that your gravy is too thin, use the back of your cooking spoon to crush some of the chickpeas and potato and it will thicken things. Top with the chopped cilantro (or shado beni) and enjoy (with rice or roti)!

Such a classic curry dish and so easy to put together. Remember in the coming weeks I’ll have something very similar, except we’ll be using some plump shrimp for a totally different flavor – you’ll be blown away with that one.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Wings.

May 27, 2025July 9, 20156 Comments

We’re starting the 2015 edition of July’s Month Of Grilling with a serious BANG! If you grew up on the islands during my time you’d know that if you served a guest a chicken wing, that would be considered an insult. A nice thick thigh, drumstick or chicken breast (say chicken chest) was expected, to avoid the mumbles and ole talk after. However, for as long as I could remember I had a weakness for chicken wings. Coming to North america where there’s this ‘wing’ culture… let’s just say I blame my waistline on these juicy morsels of pure delight!

IMPORTANT! I mistakenly deleted ALL the customary images I take to accompany each post I make, to show the step by step technique. My sincere apologies. The written content is here and directly below is the video to walk you through the process.

You’ll Need…

4 lbs chicken wings
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
3 limes (juice)
3 scallions
1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
1/2 cup parsley (chopped)
2 shallots
4 cloves garlic
2 thick slices ginger
2 scotch bonnet peppers (no seeds)
8-10 sprigs thyme
1 heaping tablespoon honey

* Optional – Lemon or pineapple juice

* If making this recipe gluten free please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Place your clean and trimmed chicken wings in a bowl or zipper lock bag and get ready to make the marinade.

Give the scallions, shallots, garlic, parsley etc a rough chop and place it in your food processor. You can use a blender as well, but I recommend pulsing so you end up with a bit of texture and not a smooth puree. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you can certainly chop/crush everything fine as possible.

Be sure to wear gloves when handling the scotch bonnet peppers, don’t include any seeds or the white membrane surrounding the seeds -unless you want the raw heat and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. With all your ingredients in the food processor, pulse for a minute or two, until you have a sort of chunky consistency. Pour 2/3 of the marinade over the chicken wings and reserve the rest for later.

If you’re in a rush to get grilling, try to at least marinate the wings for a couple hrs in the fridge. Ideally if you can marinate them over-night, you’ll get maximum flavors! Basically all you have to do now is grill them as you’d normally grill your chicken wings. I did then over a charcoal flame – indirect heat as the sugars in the marinade would cause them to char very quickly. About 30 minutes, then a few minutes over the direct heat for some color.

Finally I placed the reserved marinade in a large bowl and as I removed the wings off the heat I tossed them immediately in the marinade to coat the wings for that extra BOOST of goodness.. we did say these were the ULTIMATE grilled chicken wings!

Again, sincere apologies for the missing images! This marinade will also be super on pork (especially tenderloins) and shrimp (don’t marinate though).. season and grill – baste as you do. You can certainly do these wings in your oven. 400F on the middle rack (line your baking dish with tin foil and brush with veg oil or cooking spray) – about 35-45 minutes?

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Sofrito Pan Roasted Chicken Recipe.

May 27, 2025May 26, 20151 Comment

It’s only natural that after posting the Sofrito recipe a while back, I’d have a way for you to put such a classic ingredient to use. Sofrito is basically a seasoning base made in the Spanish speaking Caribbean which is added to enhance the overall flavor of meats, stews, soups and other dishes. In this recipe I’ll show you how simple it is to take something as boring as chicken breast and pan roast them on your stove-top for what I believe is the most juicy (and delicious) way to enjoy a part of the chicken notorious for being overly dry and bland.

You’ll need…

2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sofrito
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
pinch black pepper
1 birds eye pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

* same size chicken breast 1 lb each so they cook the same time

To learn how to make classic sofrito << Click To Watch!

Important : If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the complete list of ingredients (including the Sofrito) to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Season the chicken breast with the sofrito and black pepper, them marinate in the fridge for about 1 hour.

Using a non-stick pan (you’ll use less fat) on a low heat, add the butter and olive oil, then add the chicken breasts (it’s ok if the marinade gets in there).

Keep the heat on low as we want this to gently cook so it does not dry the chicken like leather. After about 4-5 minutes, flip the chicken, sprinkle on the salt, squeeze on the lemon juice and if you want, you can cover the pan with a lid. This will sort of steam cook the chicken. In my case I don’t like covering the pan. I also like to add the half of the lemon I got the juice from and 1 Birds Eye Pepper for a slight kick.. to the pan.

Depending on the thickness of your chicken breast, it will take between 20 and 25 minutes to fully cook through. If you add the pepper as I did try not to break it or it will release some fire (unless you want that raw heat) and do flip the pieces of chicken often so you get and even golden color on both sides.

Remove from the pan and allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Such a simple recipe, but I assure you it’s packed with flavor and as I suggested above – VERY juicy! You can season the chicken with the very same sofrito and grill over coals (or propane) during the summer months when you have friends coming over! This is a great way to serve chicken on a salad or as a topping for a sandwich!

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Simple Oven Jerk Chicken For Students And Busy People.

May 27, 2025April 22, 20156 Comments

With the busy lifestyle we tend to live and the fact that more and more students are now reaching out for recipes, I figured I’d share this sort of hack or cheat’s way of doing amazing jerk chicken in the oven. Yes, traditionalists will say that you need, smoke, fire and the goodness from pimento wood to really make it “jerk” but when you don’t have access to such, you improvise. In under 1 hr I’ll have you eating the most juicy, flavorful and tender oven jerk chicken you’ve ever had. No Lie! Even your Jamaican friends will be asking you for the recipe when you serve this up at that dinner party you’ve been meaning to have.

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 cups jerk marinade (your fav store bought)
1 cup orange juice
3 scallions
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 teaspoon grated ginger (optional)
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 medium onions

4 lbs chicken

IMPORTANT! If you’re doing this jerk chicken according to a gluten free diet, do pay attention to the store-bought jerk marinade as it may contain soy sauce and other ingredients which may not fit with your gluten free dietary needs. There are gluten free jerk marinades you can now purchase or you can make your own marinade.

You can certainly make your own jerk marinade, but it does take time and require a few more ingredients than what’s listed above. Remember this jerk chicken is supposed to be fast, but not hurt for flavors. So go with your favorite store-bought marinade, but lets elevate it a bit with some additional freshness and flavor.

Chop the scallions, thyme, onion and scotch bonnet pepper. Use as much pepper as you can handle and remember to help control the heat a bit, don’t use any of the seeds. Do wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers. Grate the ginger and get ready to assemble the marinade. Pour the everything a bowl and whisk well.

Trim off any fat and excess skin off the chicken pieces (I used legs with the thighs attached), but do keep most of the skin as it will roast and give it a good color and some wonderful flavor. Since this is a fast-cook, we don’t have time to really marinate the chicken so lets go ahead and make a couple deep cuts down to the bone of the chicken (thick part).

Now pour the marinade all over the chicken and mix well.

Line an oven proof baking dish (I didn’t and it’s a lot of clean-up work after) with tin foil and pour everything into it. Set your oven at 400F and place on the middle rack when it comes to temp. After 30 mins, remove and flip the pieces of chicken, then back int he oven for another 10 minutes. So 40 minutes in total.

After 40 minutes it’s time to crank the heat up to give the chicken some color and really make it attractive. So set the oven at broil (525F), but do keep an eye on things as it will be easy to have it burn at this point. It will take about 4-7 minutes to take on a delicious colour. Remember to flip so you get even coloring. I must mention that most commercial jerk marinades are high in sodium so you’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt, but you can certainty add a bit of salt if you wish. If you wish you can also go with half orange juice and half pineapple juice in the marinade for a more fruity finish.

In under one hour you’ll have what I guarantee is an amazing Jamaican Jerk Chicken dish! And that gravy will be delightful on some rice and peas.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Pork Chow Recipe (Trinidad and Tobago Cooking).

May 27, 2025March 24, 20157 Comments

My first encounter with this wonderful spicy pork dish was a New Years Eve night (say old years night in the Caribbean) at my cousin’s home. They had recently come back from Trinidad and while there another cousin of ours made a batch of this to partner the adult beverages everyone were partaking in. In Trinidad and Tobago we have what we refer to as “cuttas”, as the Spanish have Tapas as sides for drinking. We have an assortment of spicy, fatty, fried and otherwise alcohol friendly foods which are a big part of our drinking culture. Chow is typically made from tart fruit (like green mangoes)and pickled with extra hot scotch bonnet peppers, lemon juice and herbs. But in this recipe we’ll replace the mango with marinated pork, fried until crispy and golden.

You’ll Need…

1-2 lbs pork
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Caribbean green seasoning
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 cups veg oil
Juice 1 lemon (or lime)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (more if you want it more spicy)
1 clove garlic
2 scallions
1 tablespoon chopped Shado Beni (or cilantro)
1/2 small red onion
pinch sea salt
pinch black pepper

IMPORTANT!: If doing this dish gluten free, do go through the entire list of ingredients (especially the soy sauce) to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Place the clean pieces of pork (I like using pork with a bit of fat – cheap cut) in a bowl and season with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, soy sauce, grated ginger and black pepper. Mix well and allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least a couple hours.

Heat the vegetable oil in a wide pan on a medium flame, then gently go in with the pieces of marinated pork. Use paper towels to blot out any extra moisture off the pieces of pork so it doesn’t splatter back at you when added to the hot oil. Fry until golden and crisp (about 20-25 minutes) flipping every 4-6 minutes. I used the ends of pork ribs, which were very tender and about 1/4 of an inch thick (about 1/2 inch tick at the thickest spot).

Remove from the hot oil, place on paper towels to soak up any excess fat and allow to cool before cutting into 3/4-1 inch pieces. Set aside in a bowl.

Prep the other ingredients as the pork cools a bit (thinly slice the onion, scallions and scotch bonnet pepper \ crush the garlic). Remember to wear gloves and wash your hands immediately after handing scotch bonnet peppers.

Now it’s just a matter of assembling everything together, give it a good mix and finally go in with the lemon juice. I didn’t have any shado beni, nor cilantro.. but that would be a key ingredient to add in here as well.

You can serve this both warm and cool, but to be honest it’s MUCH better a bit warm, as the sort of pickle effect you get from the hot peppers and lemon juice just seems to scream at your taste buds. Not your typical Caribbean chow, but definitely a dish to serve when you have friends over or just need something spicy in your life. Great as a snack, makes an excellent side dish.. even better on sandwiches. Special HAIL OUT to my cousin Sophie for this wicked introduction!

Recipe Card

Print Recipe

Pork Chow

Cuisine: Trinidadian

Diet:

G Gluten-Free P Pork

Instructions

Video

Place the pieces of Pork (2 pound) in a bowl and season with the Green Caribbean Seasoning (1 tablespoon), Soy Sauce (1 tablespoon), Fresh Ginger (1 teaspoon), and Ground Black Pepper (1/4 teaspoon). Mix well and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least a few hours.
Heat the Vegetable Oil (as needed) in a wide pan on a medium flame, then gently add the pieces of marinated pork. Use paper towels to blot out any extra moisture off the pieces of pork so they don’t splatter back at you when they touch the oil.
Fry until golden and crisp (about 20-25 minutes) flipping every 4-6 minutes.
Remove from the hot oil, place on paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess fat and allow to cool before cutting into 3/4 to 1-inch pieces. Set aside in a bowl.
Prep the other ingredients as the pork cools a bit. Thinly slice Red Onion (1/2), Scallion (2 stalk) and Scotch Bonnet Pepper (1) and crush the Garlic (1 clove).
Assemble everything together, add the Fresh Cilantro (1 tablespoon) and give it a good mix before drizzling in the juice of the Lemon (1).
Serve warm and enjoy. Season with Sea Salt (1 pinch) and Ground Black Pepper (1 pinch).

Tell us what you think

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Oven Roasted Chicken Drumsticks Recipe.

May 27, 2025March 18, 20154 Comments

Simple, Quick and Tasty! Three words which embodies this chicken recipe. I had a request on Twitter a while back asking for a simple but tasty way to do chicken in the oven on those weeknights when you want to eat well but not spend all night in the kitchen. Though I’ve shared several oven roasted chicken recipes in the past, I went into my personal repertoire, for one I do on the regular for my family. The flavor you get from that hint of ginger, allspice and the sweetness of the roasted peppers, will definitely have your family asking for seconds.

You’ll Need..

3 lbs chicken drumsticks (chicken wings work great as well)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
8-12 grape tomatoes
2 medium onions
1 bell pepper
2 scallions
pinch allspice
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon parsley
4 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/ teaspoon grated ginger
1 clove garlic

TIP! Optionally you can add a bit of 5 spice powder and sesame oil for a lovely Asian twist. IMPORTANT: If doing this recipe gluten free, do pay attention to the ingredient list (especially the Worcestershire sauce) to ensure it meets with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Chop the onion, bell pepper, parsley, tomato, scallions and scotch bonnet pepper. If you’re concerned about the heat of the scotch bonnet, you can leave it out or don’t include any of the seeds nor the white membrane surrounding the seeds. That’s where the raw heat will be.

Drizzle on 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in an oven proof dish, then go in with all the other ingredients (including the chicken) and toss well. Now go in with the remaining olive oil and mix well again. Place in the fridge to marinate for a couple hours. Or if you’re in a rush, you can put it immediately into a preheated 425 F oven (middle rack).

To protect your baking dish (less work to wash later) you can line it with tin foil. If you’re wondering.. I used the middle rack in the oven. Roast for about 45 mins and half way though, toss so all sides get that lovely golden finish. For more color you can turn on the ‘broil’ setting on the oven (about 550 F) the last 4-5 minus of cooking.

I used the thyme with the stems as I like getting as much flavor out of it.. if you do, remove the sprigs after roasting. If you want pan juices, you can always add about 1-2 cups of chicken stock at the start of roasting. To make this a one (pot) dish you can always add some potato wedges and carrots.. adjust the salt accordingly.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

French Beans With Leftover Caribbean Stewed Pork.

May 27, 2025March 5, 20151 Comment

Between spinach and beans it would be very difficult for me to decide which I adore more. The edge would probably go to beans simply because as a young fella on the islands I would help my parents grow different varieties in our kitchen garden. I hated pulling out the weeds, but I did enjoy harvesting them.. each bean picked off the bushes were like little prizes to my collection in the basket. Mom would normally make this dish for us whenever she would make stewed pork the evening before for dinner and had leftovers. If you’d like to make this dish vegetarian, simply leave out the stewed pork and for more flavor use coconut milk instead of the water mentioned in the ingredient list.

You’ll Need…

1.5 lbs French beans (any green bean will work)
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Olive oil
Hot pepper (I used wiri wiri)
1 cup water (or coconut milk if making this vegetarian)
left over stewed pork

* If making this dish gluten free, do go through the entire list of ingredients (including the stewed pork) to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Trim the beans, wash and drain. Chop the onion, mince the garlic and get ready to rock one of the tastiest french beans dish you’ve ever had. Heat the oil in a wide pan on a low heat, then add the garlic, onion, thyme and black pepper. Allow it to go for about 3 minutes, so we start with a lovely flavor base.

You will notice that I opted for a Guyanese favorite, wiri wiri peppers for this recipe but you can use any (or none) hot pepper you like. You’ll also notice that I added them whole and never cut or burst them, as we want flavor and not raw heat.

Turn up the heat and add the beans, stir well and go in with the salt and whole peppers. Lastly, add the water and bring to a boil.

When it comes to a boil turn the heat down to a simmer, cover the pan and allow to cook for about 10-15 minutes (this depends on how well-done you like your beans). Then add the pieces of stewed pork to the pot, mix well and turn the heat up to burn off any excess liquid which may still be in the pot. Once the liquid is gone, turn off the stove and you’re done. If adjusting the salt in this dish, do so ONLY after tasting it AFTER adding the stewed pork. Since the pork would have already been salted perfectly, you don’t want to salt before adding it to the pot.

I like my beans with a slight crunch to them, so I usually allow them to cook for about 8-10 minutes before I ad the stewed pork. Do remember to remove the peppers before serving and try your best to not break them during cooking.. well, unless you want that lovely kick from the heat. If you don’t have stewed pork, you can go in with stewed chicken or stewed beef with basically the same results as this version.

Meat & Poultry

Jerk Chicken Noodle Stir Fry.

May 27, 2025January 16, 20157 Comments

Here’s another dish I enjoy making when we have leftover jerk chicken (something not too common in this house). From the flavors of the residual jerk marinade on the chicken to texture of the slightly cooked vegetables, this is an ideal one-pot dish. As I’ve mentioned in the past, after slavery was abolished on the islands, many indentured laborers from China and India were brought in to facilitate the shortage of labor. So you’ll find that our culinary culture reflect this infusion of Asian flavors and technique in cooking. This dish is the perfect example of how the Caribbean and Asia comes together for something absolutely mouthwatering.

If you can, try to get a “Guyanese” chow-mein type noodle – can be found at most West Indian markets.. it works best for this dish in my opinion.

You’ll Need…

1 package Noodles (about 340 G | 12 oz)
1 stalk celery
1/2 carrot
2 scallions
2 cups jerk chicken (cubed)
2 birds eye pepper (optional)
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups cabbage
1 teaspoon Oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Hoisin Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon veg oil

* Cook the noodles according to package directions “but”.. if it says to cook for 5 minutes, try to under-cook it by a minute or so, so you don’t end up with soggy noodle when it’s stir fried.

Prepare your vegetables (cut, dice etc). I had leftover jerk chicken breast, so all I did was cube it into bit sized pieces. If you don’t have leftover jerk chicken, take 2 large chicken breasts, marinate in your fav Jamaican jerk marinade and broil in the oven for about 15-20 mins (depends on the thickness). Be sure to keep as much of the jerk marinade on the chicken as you cube it as it will add that wicked jerk flavor to this noodle stirfry.

Cook the noodles,drain and set aside. Be sure to have all your ingredients prepped as this is all about cooking fast!

In a deep pan heat the oil on a medium flame then go in with the diced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the celery, cabbage and carrot and cook for another 1-2 minutes. At this time you can add the two birds eye pepper (whole) so we get some flavor and not the raw heat.

It’s now time to add all the sauces and stir well, then go in with the cubed chicken.

Stir well so we get that ‘jerk’ flavor throughout the dish. If you wish you can add a tablespoon of jerk marinade to the pot for that extra kick of Caribbean goodness. Finally it’s time to add the pre-cooked noodles to the pot, stir well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then top with the chopped scallion and you’re done!

It will be normal for the noodle to clump a bit when it’s cooled, but as you add it to the pot and stir.. it will loosen up. Remember to remove the whole peppers (or leave it for those who like heat) before serving. If you want an additional kick (remember the jerk marinade will have scotch bonnet) you can always break the birds eye pepper.

You can personalize this dish by adding your fav vegetables and that’s also a great way to stretch this dish for more people. Bell pepper, bean sprouts, broccoli, zucchini and Christophene (Jamaican choc cho | chayote) will all work well in this dish. NOTE: You will notice that I didn’t add any salt as I’m trying to cut back on the amount of sodium in my diet and the soy sauce will be enough to season this for me. But do taste near the end and adjust to your liking.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Beef, Sweet Potato And Pumpkin Soup

May 26, 2025January 7, 20154 Comments

That bone chilling cold is back and with a vengeance. Over the Christmas holidays it was relatively mild by Canadian standards, but this morning the mercury dropped to -28 C (-18.4 F). Like a true son of the Caribbean soil, I’m battling back with a hearty beef with sweet potato and pumpkin soup to warm up the mind, soul and body! We’ll start off by roasting the pieces of beef (with bones) in the oven, something which is not traditional in Caribbean soup making, but that roasted flavor will elevate this soup to a HIGHER level! Then we go in with pieces of pumpkin and sweet potato, followed by fresh herbs and other flavor ingredients.
You’ll Need…

2-3 lbs beef bones
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 carrots
1 large onion
2 stalks celery
2 large sweet potatoes
1 medium butternut squash
2-3 cups diced pumpkin
water * or Beef stock
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
4 sprigs thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 stock cube
2 scallions
3-4 allspice berries

optional.. flour dumplings, potato and ground provisions.

It’s important that you use pieces of beef with bones for maximum flavor and it’s normally the cheapest cut of meat. Wash and pat the beef dry, then place in a baking dish with the cubed celery and carrots. Toss with 2 tablespoon olive oil and roast on the middle rack of your oven for 45 mins @ 400F

As the beef roast in the oven, peel and cube the pumpkin, squash and sweet potato. You’ll notice that I used traditional Caribbean sweet potato (purple/red colour) and what is called ‘yams (sort of orange colour) in North American grocery stores. We’ll cook this for a long time, so feel free to cut them in large pieces.

Remove the roasted beef from the oven and get ready to put everything together so we can started on our soup. If you prep the vegetables in advance, cover them with water so they don’t go discolored on you.

In a large soup pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and go in with the diced onion, garlic, black pepper, chopped scallion and thyme on a low heat and cook for about 3-4 minutes.

Turn up the heat, add the roasted beef and vegetables.. be sure to get all the stuff at the bottom of the roasting pan and give the pot a good stir. Now go in with all the other ingredients, cover with water or beef stock and bring to a boil.

You will notice a few things. 1. If using beef stock, keep in mind that it will have a lot of sodium so be mindful when adding more salt. 2. I added the scotch bonnet ‘whole’ to get the flavor and not the raw heat. if you break it – be prepared for that Caribbean sunshine. and 3. If adding flour dumplings, do so the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Reduce to a gentle boil and allow to cook for about an hour and 3/4 or until the beef is tender. The vegetables will fall apart for the most part, but that will give you a nice thick soup. If you want your vegetables with texture, you can add them the last 35 minutes of cooking. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly and remember to remove that scotch bonnet pepper at the end of cooking.

Serve HOT (forget the warm thing).. this is meant to warm you up on those cold winter days or when you just want a taste of home! If doing this recipe gluten free, do go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Flour dumplings will NOT be an option.

Meat & Poultry

Simple Guyanese Pepperpot Recipe.

May 27, 2025December 17, 201443 Comments

When you hear a Guyanese person speak about Christmas the conversation always heads in the direction of Pepperpot. You have to love the passionate manner in which my fellow Caribbean people speak about this lovely meat stew most Guyanese serve on Christmas morning with a thick slice of their traditional plait bread. The tender pieces of meat falling of the bones and the rich gravy…. oh that rich gravy! You’d rip a piece of the bread and dunk in into that lovely gravy, spiced with cinnamon, herbs and cassareep (a thick molasses like reduction made from cassava). Other that what goes into making the pepperpot, patience is key… low and slow and you’ll be rewarded.

You’ll Need…

4 lbs of meat- (beef and goat)
1 cup cassareep
2 cinnamon sticks
2 inch piece orange peel
4 cloves garlic
4 wiri wiri peppers
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
8-12 cups water
4 springs thyme
6 cloves (optional)
2 small onions

*tablespoon veg oil

Note: I’ve seen my cousin’s in-laws who are Guyanese make this dish with strictly goat meat and I know others who uses a combination of meats as I did.. but they also add pork, oxtails, trotters and even cow heel. So the choice is yours.

Have your butcher cut the meats into the same size pieces and try your best to trim off as much fat as you can. I personally like using a combination of meats with bones and boneless. So the goat meat had the bones, but the beef was indeed boneless.

In a large/deep pot, heat the oil and add the pieces of meats (wash and drain first) and try to brown a little. Then add all the other ingredients (except the water) and give it a good stir. Next up add the water (make sure everything is covered) and bring to a boil.

You will note that I kept the peppers whole so I get the flavor and not the raw heat (you can remove them before serving and try your best not to break them open).

As it comes to a boil you’ll need to skim (and discard) the sort of scum at the top of the pot and during the 3 hr braising process, you’ll want to do the same for any oily fats you see on the surface. Now that it’s boiling, reduce to a very gentle simmer, cover the pot and let it go for 3 hrs. Yes, you can use a pressure cooker to help with the lengthy cooking time, but to be quite honest.. you’ll loose some of that lovely flavor you ONLY get with slow cooking.

After 3 hours the liquid would have reduced by about 3/4, so it will be intense in both color and flavor, for what I believe is one of the most tasty Caribbean gravy you’ll ever enjoy. Guyanese pepperpot is something cooked a couple days before Christmas and remains on the stove, gently heated every time you need a fix. Personally, I much prefer my Pepperpot with cassava dumplings or ground provisions (that’s probably the country boy in me).

Thanks for all the email requests for this recipe as I much enjoyed having that lovely aroma of the cinnamon throughout my home for the 3 hours of cooking. My girls told me the scent reminded me of Christmas… and they’re not Guyanese!

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Caribbean Beef, Sweet Potato And Pumpkin Soup

Recipe Card

Caribbean Beef, Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup

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Ingredients

Instructions

Simple Guyanese Pepperpot Recipe.

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