Jerk marinade in a jar surrounded by ingredients

Sizzling Jamaican Jerk Marinade Recipe.

June 2, 2025February 18, 2025Leave a Comment

The original Jamaican Jerk Marinade was shared in 2011. After many requests, I then shared the Mild version for those of you who love the flavors of Jamaican Jerk with the heat. This is a more updated and refined version (arguably, there’s no need for it) of that original recipe I shared when I did the Smoked Jerk Turkey a few years back.

You’ll Need…

6 scallions (roughly chopped)
10-14 sprigs thyme (remove woody stems)
2 scotch bonnet peppers
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Pimento (allspice) powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 lime (juice)
1 lemon (juice)
4-5 thick slices of ginger
8 cloves garlic
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
2 medium onions (roughly chopped)

Notes! If making this Jerk marinade gluten-free, please use a gluten-free soy sauce or Tamari, but please read the label. When handling Scotch Bonnet peppers, wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately afterward. Yes, Habanero peppers will work nicely if you cannot source Scotch Bonnet peppers. May I recommend that you follow along with the video below, as much more about the recipe is discussed there?

Preparing this Jamaican Jerk Marinade involves three steps: Wash and prep everything that needs attention.

Everything is placed in a blender or food processor (step 2).

I like using a food processor because I have more control over the consistency of the finished marinade. If you are using a blender and you want it with a bit of texture, I recommend that you pulse it rather than have it go continuously.

Once you’re happy with the consistency (step 3), marinate your chicken, pork, or fish with it or place it in a plastic container in the fridge for later use.

It will keep in the fridge for at least a month.

Meat & Poultry

Quick And Simple Jerk Pork Stir Fry.

May 27, 2025September 19, 2023Leave a Comment

I luv me some Jerk Chicken, and while Jerk Shrimp is underrated IMHO.. Jerk Pork is simply special (outstanding). Especially when it’s been marinated overnight in a wicked Jerk Marinade and grilled over charcoal or on my Traeger Smoker. You MUST allow things to happen low and slow though. With that said, I had some leftover Jerk Pork from the night before so I decided to clear out the fridge a bit and rock a wicked Jerk Pork Stir Fry.

You’ll Need…

1/2 lb jerk pork slices
1 1/2 tablespoon grape seed oil (optional)
2 cloves garlic (chopped fine)
1 medium onion (sliced)
3/4 red bell pepper (chopped)
3/4 orange bell pepper (chopped)
1 medium carrot (thin sliced)
2 stalks celery (with leaves)
3/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon chili crisp
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
3/4 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 scallions (chopped)
leaves of celery (chopped)

Notes! May I recommend that you follow along with the video below. Should you want this extra spicy, add any of your fav hot peppers or a dash of pepper sauce (hot sauce). The jerk marinade I used in grilling the pork had scotch bonnet peppers in it.

Further. Should you want to add grated ginger, sliced cabbage, mushrooms and zucchini to the stir fry, please do so. Additionally, you may add cooked noodles and have it become an outstanding one-pot meal.

Prep all the ingredients as the cook time will be fairly quick.

Heat the oil (use your fav oil) on a medium flame (I explain why I like using a wok), then add the celery (sliced), followed by the onion and garlic. Turn the heat down slightly so we don’t burn the garlic. Should you want to add grated ginger, do so now.

After 2-3 minutes, turn the heat back up to medium and add the peppers and carrot, along any other vegetable/s you feel like adding. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.

Now go in with the Hoisin, Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce and Chili Crisp. Stir well and cook for another minute. I don’t usually add any salt as the jerk marinade I used along with the soy sauce is enough sodium for me. But later on you may add salt should you like (after tasting the completed dish).

In goes the thinly sliced Jerk Pork and cook until the pork is heated through. About 2-3 minutes on that medium flame.

Just before turning off the stove add the scallions and celery leaves and toss. The residual heat will warm those through and brighten up the overall stir-fry.

I’m not the biggest fan of sesame oil, so I went lightly, however you may adjust this to your liking. Should you be adding cooked noodles to the mix, may I suggest that you double up on the sesame oil, soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Oyster sauce is a great addition to this Jerk Pork Stir Fry as well.

Serve warm!

I hope you get an opportunity to make this awesome Jerk Pork Stir Fry for you, your family and friends.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry Seafood

Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub.

May 27, 2025February 15, 20222 Comments

Here’s my take on a classic Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub! A recipe I’ve tailored to my own taste, as you won’t see any Paprika (as in many recipes online) and to be honest with you, dried thyme is NOT my fav. However it’s a key ingredient in any Jamaican jerk rub or marinade you’ll ever come across, so I included it.

You’ll Need…

3 tablespoon Pimento Berries (allspice)
4 tablespoon Cane Sugar
3 tablespoon black pepper
3 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes
3 tablespoon dehydrated garlic
3 tablespoon ground ginger
4 tablespoon dehydrated scallions (or chives)
1 1/2 tablespoon scotch bonnet pepper flakes
6-10 bay leaves
3 tablespoon dry rubbed thyme

Note! To add a smoky undertone (if you won’t be using a smoker or grilling over charcoal), the smoked Paprika I mentioned that I didn’t use above, will work. NO, regular pepper flakes will NOT give you the same effect as the Scotch Bonnet pepper flakes. But if that’s all you can source, so be it.

I find that by crushing the Pimento (allspice) berries, it gives the finished rub a much deeper flavor. However, the ground stuff will work, if you don’t want the work or you don’t have a heavy mortar and pestle.

The addition of the Bay Leaf compliments the Pimento Berries as the have the same flavor profile, so I’d recommend using them. Those I crushed also. A spice grinder will also work.

To be honest, that’s the only real work involved in putting this wicked Jamaican Jerk Rub together. Basically all you have to do now is place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine.

Use fresh or store in a airtight glass jar. I prefer a glass jar as the flavors of the rub is very strong and can leave a scent-stain on plastic containers. Store in a cool, dry/dark place in the airtight jar and it will last you a few months easily. Give it a good shake before using next.

Do keep in mind that I didn’t use any salt in this rub as I much prefer to control that, depending on what I’ll be using the rub on. Speaking about use, it can be used on vegetables, fish, shrimp, pork, chicken (poultry) and lamb.

My fave is smoked/grilled dry rub chicken. Trim the excess skin and fat off chicken pieces, dust generously with the Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub, allow it to marinate for a couple hours (or go directly onto your grill), then grill as you’d normally do.

Circling back on my comment above about dried thyme… while I’m no fan of it, fresh thyme out of my garden is my JAM! I can use that herb on everything I cook.

Do keep in mind that this will be SPICY and if you use your hands to rub onto whatever you’re grilling, wash with soap and water immediately after.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Outstanding Honey Jerk Marinade.

May 28, 2025May 9, 20203 Comments

While on a recent trip to the Caribbean I was challenged by a honey producer (and given a bag of goodies) to use her honey in a recipe when I got back home. While the honey will compete with the more flavorful ingredients in this jerk marinade (like the spices, herbs and Scotch Bonnet peppers), it does enough to let you know “hey I’m here too“!

You’ll Need…

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup Vinegar
1/2 cup Soy sauce – dark
2 limes (juice)
3/4 cup Orange juice – fresh
15 Jamaican Pimento berries – all spice
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoon raw cane sugar
1.5 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon clove powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg powder
10-15 sprigs thyme
2 scallions
thick piece of ginger
1 large onion
8-10 cloves garlic
3 Scotch bonnet peppers
2 tablespoon honey (add more for a more pronounced honey undertone)
2 bay leaves

NOTE! Please remember to use as many Scotch Bonnet Peppers as you can tolerate (removing the seeds and white membrane around the seeds will help reduce the heat level). Wear gloves when handling them and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after. I used a cinnamon stick as I didn’t have any cinnamon powder. With the Cinnamon stick and All Spice (pimento) Berries you’ll need a powerful blender or food processor to break those down. Alternatively you can use the powder form – for the all spice use 1 heaping teaspoon .

Give everything a rough chop (after washing) as to make it easier for the blender or food processor to break down smooth. Remember you can add more of one ingredient if it’s a flavor you like. For me.. I like adding Bay Leaves as I find it compliments the Pimento Seeds (all spice), but many people won’t have it in their jerk marinade.

Add all the ingredients to the food processor.

I like to ‘pulse’ until I get the desired consistency and texture I like. I find that if you don’t pulse, you end up adding too much air to the finished marinade and it’s a bit frothy. It takes about 2-3 minutes.

If you do decide to add more honey than what’s mentioned in the ingredient list above, may I recommend you add it now (after your marinade comes out of the food processor).

This marinade will stay good in a clean container in the fridge for about a week. Or use immediately! Or you can double up on the recipe and freeze some. Pour into an ice cube tray until frozen, then pop into a freezer bag. whenever you need some, just thaw a few cubes and you’re golden!

Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Jerk Pork Bites.

May 27, 2025March 31, 2020Leave a Comment

While I’m an ISLAND boy at heart, my luv for grilled meats, means no snow can prevent me from satisfying my craving. Even when it’s – 27 C outside and the wind charges up your jacket. However, when it’s comes to jerk pork, that’s another story. I need it low and slow for a couple hours and there’s NO way you’d catch me out there that long. So I give my Ultimate Jerk Pork Bites – in the oven!

You’ll Need….

5-6 lbs pork
1 large onion (diced)
5 sprigs thyme
2 scallions (chopped)
1 cup orange juice
1 cup apple cider
1 cup prepared jerk marinade
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger
8 wiri wiri peppers (optional)
1 lime or lemon (juice) to wash the cut pork

Cube the pork, wash with juice of a lime and cool water and drain dry. I used a cheap piece of pork with some fatty marbling. Anything lean will give you somewhat dry and bland tasting jerk bites.

Prep the ingredients.

Season the pork (I seasoned it directly in the same roasting pan I’ll be using in the oven). Basically add everything to the pork and mix well. I used store -bought Jerk Marinade, so feel free to use your favorite or make your own. I’ve got a couple recipes on here showing how to make from-scratch Jamaican Jerk Marinade. I used Wiri Wiri peppers (what I had in my garden) and left them whole. But you can use any peppers you like or can handle. Don’t break the peppers if you don’t want it overly spicy.

Marinate in the fridge for at least one hour. 4 hours will give you the best results. You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt as I’m trying my best to cut back on my sodium intake. You may want to add a teaspoon of salt. The jerk marinade I used, along with Soy Sauce did an ok job, as far as salt goes for me.

Then into a 380 F degree preheated oven, but give it another mix before going onto the middle rack. Uncovered! Be sure to stir it every 20 minutes or so. After One hour, this is what it will look like.

I left it in for a total of 2 hours and 40 minutes as I wanted to be sure the pork was fork tender and packed with those wonder jerk flavors. The final 230 minutes, I put the heat up to 400 F to help develop the golden color. Be sure to stir for even coloring.

Top with some freshly parsley if you wish. You may now remove the Wiri Wiri peppers or leave them for the people who like it spicy. If you wanted to add a few drops of liquid smoke, you’re free to do so during the marination process. I’m no fan of the liquid stuff. If you want to do this on a tray over your outdoor grill, do your thing. I’m sure any added smoke (especially from Pimento, Apple, Cherry or Hickory) would kiss this is a nice way.

If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Outstanding Oven Jerk Pork.

May 27, 2025June 10, 20196 Comments

There’s a special place in my belly for jerk pork (no lie). While I much prefer it made over a coals fire so you get lovely smoked sort of finish, which really compliments the herbs and other ingredients in the classic Jamaican jerk marinade. The said… reality in Canada is it can get VERY cold during the winter months, so realistically I had to come up with a recipe with will duplicate those same flavors, but in an everyday kitchen oven. Here is such a recipe.

You’ll Need…

5-8 lbs Pork ( a cheap cut – fatty)

For the marinade…

3 tables spoon olive oil
1 lemon (juice)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large onion
4 scallions
10 sprigs thyme
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
15 pimento berries (all spice)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2-3 scotch bonnet peppers
2 tablespoon honey (or brown sugar)
2 tablespoon Honey Vinegar (optional)
thumb size piece ginger
5 cloves garlic
2-3 shallots

For dressing the roasting pan (optional)
+ thyme 5-8 sprigs
+ scallions 3
+ Orange juice 1 cup

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the soy sauce, which will have to be substituted for a gluten free type like Tamari.

Basically all you’re doing to start, is to create the marinade. Give all the ingredients a rough chop (where needed), then into a food processor or blender. You have 2 options A smooth marinade or a somewhat chunky one. I prefer chunky, so I pulsed the ingredients until it was at the texture and consistency I like.

The next step is to (well what I did). The piece of pork I used was from the leg or shoulder area (round piece of meat), so I butterfly it and made some deep cuts at the same time, to allow the marinade to really penetrate the meat and infuse this wonderful jerk favor from deep (watch the video below). Please try your best to use a fatty or marbled piece of pork. Not only will it be a cheaper cut, that fat will render and keep the meat really moist. Place the pork in a strong (big) zipper bag and pour the marinade over it.. massage and place in the fridge overnight for maximum flavor. Place the bag on a plate in case the bag leaks and if you remember, try to flip it a couple times during the marination process.

The next day.. pre-heat your oven to 375F and allow your pork to come up to room temperature (outside the fridge). Then place it in a heavy roasting pan and add the other ingredients mention in the list above. I pour the orange juice in the same bag we marinated the pork and moved it around to pick up any remaining marinade. Then onto the piece of pork in the roasting pan (I used a shallow side dutch oven).

Now into the 375 F oven on the middle rack. No I didn’t cover the roasting pan. After 30 minutes of so, I took it out of the oven and used the juices on the side to baste it a bit, then back into the oven. I believe I did this about 5-7 times during the roasting process.

It took about 3 hours in total to fully cook to my liking. At that point I took it out of the oven, tented it with some foil and allowed it to rest for about 15 minutes before slicing it up. Keep in mind that if you use a piece of pork with a bone running though the middle like I did.. be mindful when slicing. Also note that the scotch bonnet peppers will make this very spicy (don’t use the seeds if you want to tame it down a bit) and to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such HOT peppers.

Save the pan drippings to pour over the sliced jerk pork, especially if you’ll be making sandwiches with the meat. That low and slow heat will certainly develop similar flavors to having made this over a coals fire.. so no big deal when it’s – 30 C outside during the winter months in Canada. Chris will still get his Jerk Pork fix!

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Tasty Jerk Pork In The Oven.

May 27, 2025December 2, 20161 Comment

As many of you may know, I’m obsessed with cooking on an outdoor fire/grill/BBQ, so during the winter months I’m always looking for ways to recreate those same flavors indoors. YES I do brave the harsh Canadian winters and make use of my propane grill in the garage, but when temps hit below -40 C (with the windchill), iman not going outside. This recipe is a sort of tribute to Canada and the flavors of fall, while still delivering a unique Jamaican Jerk element.

You’ll Need…

1 pork loin (7-8lbs)
1 cup apple cider
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 scallions
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
5-10 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 habanero pepper
1 large onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large apples

1 cup bbq sauce (jerk or your fav)

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the soy sauce. I usually use a homemade jerk bbq sauce which I shared on this website a while back, but this time I simply opted for my fav store-bough sauce.

Place all the ingredients (except the pork, apples and bbq sauce) in a blender (you may need to give everything a rough chop) and pulse. You can go with a smooth puree or leave it a bit chunky for a bit more texture.

The apple cider, habanero peppers (grown in my garden) as well as the pure (organic) Maple Syrup are the flavors of Canada I mentioned above (along with the apples I got at an orchard) . Trim, wash and pat the pork loin (NOT tenderloin) dry and place in a dish or large/strong zipper bag. Now pour all of the marinade over it and massage well. Cover and place in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours. I purposely left the sort of cap of fat on the loin I was using as it will help to keep the pork moist as the fat renders while roasting in the oven. Place the fat side up when roasting.

The next day pre-heat your oven to 375 F while you get the roasting pan ready. Cut the apples in 1/4’s and place on the bottom of the roasting pan, then add the marinated pork loin. Now pour all the marinade over it and place in the oven – middle rack.

Roast uncovered for 2 1/2 hrs, but be sure to baste every 20-30 minutes or so. Then cover with tinfoil and cook another hour at the same temperature.

Now it’s time to take it out of the oven and spoon out 90% off the liquid into a sauce pan. Place the pork loin uncovered in the oven for another 30-35 minutes to develop that rich caramelized color and taste. Do keep basting with the little liquid we left back.

Bring the liquid in the saucepan to a boil, add the BBQ sauce (your fav), then reduce to a simmer. We’re now trying to reduce this by half, to intensify the flavors and thicken it up a bit. It took about 30 minutes. By which time the pork can now come out of the oven. Rest it for about 20-25 minutes before cutting into it.

You can make an apple sauce out of the cooked apples, but I couldn’t be bothered. Those apples infused wonderful fruity flavors into this oven jerk pork and an amazing aroma throughout my house (basically it served it’s purpose). This jerk pork done in the oven with those subtle Canadian flavors will be another one of those recipes I share which will become a regular in your household.

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Meat & Poultry

Jerk Pulled Pork Recipe.

May 27, 2025May 24, 20165 Comments

We’ll not be using the traditional method of making classic Jamaican jerk pork as I know how difficult it is to get pimento wood and during the winter months in temperate countries, your oven or slow cooker tends to be our best friend. We’ll take classic jerk spices and flavor ingredients and marinate the pork shoulder before slowing roasting it in the oven, until fork tender. Then we’ll toss it in your fav jerk BBQ sauce, for what I believe is the best pulled pork.

You’ll Need…

A teaspoon each of:
– ground ginger
– all spice
– cinnamon
– pimenton (hot smoky paprika)
– nutmeg
– salt (adjust to your liking)
– dry mustard
– crushed pepper flakes
– dehydrated onion
2 tablespoon brown sugar (light)

1 cup orange juice
2-4 scallions
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper
* liquid smoke if you like that stuff

5-8 lbs pork (cheap cut)
1 1/2 – 2 cups jerk bbq sauce

Note: I used a cheap cut of pork, with a bone and skin/fat.

Put all the spices (dry rub) in a bowl and give it a mix with a spoon. Use the back of the spoon to gently crush everything to help release the true flavors. Wash and pat the piece of pork dry, then cover with the dry rub. Massage well, put in your oven proof dish and cover with tin foil. Allow this to marinate overnight in your fridge or at least a couple hours.

As you oven comes up to temperature – 300F, take the pork out of the fridge to come back to room temperature. Pour in the orange juice, chopped scallions, thyme and scotch bonnet pepper. I used a whole pepper, including the seeds as jerk pork is supposed to be a bit spicy. but feel free to adjust to your own heat tolerance. You can add a bit of liquid smoke if you wish as well. Cover back with the tin foil and place it on the middle rack. Allow it to go for 3 hours.

Remove the tin foil, baste it with some of the juices and back in the oven uncovered for another 2 hours. After the 5 hours of the slow cooking in the oven it should be fully cooked (falling apart and easy to shred). Remove the cooked pork from the baking dish and set aside to cool enough so you can easily handle it. Remove the stems of the thyme from the baking dish, add your favorite jerk bbq sauce and whisk together with the pan juices. Please reserve 1/3 of the resulting sauce and set aside for later.

You can use two forks to shred the pork, but I much prefer using my fingers, so I can remove all the pieces of fat and skin (discard).

Your oven should still be on. Mix the shredded jerk pork in the sauce and place back in the oven to heat through for another 10-15 minutes.

The reserved sauce will be used to top your sandwiches! This jerk pulled pork will be packed with wicked island flavors, tender and overall moist from the way we finished it with a good dose of the sauce. I’m sure this will work great in a slow cooker or on your smoker/grill during the summer months (with a bit of tweaking).

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Gluten Free Jerk Marinade (for Chicken, Pork, Shrimp and Fish)

May 27, 2025July 28, 2015Leave a Comment

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!

Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Oven Roasted Pork.

May 27, 2025February 11, 201320 Comments

There’s nothing quite like the aroma of roasting meat in the oven, especially when you have that eager anticipation of a lovely dinner. Though over the years I’ve modified this recipe from it’s original beginnings (our mom’s recipe) , it really one which I’m very proud and excited to share. As with the other recipes in the “ultimate” series, you’ll find that this roasted pork will be an instant hit with your family and friends. And if by chance you have any left the following morning, don’t hesitate in making up a sandwich or two… you’ll be counting down the lunch hr at work.

You’ll Need..

4 lbs Pork *
1 cup orange juice
1 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
thick slice of ginger (about 1-2 tablespoon)
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 large onion
3 scallions
1 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 pimento berries (allspice)
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Notes: Do try to get a piece of pork which is not overly lean. With some fat or marbling, you’ll have a much more tender and juicy roasted pork. If you want to control the heat, don’t include any of the seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds from the scotch bonnet pepper. At first you may think this is overly spicy, but the other flavors we add will help balance things.. trust me!

First up we must make the marinade so we can infuse this lovely piece of pork with some wicked flavors. Give the scallion, thyme, onion, garlic, ginger and scotch bonnet pepper a rough chop, then place everything (except the pork) into a food processor (or blender) and puree for a minute or two. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, chop everything mentioned above very finely and mix in the other ingredients.

Wash and pat dry the pork, then place it in a deep bowl (or large zip lock bag) and pour the marinade over it. Give it a good toss, cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge to marinate for a couple hours (at least).

Place the well seasoned pork into a roasting pan (with a cover) and pour in all the marinade into the pan as well. Set your oven at 400F and place on the middle rack for 1 hour. After 1 hr, flip to the other side and go for another hour. Be sure to baste the pork as it roast with the marinade at the bottom of the pan.

After 2 hours, remove the lid and roast for another 15 minutes to give it some lovely colour and to reduce the gravy at the bottom of the pan. Remember to spoon some of that gravy over the pork as it roasts. I like my pork well done, but you can certainly tailor it to your liking. You’re looking for an internal temp of 160 F.

You would have noticed that I didn’t add any salt to this, that’s because I found that the soy sauce gave it all the salt I needed. But I’m sure you may want to add about a 1/2 teaspoon or so.. to your liking. The orange juice wasn’t fresh squeezed if you’re wondering. Cover and allow to rest about 15 minutes before slicing through. The gravy at the bottom of the pan will be outstanding, so don’t you dare toss that out. There’s enough here to feed between 5-7 people.

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Meat & Poultry

Jerk Pork Sliders

May 27, 2025September 12, 20124 Comments

Traditionalists can be very picky when it comes to any food labelled as being ‘jerked’, as they feel any jerked meat must be done over pimento wood. Though I agree that there’s the unique taste from the smoke off the pimento wood… but when you can’t source the actual pimento wood you must rely on a bold jerk marinade to help achieve maximum flavor. These jerk pork sliders are guaranteed to excite your taste buds with the brightness of the scotch bonnet pepper and the earthy goodness of the all spice, cinnamon and nutmeg. But it doesn’t end there… take a look at the ingredient list below and you’ll see how we do it in the Caribbean to achieve the perfect jerk pork sliders.

You’ll Need…

1/2 scotch bonnet (seeded and chopped)
1 scallion
2 sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 lb ground pork
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger

Notes: You can use a habanero pepper if you can’t source scotch bonnet peppers or your fav hot pepper (if all fails use some hot sauce for the kick). You can also use ground chicken, beef or turkey if you don’t dine with the swine.

You’ll need a food processor or blender (or chop as fine as you can), but first give the scallion, scotch bonnet pepper and the thyme a rough chop. Then add all your ingredients (except the ground pork) into the blender and work it until you have a smooth consistency. If the stalk of the thyme is not tender, remember to remove the little leaves off the woody stalk and discard. If you blend any woody stalk it will not break down all the way and you can have a potential choking hazard.

Place the ground pork in a deep bowl and pour the marinade over it. Using your hands (or spoon) work everything until it’s well incorporated. Here’s a trick to help shape the jerk pork sliders to fit evenly on your bun. Place a sheet of cling wrap on a flat surface, then make a log with the now seasoned meat on the wrap. Try to shape it about 1/4 inch bigger (circumference) than the size of your bun as it will shrink as it grills. Now roll and shape as you do with the cling wrap until you have a sort of thick sausage. Seal the ends and place in the freezer to set. It may take a couple hours.

In the meantime I prepared a Caribbean salsa to top my jerk pork sliders. Basically avocado, tomato, mango, cilantro, sea salt, black pepper, red onion and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (add a little organic honey if you have as well).

After the roll is firm, slice it with a sharp knife into the thickness you want (wet your knife for easier slicing). All you have to do now is grill on a hot grill as you would normally grill burgers. Since this is pork I like grilling slow, but until it’s fully cooked all the way through.I’m sure you can cook these in a frying pan on the stove top as well.

In my haste to get my dinner on, I totally forgot to toast the buns for that extra “bang”. But all you have to do now is place one of these jerk pork patties on your toasted bun, top with that beautiful Caribbean salsa and enjoy! There’s no need for any other condiments as the salsa will have that rich creaminess from the ripe avocado and the pieces of ripe mango will explode in your mouth with every bite.

These jerk pork sliders will be an absolute hit at your next BBQ as people as drawn to sliders in general, but with the unique punch of the jerk marinade we infused the ground meat with before grilling, will have friends and family begging you for the recipe. Remember when using the scotch bonnet pepper to wear gloves, wash your hands immediately after with soap and don’t include any seeds if you’re concerned about raw heat.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Jerk Pork Recipe.

May 27, 2025June 13, 2011179 Comments

jamaican jerk pork (8)

Today we’ll induct yet another dish into the series “The Ultimate” (keyword search ‘ultimate’ in the search box – top right of this page for more recipes in the series). This time we’re doing one of those classic Jamaican dishes… Jerk Pork. The first time I made this dish was about 5 years ago when our friends were getting married and they were having the stag / doe and asked for us to bring along a dish. Since then, we’ve only heard good things from the many guests who were there that night. This weekend being Tehya’s birthday and knowing that my mom is a fan of jerk pork, I thought it would be perfect for the bbq we were having.

If you read the piece I did titled Jamaica One Plate At A Time, you’ll know that I went in hunt of the perfect jerk while we were in Jamaica and found (more like stumbled.. stretch our legs and use the bathroom) a spot called “Supreme Jerk Center” on our way to Negril from Montego Bay. The fella doing the jerk had some skills. Not only was the pork perfectly cooked over the open coals, but we could tell that he allowed the meat to marinate for quite some time. As the pork was infused with that authentic jerk flavor and the smoky taste from the pimento wood was divine. Though I don’t have the use of the open coals, I’m positive that my jerk pork could easily rival his.

For this recipe you’ll need to refer to the jerk marinade recipe I shared with you a few months ago or see below for quick instructions. If you don’t feel like making your own marinade, check out the selection of Jamaican Jerk Marinade and BBQ Sauces you can purchase.

You’ll Need…

Jerk Marinade

5 scallions (green onions)
5 sprigs of fresh thyme (about 1 tablespoon chopped)
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 scotch bonnet peppers
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 onion
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger

* Basically all you have to do is give everything a rough chop and place in a food processor or blender as I did and pulse until you get a smooth consistency.

Then you’ll need…

1 boneless pork loin (about 7-8lbs)
2 cups of the jerk marinade

Let’s get started. Give the pork loin a good rinse under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Then place the pork in a large dish/pan and using a pairing knife, make some stabs into the meat (about 1 inch deep). This will help in the marinating process. This step will get a bit messy, so using gloves may come in handy. Remember we used scotch bonnet peppers in the marinade so you may find that your bare hands may catch on fire! Pour 1 cup of the jerk marinade over the pork loin, then using your hands, massage and work it well. You can certainly bush the marinade on, but I much prefer to work this with my hands. Now cover and leave to marinate for at least 5 hours in the fridge.

jerk pork recipe

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Take the pork out of the fridge about 25 minutes before you start to grill, to allow it to come back to room temperature. I’m using a gas grill to cook this but if you have a wood or coal burning grill, do your thing. Basically you want to bring the temperature of the grill to about 300 degrees and brush the grate with some vegetable oil. All you do is take tongs, grab a piece of paper towel and dip it into a bowl with vegetable oil an brush the grill.

The goal is to slow cook this so you have 2 options. Grill on the top level grill or sort of warming rack (as I did) or grill with indirect heat. The flame would be on one corner of the grill surface and the meat on the other. This way you don’t get direct contact with the meat and flame/heat.

Basically all you’re doing for the next 2.5 to 3 hours is basting every 20 minutes and turning over when you do, so the meat cook evenly. When you removed the pork loin from marinating, do save the left over marinade and add a further cup, to use for basting during the cooking process.

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When I purchased my pork loin I looked for a piece with a thin layer of fat. This allows the meat to basically self-baste while cooking… so you don’t get an overly dry finished dish as the loin is usually very lean. Remember to try to maintain the 300 degrees, keep the lid on the grill closed and brush on marinade every 20 minutes or so. You will notice that it will start going dark and have a sort of burned look, but this natural. It’s just all the sugars doing it’s caramelizing thing. Good jerk is supposed to have that sort of colour… but remember – no direct heat or it will become burnt!

jamaican jerk pork

Do allow this to rest a bit before slicing, so some of the natural juices are allowed relax the jerked pork loin. We had over 25 people here and I still had enough to pack a doggie bag for my parents when they left. But we did have many others dishes as well. Conservatively, this is enough for about 10-15 people as a main meat side..

IMPORTANT: Be sure to use a gluten free soy sauce to meet with your gluten free dietary needs when doing this jerk pork recipe.

— Winner Wanted!—

It’s that time again – we’re giving away the following book (see below) to one lucky person for the month of June. All you have to do is leave me a comment in the comments section below (please say something about this recipe) and your name will be automatically entered to win this amazing book on organic gardening and cooking with herbs, vegetables and fruits.

cookbook giveaway

Yea! Not your typical Caribbean book, but a wonderful way to learn about organic gardening and cooking. Focusing on plants that are easy to grow, Adam Caplin takes an illuminating new look at the delights and challenges of cultivating edibles, showing how they can be grown – on their own in beds and containers, in mixed borders, and decoratively with flowers – for their ornamental as well as their nutritional value. Celia Brooks Brown presents 35 mouthwatering vegetarian recipes – for soups and starters, main courses, salads and light dishes, salsas and chutneys, and sweet things. This book features glorious photography by Caroline Hughes and William Shaw.

There are two bonus ways you can have your name entered in the contest, giving you 3 chances at winning. Along with leaving a comment below, go to the Facebook fan page and/or the Youtube cooking channel and leave a comment there. I don’t care what your comment is, but it would be nice if you could tell me what you like about Caribbean food and if the recipes I share are helpful.

Here are the rules pertaining to winning the copy of “New Kitchen Garden”…

– contest is open to everyone globally

– there are 3 ways to enter your name (see above)

– 1 winner will be chosen at random (if you left 3 comments, your name will be entered 3 times)

– contest is open from June 13 – to midnight June 30.

– winner will be announced within 1 week of the official close date.

– the winner will have 1 week to contact us with mailing address

– we will cover all shipping expenses (standard mail)

I hope you take a moment to enter your name as I’d really like to mail this book out to you. It’s simple, free and a great way to experiment with some organic gardening and cooking. Good luck to everyone who enters.

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jerk pork

Sizzling Jamaican Jerk Marinade Recipe.

Recipe Card

Sizzling Jamaican Jerk Marinade

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

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Jerk Pork Sliders

The Ultimate Jerk Pork Recipe.

You’ll Need…

Then you’ll need…

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