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Gluten Free

The Ultimate Jerk Pork Recipe.

Chris De La Rosa
Chris De La Rosa
Storyteller · Award-Winning Author · TV Personality & Caribbean Culinary Curator.
179 comments
The Ultimate Jerk Pork Recipe.

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.

—————————————————————————————->

Oye! before you go… Remember you can watch the cooking videos on the recipe channel and we’d love to interact with you on our Facebook fan page. There’s a few thousand of us already causing commesse on there… so do check it out.

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179 Comments

  1. Love following your recipes and trying them out u explain things so easy to folliw keep up ghe good work

  2. Awesome chef. Just love your cooking. I am a big fan of Caribbean food, so I am always on your link looking for something to cook. Keep up the good work. Blessings.

  3. Pimento wood is the best for smoking jerk, but it’s hard/expensive to find pimento wood here in the US. What kind of wood would you recommend to get as close as possible? Hickory? Pecan? I’ve tossed some dried allspice berries on the coals but that doesnt seem to do much

  4. This looks amazing. I’m willing to through in a couple of smoke pouches for that extra smoky flavour. Mouth watering already!!!

  5. Your recipes never failed me so far, excited to try this one out I absolutely love Jerk Pork. Thanks

  6. Hi!
    That looks very promising!
    What kind of vinegar do you use? It can make a big difference in taste…

    Thanks!

  7. This recipe is amazing . and what makes it so, is that it is so easy to follow and you have all the ingredients right there .

    My husband love pork, and anywhere I can get a recipe that shows me step by step to prepare it a new way for him, I will surly try it.

  8. We just got back from the Caribbean Islands and wanted to try this recipe, it works great on lamb chops as well, delicious.

  9. I also have tried many pulled pork recipes, along with working for a Asian Pacific Resort with weekly Luau. But this recipe is superb. I used pork butt this time.

  10. I am oh so enjoying this recipe, it made me look as if I knew what I was doing in the Jamaican kitchen so just want to say thank you to the owner of this recipe. It was a real hit in my kitchen!!!! Looking forward to many more of you down home carribiean recipes. Much love Ms. B

  11. I have tried MANY jerk recipes, using chicken and pork, cooked several different ways and this is my absolute favorite. The marinade is well-balanced and the method was simple. The only variation I made was that I cooked it over indirect heat on a Weber grill and smoked with a little bit of pimento wood.

    Thanks!

  12. First time looking at recipes here. I cook jerk chicken very well and my bf loves it he is not Jamaican but is glad I'm able to do a good jerk chicken lol but now he wants me to jerk pork but I'm hesitant because I never tried it before, looking at this recipe I wiil give it a try.

  13. Hi Chris, must say Thank You!!! I never thought I could have made "coconut pone" but after following your recipe and easy to follow steps. I was a BIG winner, I surprised myseld..You should see my BIG smile. My family loved it. If I can make pone then for sure I can make Jerk Pork! You make it look like a walk in the part and I am pretty sure I will be making Jerk Pork soon even for Christmas!! Wishing you and yours many blessing 🙂

  14. Gracias Christ, esto es lo mejor q pude haber encontrado, a mi me encantan este tipo de comida,pero el toque tan especial q tu le das es fuera de este mundo, y yo tratare de hacerlas..

  15. Chris you make it so simple for those of us that don't have a darn idea of what we are doing around the kitchen. The pictures and the simple way in which you explain the process is amazing. This is the first time I have been on your site and I am already loving it. I live in Edmonton Canada but was born in Guyana, I have done jerk pork many times before but with jerk out of a bottle. I will try this and let you know how it turned out. I like a few others on here love my bones so I always used the pork chops with the T-bone in what I am looking for also is Callaloo the way my Trini friends does it I die for this stuff but have no info on how to make it. Can you repost if you have this. Thanks for making things simple I just love it.

  16. Chris you did again when i were living trini i used to travel from palo seco to penal to get a good jerk pork, now i am living BVI i used to travel from west end to town to get jerk pork, i am saving gas now and eating jerk pork whenever i feel like eating it :-). Thank God

  17. Greetings from Australia. I've just put mine in the fridge to marinate. I'm cooking it tomorrow for fathers day at my parents house. By the look/smell thus far I'm thinking this is going to go down a treat. Love your recipes man. Peace.

  18. Looks like another good recipe to try. If you can't use pimento wood whole allspice is a good alternative. I've used it on a charcoal grill and a gas grill by soaking the berries overnight in water and then making little packets of them with aluminum foil leaving a vent at the top. When they heat up they give off a similar flavored smoke as the pimento wood. I've used a similar recipe on pork and chicken but your recipe has more ingredients and sounds much better.

    The only problem I have is that I've heard it's not a good idea to used leftover marinade as a baste but instead use fresh marinade that hasn't had raw meat in it. But I guess if you could it long enough it wouldn't be a problem.

  19. this looks delicious! i’ve recently tried a few of your recipes when cooking for my hubby from the islands. he says i’ve stepped up my cooking game 🙂 i will definitely try this one. thanks!

  20. i am from the islands and i love your recipes especially if i forget how to make something i just have to check caribbean pot my mother is not here with me so your recipes are very helpful always wanted a recipe for jerk not pork though will try with chicken thanks

  21. i really love the fries and ketchup recipe, i left you a comment on facebook.
    im not just commentinmg to win the cook book, but i applied so many times to get one, it would make my heart be at ease to win this one as i really love gardeneing and cooking.
    AS GUSTUS WOULD SAY (ANYONE CAN COOK) again i say much love to the jerk pork and just wonder how on earth it must have taste. And you know what chris i would love to meet you guys and try some of your fine recipes and share some of your traditional meals and i share mine. afterall a chef is a chef am i right? LOL…

  22. hey chris i reply to you most of the times and tell you how amazing your recipes are.
    that jerk pork recipe is strictly jamaican tradition of jerk pork and when i saw it i immediately got hungry. i love all your recipes and i tried most of them.
    congrats to you and your team for all your work and diligence and i will always try your recipes because they are so caribbean and full of spices and easy to cook

    thanks big up…

  23. Chris, you make a lot of people happy!! Even in the Netherlands we go for the stew chicken with the madame jeanette (the "hights in our flat country")…..loved it! Keep up your great work to inspire!

  24. Chris thanks for the delicious recipes not forgetting the lovely pictures too. Although we cannot find all the ingredients here I do try some the ones that are easy and quick and I must say they turn out really good.
    The one above looks good so I am going to try it this week-end. Thanks once again.
    Cynthia

  25. hey Chris…that pork looks super-fantastic, and i'm sure it tasted even better than it looked! i like the shortcut way though so i use Grace jerk seasoning and it has just the right amount of "sting". Maggi used to have the "bess" but they stopped producing it (beats me why!) but if i find the time, i'll definitely try this recipe, even if it's just to say "i made this from SCRATCH!"

  26. omg of all the jerk ive seen u post i think this one is the best!!!!!!!! im drooling!! i would need a proper grill to get this done right! any suggestions on where to buy in Trini???

  27. Chris! you know i love your recipe i try all i need to share some of my own with you, you are really bless with your hand

  28. I have been waiting for something like this for a while, keep up the good work Chris I do enjoy your recipes Thank You

  29. I totally love ur website, sometimes I dont kno wat to cook ąnd suddenly I would get an email from u wit a wonderful recipe, to everyone who hasn’t subscribe do it now u wont regret it, tanx so much Chris.

  30. Chris, I so enjoy trying new recipes and this is one I'm definitely going to try. Just looking at the pictures makes my mouth water.!

  31. Mmm.. looks mouth watering. Decided to try out a home vegetable garden but not have much success this year. This book would be a great help for next year if I win! Keep up the great work!

  32. Hi Chris, I have been enjoying some of your recipes. Seeing that I am an avid gardener, please enter my name in your new book competition. Thank you Karisha

  33. Chris,you make that Ultimate Jerk Pork Recipe look so easy to make .The pork looks absolutely sumptuous.Although I am not a great cook I must try this recipe,it is just too good to pass up.When I am through making this I will be known as the great Jamadadian cook.
    Ingrid Ashby

  34. Chris,you make that Ultimate Jerk Pork Recipe look so easy to make .The pork looks absolutely sumptuous.Although I am not a great cook I must try this recipe,it is just too good to pass up.When I am through making this I will be known as a Jamadadian.
    Ingrid Ashby

  35. Hi Chris. Your Jerk Pork recepie sure looks yummy. I must try this soon. I like all your posts. All the best to you and yours. Thanks.

  36. Just bought a new grill and from the picture above this looks like the perfect recipe to try out first.

  37. Chris, its really nice to receive of these wonderful recipes my kitchen has been given a makeover. Although I don't eat pork the recipe looks delightful so I am going to share with my friend who love pork. Keep up the good work.

  38. I love pork especially when it's turned into ham at Christmas time, this jerk looks equally delicious, will be trying it soon.

  39. I love pork, especially when it’s turned into ham at Christmas time, this jerk looks just as tasty, certainly will be trying it soon.

  40. It's wonderful to know you are sharing these recipes with the general public. One of friends is always looking for certain recipe and your site has become an excellent resource.
    Angela

  41. Chris, I have tried some of your recipes and love them. Will definitely try this one as I love a nice piece of pork. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes.

  42. Chris, If the weather is better this coming long weekend in TNT we will be grilling and this recipe look a winner for the pork ribs. Thanks once again

  43. Hi Chris, another great recipe for me to try, and I love love love pork soooo yipeeeee. And again offering my name towards the competition to win that recipe book, my fingers, toes eyes and bowels are all crossed, hoping for a little luck to step in….Keep posting those mouth watering dishes, I am most definitely looking out for them

  44. hey Chris love this receipe i don't have a bbq pit like you, i have the old fashion coal pot ! but i will start it, that is the pork chop off in the oven on 200 degrees covered with foil for 1 1/2 hr. and finish it on the coal pot to get that real coals taste.

  45. Chris seeing the pictures makes a big help and your mouth water…. some of the dishes I haven't cooked in a long time and forgot how to are on your site…so thank you.

  46. Chris, eventhough I am not from the islands, but I must say I love your cooking, tried a few recipes and enjoyed them. I will definitely try this one, its looks good, very tempting, and I am sure it will taste as good as it looks.
    thank you, and God bless you and your family 🙂

  47. just wanted to say thank you so very much for bringing traditional Caribbean recipes to the masses, I have enjoyed using them and creating wonderful dishes that my family love. Keep up the great work.

  48. Morning Chris , yesterday i reviewed your recipe on Mother in Law along with my own personal twists, I am grateful. however winning your new cookbook would really brighten my day…….

  49. Wish I had a grill! Do you think I could get close to that nice crust on the pork if I seared it then roasted? Probably not… But I sure would like that cookbook! 🙂

  50. Hello chris! I truely love your food, it always reminds my of back home (trini to de bone) I would love love love to win one of you books and continue to trinidad style cooking as I tour the world and protect this country.

  51. Hey Cris Thanks for the wonderfull cooking recipes, Caribbean is back into our kitchens and parties! Jerk Chicken is our favourate!
    Since I am learning to cook organic while keeping the Carribbean touch, would love to participate for the book contest.
    Keep up blessing us with your wonderfull blog!
    Greetings from the Netherlands.,

  52. Hey Chris always see this pork loin in the supermarket and wanted to try it out ,thank you for that special marinade !!!!!!!!!!

  53. Chris, that pork loin looks really good even tempting for someone who doesn't cook or eat pork. I will try the rub on chicken.

  54. Chris, greetings from the Dutch caribbean. Been surprising my guest with your recipes. Yesterday i tried the jerk pork —-> Awesome !!!!!

  55. hey Chris sorry to say i dont eat pork,but i always look forward to your new postings.i like that all the ingredients in your recipes are available to me,unlike when i purchase recipe books at the bookstore.also,the pictures let me know what its supposed to look like every step of the way.thanks Chris and keep up the great work

  56. Really nice Chris – am from the Caribbean and love pork – can I do this in a traditional oven since I do do not have a grill

  57. Love the recipe, but I dont eat pork, so i will have to try it with chicken….I have started planting my own herbs, so I would love to have that book.. It will be great. So far i have planted spanish thyme, shadon beni, and chive, Im planning on doing the fine thyme and some basil and mint next..I think food just taste so much better with fresh seasoning..

  58. THE PICTURE LOOKS SOOOO DELICIOUS.I CAN’T WAIT TO TRY THIS RECIPE! THE CINNAMON AND NUTMEG PROBABLY MAKE IT SMELL TERRIFIC.

  59. Thanks Chris, this and all your recipes have the delicious taste of the Caribbean, receive a greeting from Venezuela, and I want to be the winner of the book.

  60. I am very excited about trying to make the Jerk Chicken soon….. may throw it on the grill for fathers day!

  61. here is Wishing you Chris a Happy and enjoyable Father, 's day .keepup the good work with these fantastic recipes. kenny

  62. Chris, Will be trying the jerk pork on Friday. Fantastic recipes. Love them. Like the pictures of the ingredients and how it should look step by step.. Love to win the Caribbean book. Keep up the good work .Love to all. Ken from Winnipeg.

  63. Jerk Pork done right is a beautiful thing! Based on the ingredients, without even trying this recipe (I will) this jerk por is guaranteed to satisfy and leave you wanting for more.

  64. Chris. I have been going to the islands for a few yrs now and fell in love with the food instantly, especially anything Jerk. As an up and coming chef, I must say that I think Caribbean food may turn out to be my primary focus. Just recently found the site and am totally loving it!

  65. Thoroughly enjoying this website, thanks for the tips! I am from the Caribbean, but was never near the kitchen, (only to eat), so my cooking skills have been honed from memories of tastes and flavours. I normally don't use a recipe, it's nice to get a new twist on old favorites and an introduction to new flavors.

  66. How the weather in Canada Chris? Was raining for 12 days here in Jamaica then Thursday it was like it hadn't rained in ages!

  67. Thank you very much for this recipe, I've been looking for a good jerk pork recipe for a long time. Your recipes are so good! I tried a few dishes myself and they are GREAT!. I also like the added photographs. They are priceless and bring that special touch to the recipe.

  68. I love pork, never had it jerked before, so I guess it is about time I did. Thanks for your easy to follow recipes. Keep up the good work.

  69. Chris this is definitely gonna be our Fathers day dish, I can taste it already, thanks for all those wonderful recipes that you send us.
    Nalini

  70. Well Chris, just looking at the pictures and reading the recipe already causes a sensation and mouth watering. I surely will try this recipe with about half the portion of loin (4 lbs)next Sunday, June 19th (father’s day here in Suriname). My husband John will love it. Thanks Chris.

    Maria

  71. Hi Chris!
    I hope all is well. Thank you so very much for all of your easy-to-follow recipes. It all started with me looking for a decent Paratha Roti recipe and I stumbled upon your page. I can't believe how much I have learned from your videos about Caribbean cooking. I told myself that before I die, I'd like to get back to my Trinidadian roots and balay a roti. And now I can! Thank you

    AshleyL

  72. Looks very delicious…I will forward it to my brother to try it for his company cooking competition. Thanks Chris.

  73. I love every recipes you made and created. I will try making jerk pork ribs. Although I will not use some of the thing list on the recipe like orange juice . Got to tone down the sweetness a bit.

  74. Hi Chris, it's always a pleasure to check out yout recipes and be reminded of dishes to make. Sometimes I tend to think it's too much involved in making certain dishes but then u break it down and it is easy to do. Thanks and keep up the great work. Maureen.

  75. Chris – This recipe looks fabuliciously (if their is such a word) tasty!!!!!! I'm not into pork but sometimes cook it for friends. Just might give it a try. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes.

  76. I'm going to do this as a surprise for my wife and kids for the last day of school.
    It's the day I decided to break in the grill.
    Jake

  77. Hi Chirs, thanks for shareing all those great recipes. I guess you’re a chef! I will be makeing the green seasoning and the basic pepper sauce not to spicy.

  78. Can't wait to try this recipe!! Summer is here in the South of France and it's BBQ time – yummy!!!

  79. I can't wait to try this! And my local butcher has some great pork loin. Hmmmm…. maybe for fathers day.

  80. I am from South America and lived in Trinidad for seven years. I do love Caribbean food as I love your site. Thank you! ¡Gracias!

  81. local market has pork loin on sale this week will be trying this out this weekend. that cookbook will be a nice addition to my library

  82. Dear Chris. I am a Trinidadian, living in Trinidad. Now, I am not a pork eater, but heck, that jerk pork, looks real good, man.

    I hope you continue, with your simple, “colourful” and very,understandable way, of showing recipes, to many.

    Best wishes. Lorraine

  83. Your recipe looks and sounds so easy. I’m going to print out this recipe and try it. Sadly, I don’t have a grill but will try it in the oven.

    On a different note, I found this useful trick on the internet the other day that I want to share.

    If you get hot pepper on your hands and they are burning you, wash them with rubbing alcohol and it takes away the burn. I tried it and it really worked (to my surprise!!)

  84. Hi Marjorie, Seems like a great recipe the secret must be the length of time you marinade and constant basting. Keep the great receipes coming.

  85. Wow, I love Jerk Pork and this recipe looks scrumptious. Will send the recipe to my family and friends and will have this dish on my table on Sunday

  86. Mmh, tasty looking jerk pork. Only thing is, the older I get, the more recipes and cook books stack up in my shelf and the waist doesn't get slimmer 😉

  87. Love this carribean website. I have tried the curry chicken recipe and it came out great. I like that you enclose pictures of what the steps should look like. I am a novice cook and the illustrations are a great help.

  88. Called the butcher and ordered a Fresh Pork loin & use Mora coals to prepare this recipe.
    Will enjoy for farther's day
    Herwald

  89. I just signed up to for your email recipes! Love Caribbean food & cannot wait to try some of your recipes since we are moving to Jamaica before the end of the summer! We currently make our own jerk chicken & pork & sell it out of mobile grill trailer, JAMPAN!

  90. Hi Chris, just wanted to say thank you so very much for bringing traditional Caribbean recipes to the masses, I have enjoyed using them and creating wonderful dishes that my family love. Keep up the great work.

  91. Im going to try the Jerk Marinde on a Turkey breast then put it on my smoker…Can't wait to taste this one>>

  92. Well this makes jerk pork sound easy.May try it for international day at my kids school…but I have got to have bones. jerk bones are the best!

  93. Chris, your food always looks so appetizing and colorful. I look forward to all the postings. These ribs look good enough to eat. I will be sure to try the recipe.

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