Jerk Chicken

Ingredients

  • One 3 1/2 lb chicken (3lb of chicken breasts may be used if preferred)
  • 6 sliced scotch bonnet peppers (jalapenos may be used if scotch bonnet peppers are unavailable)
  • 2 Tbsp. thyme
  • 2 Tbsp. ground allspice
  • 8 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 Medium onions, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. salt
  • 2 Tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 to 2 Tsp of the following (to taste)
    • ground cinnamon
    • nutmeg
    • ginger
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup white vinegar

Instructions

  1. Chop the onions, garlic and peppers. These do not need to be chopped too fine as they will be liquidised by the blender.
  2. Blend all of the ingredients (excluding the chicken) in a blender to make the jerk sauce.
  3. Cut the chicken up in to 4 pieces.
  4. Rub the sauce in to the meat, saving some for basting and dipping later.
  5. Leave the chicken in the fridge to marinade overnight.
  6. Either:
    • Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turn the meat then bake for a further 30 minutes.
    • Grill the meat slowly until cooked, turning regularly. Baste with some of the remaining marinade whilst cooking. For best results, cook over a charcoal barbeque (ideally over a rack of pimento wood).
  7. Chop each quarter chicken portion in to 5 or 6 smaller pieces using a heavy cleaver.