Summer Grilling: Jerk Chicken
We love jerk sauce for its versatility: Full of fiery chiles and warm spices, the all-purpose Jamaican seasoning can be used as a rub on pork, beef, fish, and vegetables-but our favorite way to use jerk sauce is on chicken. Allspice, ginger, cinnamon, and thyme lend fragrance to the complex paste in which the meat marinates before it's cooked; scallions and citrus give it sharpness and tang; and plenty of black pepper and Scotch bonnet chile add heat.
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This recipe first appeared in the 2012 SAVEUR 100, with the article Jerk. SERVES 8
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup ground allspice
¾ cup minced scallions
½ cup peanut or canola oil
⅓ cup ground black pepper
¼ cup kosher salt
¼ cup minced ginger
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp. ground cloves
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, stemmed and minced
2 (3 to 4-lb.) chickens, each quartered
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INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine sugar, allspice, scallions, oil, pepper, salt, ginger, juice, soy sauce, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, garlic, and chiles in a bowl. Add chicken; toss to coat in jerk marinade. Cover with plastic wrap; chill at least 6 hours, or overnight.
2. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium (see BBQ 101 for tips). Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin side down; cook, turning once, until marinade forms a crust on the outside, about 8 minutes. Cover grill; continue cooking until cooked through, about 40 minutes. (Alternatively, transfer chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet; bake in a 350° oven until done.)
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