Jerk Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 c scallions, finely chopped
- 1 to 3 habaneros or to desired heat level
- 1/2 lg white/ yellow onion (coarsely chopped)
- 3 T soy sauce
- 2 T fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 2 t salt
- 2 t Jamaican allspice, freshly ground
- 1 T vinegar (white or cider
- 1 T cooking oil
- 1 t black pepper
- 2 t sugar
- 1/2 t cinnamon, freshly ground
- 1/2 t nutmeg, freshly ground
Instructions
Put all ingredients except the scallions and thyme in a blender (or food processor) and puree. Then add the remaining ingredients and run the blender until the ingredients are well mixed, but not pureed. Makes a little more than 1 cup (enough for about 2 pounds of meat). Recipe scales well. Sauce can be kept refrigerated for a month, or frozen. Jerk Chicken For chicken, use about 1/2 cup of marinade per pound of chicken thighs (any cut will do), rubbing all over and under the skin. Marinade overnight (or for a few hours) in the refrigerator in a covered baking dish. Put the baking dish directly into a 300F preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour (depends on how much meat and how it's arranged). Immediately after removing from the oven, grill the meat over a hot BBQ (mesquite charcoal works very well) for a few minutes on each side, until crispy. (Begin with the skin side down.) The goal for prebaking the meat is to be able to grill the meat quickly to a crispy outside and juicy inside, while avoiding an undercooked middle. I usually serve it with rice and tropical fruit, like mango or banana.