Rubs and barbecue
Jamaican jerk seasoning
A hot Jamaican rub of scotch bonnet, allspice and thyme for slow-smoked meat.
Presented by ClearTrust Free for cooks, makers and the curious.
Jerk is a Jamaican style of seasoning and cooking, in which meat is rubbed or marinated and then cooked slowly over pimento wood. The two main spices are allspice, called pimento in Jamaica, and Scotch bonnet chilli.
What goes in
- Allspice421%, Pimento.
- Scotch bonnet421%, Heat.
- Thyme316%, Herbal.
- Spring onion316%, Fresh.
- Ginger211%, Warm.
- Garlic211%, Pungent.
- Nutmeg15%, Sweet.
Parts by volume of the whole spice. The ring shows each part's share.
Made step by step
Each drawing shows the operation for that step. Ratios and timings differ from house to house; this is one traditional-style way.
Step 1: Toast Toast the allspice berries gently and crush them. Step 2: Dry Remove the stem from the chillies. Wear gloves, as the oils burn. Step 3: Pound Blend or pound the chilli, spring onion, garlic and ginger to a paste. Step 4: Blend Stir in allspice, thyme, nutmeg, sugar and salt. Step 5: Rest Rub it into chicken or pork and rest for several hours or overnight. Step 6: Store Store extra paste in the refrigerator. Finished Jamaican jerk seasoning, by share.
Roots
The style is often traced to the Maroons, communities of formerly enslaved people who lived in the hills, and to the Taino people before them. Details of its history are debated. It is now widely known through the island's roadside jerk centres.
Make-up
Allspice berries, Scotch bonnet, thyme, spring onion, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar and soy sauce or salt are typical. Wet and dry mixes both exist, and each cook has their own.
Where it is used
The spices in it
AllspicePimento.
ThymeHerb.
GingerThe pungent rhizome of a flowering plant, widely used as a spice and folk medicine.
NutmegThe dried seed of a tropical evergreen tree, prized for its warm, pungent flavor.Also part of it, and being written: Scotch bonnet (Chilli.).
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Sources and further reading
Original text and drawings by the EveryMasala desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The shares are an illustrative, traditional-style ratio, not a standard: every family and maker blends differently. If we have something wrong, tell us.