Jerk is the epitome of flavors that will set your taste buds on fire and for some crazy reason, you will still want more. I grew up in Guyana which is in the Caribbean and well-seasoned food is a part of our vibrant culture. Growing up, there was only one place that served up a grilled jerk chicken that my family frequented and when I ventured off on my own and decided to start experimenting in the kitchen, I just had to come up with my own recipe for a marinade that will make you feel like you are on an island somewhere.
Now you may have noticed that my recipe says Jerk “Pork” and you may ask yourself “why just pork?”. Let me explain. This recipe can be used with a variety of meats but it is best suited for pork since it is sweeter and heavy on the allspice. Two things that really compliment pork more than other meats. You can check out my Jerk Chicken Marinade and Jerk Spice Blend for other options or feel free to try this out on any other meats you like.
The Best Jerk Pork Marinade
Let’s talk about the ingredients, shall we? Allspice and scotch bonnet peppers are two main ingredients that are true to authentic jerk flavor. However, here in Texas, scotch bonnets are not always easy to find. I will share some substitutions and some notes that will help you get the best out of this marinade and impress your friends at your next grilling session.
INGREDIENTS and substitutions:
- onions – This acts as a nice base of flavor to start building our marinade. I like to use yellow onions and chopped it into small pieces before blending.
- green onions – will complement the onion base and give the recipe a fresh and vibrant flavor behind the heavy spices. Don’t leave it out and don’t substitute it. You can find these everywhere so make it happen.
- scotch bonnet peppers – Depending on where you live, scotch bonnet peppers may be hard to find. You can substitute habaneros or wiri wiri peppers (for my Guyanese friends). They are both very flavorful and adds the needed heat to pull off this jerk recipe. Don’t use Jalapenos since these have a very distinct flavor that will throw everything off.
- garlic – I love garlic. It is always my recommendation that you use fresh garlic; not garlic powder, not garlic salt, not garlic paste, and not even the fresh chopped garlic in oil that is sold in the produce section. Using fresh garlic cloves will beautifully marry the vibrance of fresh ingredients and the earthiness of the spices. If you don’t love garlic then you could cut back a bit but I would highly recommend using as much as the recipe calls for.
- thyme – Fresh thyme is always my first choice but sometimes you don’t always find it in the store and making multiple trips to different stores is way too much work. Dried thyme works perfectly. Cut the amount in half and save yourself a trip to another store.
- ginger – I would always tell you to use fresh ginger but I would be lying if I said I haven’t thrown ground ginger in there when I forgot to grab fresh ginger at the store. Shoot for fresh ginger if at all possible.
- brown sugar – The sugar adds some sweetness that will complement the pork and add some depth of flavor. If you are using a cut with a fat side, like a loin, then it really helps to caramelize that fat for a beautiful pork loin.
- allspice – It’s not Jerk unless you have lots of allspice as a prominent flavor. Also called Pimento or pimento berries. While it sounds like it is a combination of spices, it is actually just one spice given its name from the array of spices it resembles; cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Some even say ginger. My best recommendation to really elevate the flavor is starting with the whole allspice berries and toasting them in a pan for 3-4 minutes. This will bring out the aromas and flavor to really enhance your jerk.
- nutmeg – Nutmeg will complement the allspice and the sweeter notes of the jerk.
- cinnamon – Cinnamon like nutmeg will do the same while adding a sweet and warm profile.
- black pepper – Just when you thought we had enough pepper. Black pepper is more of a back of the throat warm heat that doesn’t linger as long as scotch bonnets or habaneros adding complexity to the heat factor. You can also use whole black peppercorns and toast them before grinding as well.
- soy sauce – This is going to add a savory and salty note that will balance the sugar and sweetness of the spices. It will also add some wetness to add to the marinade consistency.
- oil – This can be olive oil or vegetable oil. It will add more liquid to be able to blend all the ingredients together but it also allows the marinade to nicely coat the meat and to brown up beautifully in the oven or on the grill.
HOW TO STORE:
Store in the freezer – pour into a freezer bag and remove excess air. Will freeze well for several months. You can also freeze in covered ice cube trays and use a cube here and there, to spice up some fingerling potatoes and for a quick, grilled jerk breast to throw on top of a salad.
Store in the fridge – Pour into an air-tight container and store for about 3 weeks in the back of the fridge.
I prefer to make this fresh every time but I always have some that are leftover and will usually freeze in cubes so I can toss them into quick meals. Now my mouth is watering and I can feel the sunshine on my shoulders.
Hope you guys enjoy this one!
Jerk Pork Marinade
Description
An authentic jerk marinade that is sure to take you on vacation. The perfect blend of savory heat with a cooling sweetness that will add so much flavor to your meats.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until thick and smooth. Add more oil if needed to make blending easier.
Note
- Marinate meat overnight for best results. Grill or roast in the oven.
- If there is not enough liquid to blend smoothly, then add more oil but just enough to blend into a smooth paste
- Store in an airtight jar for up to 3 weeks or freeze for several months.
