When you think of Jamaica, you probably envision a warm sunny beach, with many fruits and fruity drinks, beautiful people listening to reggae and relaxing the day away; although, there is something very unique to Jamaica that most people do not know about. It is called Jamaican Jerk Seasoning.
A little history about this spice and its main components will get you thinking about what you can use to cook with it. Traditionally, it was used to preserve the meat and give bland foods some spicy flavor. There are basically three main ingredients used to make this spice: chili pepper, allspice berry, and thyme.
The Scotch Bonnet is the type of chili used in Jerk and is, arguably, the hottest chili pepper in the world. It is at least five times hotter than the jalapeno. Sometimes Scotch Bonnet peppers are hard to find in certain areas. If this is the case, you can substitute it for a jalapeno, but know that the turn out will be a bit different. Also, the spiciest part of the pepper is in the seeds, so if you want to reduce the heat, you remove the seeds.
The ground Jamaican pimento allspice berry has several different names. It is called, Pimenta dioica, myrtle pepper, or allspice. The reason why this spice is so popular in Jamaica is because it is needed to preserve the meat, and give it a unique flavor.
It is important to point out that this spice is not the same one that is often used to make pumpkin pie. It has a similar name, but is not at all related to the red pimiento chili. The best way to grind this spice is either with a mortar and pestle or a coffee or pepper grinder. Jamaican pimento all spice gives the Jerk combination a bit of a sweet taste because it comes from a berry that is dried and then grounded.
The last main ingredient in Jamaican spice is Thyme. Thyme is a common herb that is used in a variety of Jamaican cuisines. It is common and plentiful and usually sold in a bunch. You can also find it as whole leaves or ground. This herb is important in Jerk spice because it helps the stomach digest the food. In the past, digestion may have been difficult because of the lack of of refrigeration. Thyme helped aid this process.
A variety of recipes online add other ingredients to give it unique flavors such as: cloves, ginger, cinnamon, garlic or onions. Once you find a great recipe, put everything into a food processor and blend until smooth. Use the spice as a dry rub, or make it into a wet marinade.
Remember that the spices are spicy not only to your tongue, but also to other parts of your body, such as your face. If you do get chili in your eye, take off your gloves and wash your eye out with cold water. It is easy to forget that you cannot touch your eyes after working with the spice. Always remember to use gloves and have fun creating your own unique Jamaican Jerk Seasoning.
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