Jamaican Jerk - For a Taste of the Island

Since the 1980s, Jamaican jerk has beenpimento wood and covered with pimento leaves.
spreading and growing in popularity throughout theJerk spices are typically dry rubbed into pork,
world. This Caribbean forerunner to Americangoat, chicken, beef, fish, and occasionally even
barbecue combines pungent, tangy herbs andlobster, shrimp, and vegetables. Some mix the
spices with aromatic wood smoking for uniquespices with water, soy sauce, or vinegar to
Island cuisine grown from the influences ofcreate a liquid marinade. The mixture is a very
generations and cultures. Jerk is the fast foodspicy combination of hot Scotch Bonnet peppers
favorite in Jamaica for good reason, with jerk(member of the habanero family), allspice from
stands to be found on most every corner.the pimento tree, and variations of other spices
Jamaica's cultural diversity includes African,including ginger, nutmeg, thyme, cinnamon,
Spanish, British, Dutch, East Indian, Portuguese,scallions, or garlic. After marinating for four to
and Chinese influences that have all madetwelve hours, the seasoned meat, chicken, or fish
contributions to the spicy Jamaican foods that areis slow smoked, these days typically in a half
so loved today. The word "jerk" is thought to bebarrel drum.
derived from the Spanish term for dried meat,The hot, savory, smoky goodness of Jamaican
charqui, that came to be pronounced jerky, thenjerk dishes make the flavors as unique and
later, simply known as jerk. Some food historiansdelightful as the island of Jamaica itself. For the
trace the traditional cooking process to the Tainofinest in jerk cuisine, visit an authentic Jamaican
Indians, Jamaica's earliest population, who smokedrestaurant for a culinary treat that will make your
meats on stick grills over shallow fire pits oftaste buds dance.