What Is Jerk Seasoning? What's in It and How to Use It (Plus Jerk Chicken Skewers)

Jerk is Jamaica’s famous cooking style and seasoning, known for its bold, smoky, warm flavour. It is one of those flavours people usually think of as a takeaway or a holiday, but it is easy to get at home. Here is where it comes from, what goes into it, and how we use it in one of our favourite summer meals: jerk chicken skewers with pineapple salsa and rice and peas.

What is jerk?

Jerk is a cooking style that is native to Jamaica. Its roots go back to the Taíno people, who cooked meat on a raised wooden grill called a barbacoa, the structure that gave us the word barbecue, and seasoned it with native hot peppers and pimento. In the 17th century, the Jamaican Maroons adapted and developed it, blending African pit-smoking methods with Taíno ingredients and techniques, and they are credited with much of what we now know as jerk.

In modern jerk, the two defining ingredients are allspice (called pimento in Jamaica) and Scotch bonnet peppers. Early jerk relied more on native peppers, pimento and salt. Thyme, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and brown sugar are all common additions. Traditionally, pork (and later chicken) is cooked slowly over pimento wood, which gives jerk its smoky character. The word itself is said to come from charqui, a Spanish word for dried meat, although that is not certain.

“Jerk” can mean the dry rub, a wet marinade, or the way you cook the food. You will see all three used.

What’s in our jerk spice?

Our Jerk Spice Blend (Blend No.5) is a dry blend of brown sugar, allspice, black pepper, garlic, celery salt, cayenne pepper, thyme, paprika, nutmeg, oregano, cinnamon, clove and cumin (contains celery).

It tastes warm, smoky and aromatic, with allspice and thyme at the heart, a gentle cayenne kick, and a touch of brown sugar to round it off. We have kept it balanced rather than blow-your-head-off hot, so the whole family can enjoy it. If you like it fierce, add more chilli when you cook.

One honest difference from the traditional method: a dry blend does not contain fresh Scotch bonnet, and you will not be cooking over pimento wood. What you get instead is the warm, spiced flavour in a form you can use in minutes. Cooking over a hot BBQ or griddle brings back some of the char and smoke.

Our jerk chicken skewers

This is a fakeaway alternative to a Caribbean takeaway. It is sociable and hands-on, ready in around 40 minutes, and easy to scale up for a hungry family. The full ingredients and quantities are in our Jerk Chicken Skewers with Pineapple Salsa & Rice and Peas recipe. Here is how it works.

1. Marinate the chicken

Toss chunks of chicken breast or thigh with 2 teaspoons of jerk spice, a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Leave it while you prep everything else. Even 15 minutes makes a difference.

2. Start the rice and peas

Rinse the rice, then put it in a saucepan with coconut milk, drained kidney beans, crushed garlic, thyme and about a mug of water. Season, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook on low for 12 to 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Leave it covered off the heat to steam.

In classic Jamaican rice and peas, the “peas” are red kidney beans, sometimes called red peas in Jamaica. Some versions use pigeon peas (gungo peas) instead. The coconut milk and thyme are what give it its flavour. We have written more about it in Why Jamaican Rice and Peas Uses Kidney Beans.

3. Make the pineapple salsa

Mix diced pineapple (fresh or tinned and drained), finely diced red onion, a little red chilli if you like, chopped coriander and the juice of half a lime. Season and set aside. It can be made ahead.

4. Build and cook the skewers

Thread the chicken onto skewers, alternating with chunks of pepper and red onion. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them first. Cook on a hot BBQ or an oiled griddle pan for around 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is charred at the edges and cooked through with no pink remaining.

The one thing Mac says to resist is turning them too often: “Like a barbecue, don’t be tempted to keep turning and turning it really quickly. Let the pan do its work. Get a nice caramelisation on there.” The jerk seasoning has brown sugar in it, so it caramelises as it cooks, and constant flipping stops that happening. Give the skewers a good 4 or 5 minutes before you check them, lift one up to look, and turn them over when there is a nice bit of charring underneath. In the video they cooked for about 12 minutes in all, roughly 4 minutes on each side, turning them about three times, “almost like a square”.

Timings vary with the size of the chunks and the heat, so check a thick piece. If you have a probe thermometer, the centre should reach 70°C for two minutes, or 75°C for 30 seconds.

5. Serve

Pile the fluffed rice and peas onto plates, add the skewers, spoon over the pineapple salsa and finish with a wedge of lime.

Why it works

Jerk is all about the balance of warmth, sweetness and aromatic depth. The pineapple salsa cuts through with juicy sweetness and a squeeze of lime, and the coconut rice is mellow next to the spiced chicken. Each part of the plate does a different job.

More ways to use jerk spice

• As a rub: Use it dry on chicken thighs or skewers for the BBQ.
• As a marinade: Loosen it with a little oil and lime.
• In a curry: Try our Jerk Chicken Curry.
• With beans: Try our Jerk Refried Beans with tortillas.
• On other foods: It also works on fish, pork and roasted sweet potato.

A little goes a long way. One to two teaspoons is plenty for a family meal for four or five.

Questions people ask

Is jerk seasoning hot?

Traditional jerk is known for its heat, but ours is deliberately balanced. It has a gentle cayenne kick, and you can add more chilli to taste.

What is jerk seasoning made of?

In modern jerk, the base is allspice and Scotch bonnet. Ours is a dry blend of allspice, thyme, garlic, paprika, cayenne, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, cumin, black pepper, oregano and brown sugar, with celery salt.

Can I use chicken breast or thighs?

Either. Cut them into even chunks so they cook through at the same rate on the skewers.

Do I have to use a BBQ?

A hot BBQ or a griddle pan both work for the skewers.

How often should I turn jerk skewers?

Not very often. Mac lets them cook for 4 or 5 minutes before checking, then turns them a few times in all, so the brown sugar in the seasoning has time to caramelise.