RCP: Mr. Kelly's Jerk Chicken

With the arrival of nominally warm weather in these parts, thoughts once more turn to grilling. Few dishes have as much traction in our household as this one, a years-long effort to approximate the incredible Jamaican jerk chicken prepared by an older Jamaican gent, Mr. Kelly, at the long-gone Carmen & Family Jamaican BBQ in Berkeley. It uses a thick, very spicy jerk paste that is placed under the skin and in incisions made along the bones of a whole chicken, which is then smoked using (ideally) mesquite wood.

Note: this is a recipe for devoted chile-heads. The food produced is seriously hot and many people will find it too hot for their enjoyment

Jerk Paste
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp ground cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp ground allspice
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp minced onion
4 Tbsp minced garlic
4 Tbsp fresh sage
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
5-6 habanero peppers
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp dark Chinese soy sauce
4-6 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Combine the dry ingredients. Place the fresh ingredients and liquids into a food processor and grind into a paste. Stir the paste into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly to a dark brown, thick paste with a pungent, aromatic odor. This recipe makes approximately one cup of paste, sufficient for one whole broiling chicken. Using a long, thin knife, make incisions parallel to the leg and breast bones. Put paste into those incisions and under the skin of the breast, thighs and legs. Smoke in indirect heat for 1-2 hours, until a meat thermometer in the thick part of the thigh reads 175° F. Serve hot, with rice, vegetables of choice and a cool drink. Alas, this dish is more suited for beer or mixed drinks than wine

Substitutions: dried herbs can be used in place of the fresh ones with suitable adjustment of volume (factor of 6). Other chile peppers can be used in place of the habaneros, but only Scotch bonnet or red Savina have the same flavor (capsicum Chinense, not c. annum). If you haven't got access to them, substitute a Caribbean-type hot sauce (e.g. Melinda's XXX) that contains the requisite peppers. Adjust amount to taste. If this version is too hot for you, you can always cut down on the number of fresh peppers used.

We're making this tonight, so I'll try to get pictures to add.

Mark Lipton
We

Note: this is a recipe for devoted chile-heads. The food produced is seriously hot and many people will find it too hot for their enjoyment

You aren't kidding! A tablespoon of cayenne and 5 or 6 habaneros would probably be a bit much for a chile-wuss like me. Sounds pretty tasty, though, and I can see making this with a somewhat lower capsaicin content.

I could eat that.

[Robin Garr]

Using a long, thin knife, make incisions parallel to the leg and breast bones. Put paste into those incisions and under the skin of the breast, thighs and legs.

We have a Senegalese restaurant here that does exactly this, only using a different blend of spices that's aromatic but not fiery. It hadn't occurred to me until now, but it seems likely that Jamaican jerk would have its antecedents in Africa.

I could eat that.

I'd LOVE to eat that! Gail would be mad at me for a week if i made it that hot for her, though.

Actually, in my experience with doing Jerk Chicken, a lot of the hotness dissipates during the long, slow cooking. Capsaicin is pretty volatile.

I'm looking forward to trying out this rub. Thanks for posting the recipe!

-Paul W.

Actually, in my experience with doing Jerk Chicken, a lot of the hotness dissipates during the long, slow cooking. Capsaicin is pretty volatile.

I'm looking forward to trying out this rub. Thanks for posting the recipe!

Capsaicin's not really volatile: it boils at 220°C (428°F). And I can't say that I've found the heat to dissipate in those dishes I make. I hope you enjoy the recipe, Paul!

Mark Lipton

Using a long, thin knife, make incisions parallel to the leg and breast bones. Put paste into those incisions and under the skin of the breast, thighs and legs.

We have a Senegalese restaurant here that does exactly this, only using a different blend of spices that's aromatic but not fiery. It hadn't occurred to me until now, but it seems likely that Jamaican jerk would have its antecedents in Africa.

I would bet that you're right, Robin. Part of the history of jerk meats is the need for pirates and other travelers in the Caribbean to salt and smoke meats for preservation. Some enterprising residents, it seems, adapted this idea by adding herbs and spices to make the meats more palatable, and thus was born an iconic dish. I have few doubts that West African cooking had its influence on the choice of seasonings and even perhaps in the method of preparation.

Mark Lipton