Jerk Chicken

Jerk spice is a food product native to Jamaica but commonly associated with many other surrounding Caribbean islands. I was born in St. Kitts (formerly known as St. Christopher and a former British Colony which gained independence in 1983) which is one of these surrounding islands.

Ingredients found in jerk spice are different but usually include cinnamon, todd, nutmeg, scallions, thyme, garlic, cloves and peppers. The two main peppers commonly found in jerk seasoning are scotch bonnet and allspice which give it the spicy flavor. Jerk seasoning can be applied to all types of meat but I find chicken to be best. Cooking the meat can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Traditionally the meat is cooked over a fire but I used an oven. As a child, my mother would make jerk chicken frequently and I learned to love it. Today it happens to be one of my favorite things to eat. Because of the difficulty to obtain many of the ingredients required for jerk seasoning, it is usually best to obtain an already made concoction. I simply put the seasoning on the chicken and baked it for roughly an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.