Backyard Jerk Chicken Food

A TASTE OF JAMAICA: AUTHENTIC JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN - A RECIPE BY EXECUTIVE CHEF DWIGHT MORRIS

Steps:

• Place all ingredients for base in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
• Use to marinate chicken for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, before cooking on the barbecue.
• Grill on the barbecue until fully cooked.
• Add all ingredients listed for the Jerk sauce to a pan over low heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring often. Add more juice or beer to thin the sauce, alternatively, simmer longer for a thicker sauce.
• Spoon this sauce over the cooked jerk chicken, serving extra for those who want a little more.

BACKYARD JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a food processor, puree chile, scallions, garlic, thyme, brown sugar, allspice, soy sauce, lime juice, and oil. In a large zip-top bag, toss chicken with paste. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day).
• Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-low. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Season chicken with salt and pepper; grill, covered, turning often to prevent charring, until cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes.

JAMAICAN JERK CHICKEN

Steps:

• Smash the allspice as fine as possible using a mortar and pestle. Put in a food processor and add the seasoning salt, peppers, green onions, thyme and 1/2 cup water. Blend to the consistency of lumpy oatmeal and pour into a bowl.
• Rub the chicken with the jerk seasoning and stuff the jerk seasoning between the skin and the meat. Place the chicken pieces into a storage pan and let marinade overnight (at least 12 hours).
• Remove the excess seasoning from the chicken. Heat the grill to high heat (about 350 degrees F) and then place the chicken meat-side down first as to not let the chicken burn too quickly. Flip the chicken every 5 to 7 minutes until the skin has a nice brown color with grill marks, and then every 7 to 10 minutes on lower heat until cooked, around 40 minutes total or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
• Chop each quarter into 4 to 5 pieces to get the real Jamaican jerk experience.

JAMAICAN JERK PIT CHICKEN (BACKYARD STYLE)

Steps:

• Paste:
• Blend all the ingredients for the paste together in a blender. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 24 hours.
• Using a backyard grill, start your charcoal with charcoal chimney (Never use lighter fluid). When all the coals are covered in a fine grey ash, dump them on 1 side of your grill. Using a stick or spatula push all the coals into a pile. Put your grate on the grill.
• Chicken:
• Open the beer and pour about a quarter of the beer out of each can. Literally rub the chicken cavities and exterior of the chickens with the jerk paste. Carefully put each can of beer into the cavity of the chickens, bring the legs around the can and truss together. Put the chickens on the opposite side of the fire. Sometimes you may need to put a brick or rock on the backside of the chicken to keep it stable and upright. Put the lid on the grill and make sure the vent holes are directly above the chicken to provide adequate drafting of heat and smoke over the bird. Keep the vent holes open all the way.
• Cook chickens for 4 to 5 hours at a temperature of 225 degrees F. You will want to rotate the birds a quarter turn every hour and add coals, when needed, to maintain the temperature. Be careful not to add too many coals at once when attempting to bring your temperature back up. You may get it too hot and will have a tough time bringing it back down. Open the lid only when you have to check the temperature.
• Remove the chickens from the grill and set aside for 10 minutes. Discard the beer cans and refrigerate the chicken until ready to serve.