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Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is a staple Caribbean spice blend, packed with the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and aromatic herbs. Use this versatile mix to enhance the flavour of your favorite poultry, seafood, and vegetable dishes.
Wondering how to make jerk sauce from jerk seasoning? Check out my Jerk Marinade recipe next!
Table of Contents
- Jerk Seasoning
- What is Jamaican Jerk?
- What is Jerk Seasoning Made Of?
- Ingredients
- How to Make Jerk Seasoning
- Recipe Tips
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Serve it
- Can I Make this Ahead of Time?
- How to Store Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- More Spices, Sauces, and Seasonings
- Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Recipe Recipe
Jerk Seasoning
If you’ve never tried jerk seasoning before, you’re in for a treat! It’s not just about heat. It’s got a smoky, spicy kick with a hint of sweetness from dark brown sugar and the warm, earthy flavour of allspice.
I love how easy it is to whip up using simple pantry staples, and you can adjust the heat level to suit your taste. Whether you want it fiery or mild, this seasoning works on everything from poultry to veggies and seafood. Trust me, it brings authentic Jamaican flavour to any dish, and once you try it, you’ll see why it’s a worldwide favorite!
What is Jamaican Jerk?
Jerk is a hot and spicy dry-rubbed or wet marinated blend of herbs and spices used on all types of meats and seafood. Traditionally, jerked foods were cooked over a small open coal or wood fire. Jerk has a spicy, woodsy, smoky flavour.
What is Jerk Seasoning Made Of?
The main components of jerk seasoning are allspice, a hot pepper (usually scotch bonnet) and dried thyme.
Ingredients
- Garlic and Onion Powder: These aromatics are essential in jerk seasoning and should definitely be included.
- Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice, Cloves and Ginger: Use a blend of these spices for the perfect combinations of deep, warm, earthy, woodsy flavouring.
- Cayenne Pepper and Red Chili (Pepper) Flakes: This is where you’ll get the heat from, adjust as needed. You can also dehydrate your own scotch bonnet peppers and grind them to make your own dried scotch bonnet pepper.
- Dried Thyme and Parsley Flakes: These dried herbs work well here, thyme is essential, but you can omit parsley.
- Smoked Paprika and Paprika: This not only enhances the colour of the seasoning blend, but also add the traditional smokiness that is essential and most notable in jerk.
- Salt and Black Pepper: You can opt to leave the salt out of the blend and salt your individual dishes as you go. Adjust to taste.
- Dark Brown Sugar: This is optional, however adds a delicious subtle sweet note to the seasoning blend that balances the heat perfectly.
How to Make Jerk Seasoning
To make Jamaican jerk seasoning, I add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl. Then I mix until evenly combined. I transfer the mix to an empty spice jar or airtight container and store it in a dark cool place (like a spice cabinet).
Recipe Tips
- Make this spice blend your own. You can adjust the ratio of each ingredient. For example, if you want to enhance the spiciness, use less sugar.
- Want a bigger batch? Double or triple this jerk seasoning recipe.
- Check the expiration dates for each of the ingredients. This is how you ensure maximum freshness.
- Never pour the seasoning over extremely hot or steaming food. If it is exposed to moisture, it will clump.
Substitutions & Variations
- Spicy: Add dehydrated and ground scotch bonnet peppers for an even spicier jerk seasoning. You could also double the amount of cayenne pepper.
- Low Sodium Jerk Seasoning: Lower the amount of salt or omit it altogether.
- Sweet: Instead of dark brown sugar, you could use light brown sugar or regular white granulated sugar.
How to Serve it
Use jerk seasoning to add Jamaican flair to your favourite foods. Here are some tasty ideas:
- Tofu: Upgrade that bland tofu to something delectable and delicious when you try my Jerk Tofu Recipe!
- Burgers: Enhance your burgers. Try this Jerk Burgers with Pineapple Mango Salsa.
- Chicken: This homemade spice blend pairs perfectly with chicken. Check out my recipes for Jerk Chicken Poutine, Quick & Easy Jamaican Jerk Chicken, and Jerk Chicken Tacos.
- Seafood: Spice up your shellfish with jerk! This would taste great with shrimp or salmon.
- Pork: Jerk adds a delicious smoky flavour to tender, juicy pork.
- Pasta: It’s not just for protein; jerk seasoning boosts the flavours in this Jamaican Rasta Pasta.
- Veggies: Toss your vegetables in this seasoning before cooking and they’ll be devoured in seconds!
Can I Make this Ahead of Time?
Yes! This homemade jerk seasoning is supposed to be made ahead of time so that it’s ready for use whenever you need to add a dash of flavour to your food.
How to Store Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
Store your jerk seasoning in an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight. When stored properly, it can last up to one year.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Jerk seasoning is made from a blend of dry herbs and spices whereas jerk marinade is more of a wet blend. The spice blend is often used as a dry rub, whereas the marinade is often used to marinate meats overnight as the flavours soak in more effectively. Both are used very similarly, but it’s all up to preference.
Although it can last a long time, it can become stale. If the pigment of your spice blend begins to fade, it has lost its potency.
No, jerk seasoning and Cajun seasoning are different spice blends. Jerk combines spicy, smoky, and sweet flavours with ingredients like Scotch Bonnet peppers, allspice, and nutmeg, while Cajun seasoning focuses on a mix of herbs, hot peppers, and spices like paprika and cayenne.
Yes, Jamaican jerk seasoning is known for its heat, thanks to the inclusion of Scotch Bonnet peppers. However, you can adjust the level of spice to suit your taste. It also has a balance of sweet, smoky, and warm flavours from ingredients like dark brown sugar and allspice.
More Spices, Sauces, and Seasonings
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Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Recipe
Equipment
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Empty Spice Jar or airtight jar
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar, optional
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley Flakes, optional
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tsp Red Chili (Pepper) Flakes
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp Ground Allspice
- 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl and mix until evenly combined. Transfer to an empty spice jar or airtight container and store in your spice cabinet or a dark cool place.
