What is in jerk seasoning

I f you're familiar with any aspect of Caribbean cuisine, then it will almost certainly be jerk. Let's face it: spicy, crisply barbecued chicken or pork are an easier sell for most of us than hard food or stew peas. Jerk's distinctive seasoning — hot peppers, sweet allspice berries, thyme and ginger — however, is credited to the African slaves brought to the island by its Spanish and British colonisers, who also introduced the cooking pits which were traditionally used for jerk until the advent of the modern oil drum. The name, apparently, is the Spanish version of an Andean dialect word for dried meat, ch'arki — presumably because the original jerk would have been smoked to preserve it. Today, you'll find jerk huts all over Jamaica — indeed, you'll probably smell them before you leave the airport — but, if you're not hopping back to the island any time soon, it's easy to get a taste of the Caribbean in your very own garden.

Did I mention I was cleaning up my pantry? Using up some spices that have been sitting in the pantry patiently and getting rid of others that would never make the cut these days? Spice blends to be specific. I have come to the conclusion that most of these spice blends can be made at home and taste way better and some are cost-effective too! Take for example, this Jamaican jerk seasoning; I did not go out of my way to get any extra spices. Yes, some of the spices are the ones you use in your everyday meals or ones you can incorporate in your cooking. Do you know I had two Jamaican Jerk Seasoning of jerk spice just chilling in the pantry?

Jerk is an important part of Jamaican history, tracing back to the middle of the 17th century and possibly even earlier. The term "jerk" is thought to be from the Spanish word for dried meat, charqui , which has been transformed into the English "jerky. Other seasoning blends might include scallions, onions, salt, black pepper, and more. Jamaican jerk sauce should be challengingly spicy, so it's important to not skimp on the peppers.

This Homemade Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is the perfect way to spice things up and get a taste of the Caribbean in your very own kitchen! Easily mixed together in matter of mere minutes, this spice blend is delicious on pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables and more! This multi-purpose Jerk spice mix is savory and spicy in taste with notes of warming, smokey and slightly sweet flavor. Plus, this homemade Jamaican seasoning is totally customizable and allows you to be in control of the flavor profile!