Barbecue Jerk Chicken Recipe

“Jerk chicken is a popular Jamaican dish known for its aromatic and spicy flavors,” says Nathaniel Smith, author of the new cookbook Flayvaful.

“Jerk chicken is traditionally cooked on a grill over chili wood and charcoal, which gives it that distinctive smoky flavor. The perfect jerk chicken for me has to have a slight smoke ring. I like to let mine cook on the grill and really absorb that smoke because it honestly penetrates to the bones. Jerk chicken isn’t jerk chicken without a little spicy sweet ketchup – it’s tangy, it’s sweet and it just adds an extra layer of love to this meat.

“This delicious dish has gained popularity around the world and is often served at barbecues, parties and family gatherings. So, fire up your grill and get ready to experience my version of delicious jerk chicken flayvas.

Jerk Chicken

Ingredients:
(For 4 to 6 people)

8 chicken thighs with skin
350-400 g moist jerk marinade
1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning
2 large handfuls of chili leaves soaked in water for 1 hour
3 tablespoons allspice berries, soaked in water for 1 hour
200 ml Jamaican lager

For the honey and lager jerk ketchup:
250 g of ketchup
200 ml Jamaican lager
150 ml chicken broth (reduced sodium)
200g of honey
Juice of 1 lime, plus zest of ½
1 to 2 tablespoons leftover jerk marinade

For the wet jerk marinade:
2 tablespoons chili berries
1 stick of cinnamon
1 whole nutmeg
1 teaspoon whole black pepper
7 spring onions
1 medium onion
2 Scotch Bonnet peppers
10 cloves of garlic
10 sprigs of fresh thyme
6 dried chili leaves (optional)
3 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons soft, dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon of flaky salt
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon of black pepper
5 tablespoons dark soy sauce
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons of fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon browning

Method:

1. Prepare the wet jerk marinade: The first thing to do is toast your chili berries, cinnamon stick, whole nutmeg and peppercorns in a skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes or until that they are fragrant. By doing this you intensify the flayvas! Now you want to grind your toasted spices until they are coarse. If you don’t have a spice grinder, you can simply add all of these ingredients to the blender, without the nutmeg. You will need to grate the nutmeg before mixing it. Now add all the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can also freeze it in cubes and thaw it when ready to use; however, it will lose some power.

2. For the jerk chicken: Dry the chicken thighs, then gently prick with a knife to create holes. Season with the moist jerk marinade and all-purpose seasoning, carefully separating the skin from the thighs so it all rises! Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours or up to 48 hours.

3. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

4. Prepare a charcoal grill (with a lid) for indirect cooking – this means you want your coals on one side and no coals on the other side under the grates where your meat will rest. You are looking for a temperature of 150-160°C and the majority of your coals should be white. You can cook at a higher temperature, but personally I prefer a lower, slower method. You don’t want too much coal, because you’re “cooking the chicken,” as my grandfather would say. You can add charcoal later to maintain the temperature.

5. Now oil your grills. In front of the coals, you want to create a layer using two-thirds of the soaked chili leaves and a few chili berries; it doesn’t matter if some fall through the grates. You basically want the leaves as a bed for the chicken. Shake off excess marinade from chicken and place skin side up on leaves. Close the lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. You want your top vents fully open and your bottom/side vents half to two-thirds open.

6. While the chicken is cooking, spray it with lager every 15 to 20 minutes to keep it nice and moist.

7. To make the honey and chunkier ketchup, put all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer over medium heat until it can coat the back of a spoon.

8. Open the BBQ lid, rotate the chicken pieces so that those closest to the embers are now on the opposite side. Check to see if you need to add more charcoal to maintain the heat, then place the remaining chili leaves on the hot side of the grill – it’ll get smoky! Close and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.

9. Now swirl the chicken again, give it another squirt of lager, pour your remaining berries directly onto the coals and cook until the thickest part of the chicken has an internal temperature of 80 °C.

10. Once the chicken is at 80°C, spray it again with lager and place it directly on the embers to give it a little color and char. You’ll want to turn the chicken regularly because it’s cooked at this point. Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 84°C and has gained nice lumps of char, remove it from the heat. You can also leave the chicken on the indirect side without charcoal if you want to keep it warm. Some people like to brush their chicken with a little lager sauce at this point, but this is optional.

11. Let the chicken rest for five to 10 minutes before cutting your thighs into four to five pieces with a cleaver. Serve with plantain, rice and peas, coleslaw and some of your lager sauce.

Flayvaful by Nathaniel Smith is published by Murdoch Books. Photograph by Steven Joyce. Available now.