Jerk Seasoning
intro
Bold, spicy-sweet, aromatic jerk seasoning paste perfect for marinating meats and veggies for grilling, delivering signature smoky, zesty island-style flavor.
Ingredients
Steps
Toast Whole Allspice Berries
Place a small dry skillet over medium-low heat (300°F/150°C). Add the 2 tablespoons of whole allspice berries to the pan, and toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until you smell a warm, fragrant, slightly peppery aroma. Do not let the berries burn, as this will make the seasoning bitter. Immediately transfer toasted berries to a small plate to cool for 2 minutes.
Grind Allspice to Fine Powder
Transfer the cooled toasted allspice berries to a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder. Grind for 30-45 seconds on high speed until the berries become a fine, uniform powder with no large gritty pieces remaining. If you do not have a grinder, you can use a mortar and pestle, grinding for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
Prep Fresh Aromatic Ingredients
Prep your fresh produce components: trim and rough chop 6 scallions into 1-inch pieces, peel and rough chop 30g ginger into ½-inch chunks, peel 8 garlic cloves, and stem 2 scotch bonnet peppers (leave seeds and membranes intact for maximum heat, or remove them for a milder seasoning). Measure out all remaining dry spices (1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt) and set them within easy reach.
Add All Ingredients to Blender
Add the prepped fresh aromatics, ground allspice, measured dry spices, 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon neutral oil into a high-speed blender or food processor. Do not fill the blender more than ⅔ full to prevent overflow during blending.
Blend Mixture to Thick Paste
Secure the blender lid tightly, and blend on high speed for 60-90 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender jar with a rubber spatula every 30 seconds, until the mixture forms a thick, slightly coarse, uniform deep green-brown paste with no large chunks of vegetable remaining. If the paste is too thick to blend, add 1 teaspoon of extra lime juice at a time to thin it slightly, taking care not to make it runny.
Taste and Adjust Seasoning
Taste a tiny amount of the paste (it will be very spicy!) and adjust seasoning if needed: add extra salt for savoriness, ½ teaspoon more brown sugar for extra sweetness, or a squeeze of lime for extra brightness. Use immediately as a marinade for chicken, pork, shrimp, or vegetables, or transfer to an airtight glass jar, top with a thin layer of extra oil to seal, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips
2.For the most authentic flavor, coat your chosen protein generously with jerk paste and marinate for at least 4 hours (up to 24 hours in the fridge) before grilling over charcoal to add a subtle smoky note that matches traditional preparation.
3.If scotch bonnet peppers are hard to find, substitute with an equal weight of habanero peppers for a similar fruity, high-heat profile; avoid using jalapeños, as they are much milder and lack jerk’s signature bright, fruity heat.
OMG this jerk paste is a total game changer! Whipped it up in 12 minutes flat last night for our family dinner, rubbed it on chicken thighs and my kids devoured every bite. SO much better than the store-bought stuff that’s loaded with weird preservatives. Will 100% be making this a weekly staple!
Made a double batch of this for our neighborhood potluck last weekend, tossed it on grilled shrimp and smoked chicken wings, and people were begging me for the recipe left and right! It’s so easy to throw together I almost felt guilty taking all the credit lmao. Only note: I added a tiny extra pinch of allspice because I’m obsessed with that warm flavor, chef’s kiss.
As someone who does Sunday meal prep for the whole work week, this paste is an absolute lifesaver. I portioned it out into ice cube trays, froze em, and pop one out to marinate tofu, chicken, or even roasted veggies on busy nights. The flavor is so authentic it tastes like I got it from that little Jamaican spot down the street from my office! 10/10.
Okay so I’m a total wimp when it comes to super spicy food — how hot is this if I use the full amount of scotch bonnets? I really want that authentic jerk flavor but don’t want to be chugging milk through my whole dinner lol. Also, does this work as a marinade for pork chops?
Wait this is so easy I almost couldn’t believe it! I’ve been intimidated to make homemade jerk seasoning for years because I thought it required a million hard-to-find ingredients, but I had almost everything in my pantry already. Used it on salmon last night and my husband said it’s the best meal I’ve made all month. Win!
Used this paste on ribs for our family cookout last weekend and they were fall-off-the-bone perfect. The balance of sweet, spicy, and herby is exactly what I’ve been missing from other jerk recipes I’ve tried. Will be my go-to from now on!
As a college student with barely any cooking skills and a tiny dorm blender, I was shocked how easy this was to make! Took me 15 minutes exactly, used it on chicken tenders for my roommates and they all thought I ordered takeout from the fancy Caribbean place downtown. 10/10 would recommend for other broke college kids.
Made this last night for our taco night twist — rubbed it on chicken, chopped it up, and put it in corn tortillas with pineapple salsa. My 7 year old who hates everything spicy asked for thirds! I left the seeds out of the peppers so it was super kid-friendly, worked like a charm.
I was worried this would be too sweet with the brown sugar, so I swapped it for coconut sugar and cut the amount in half, and it was still SO good! The depth of flavor is unreal, I don’t think I’ll ever buy pre-made jerk seasoning again. Great base recipe to tweak for dietary needs.
Wait, quick question: can I use dried thyme instead of fresh? I don’t have any fresh on hand and don’t want to run to the grocery store in the rain. How much should I use if I do dried?
Brought jerk chicken sliders made with this paste to my office potluck today and every single slider was gone in 10 minutes. People were coming back for seconds before the meeting even started! This recipe is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, I can’t recommend it enough.
Followed the recipe exactly, used it on a smoked pork shoulder I did over the weekend, and it came out incredible. The caramelization from the brown sugar when it hit the smoke was chef’s kiss. 10/10, will be making this every time I fire up the smoker.
So happy this recipe doesn’t have any weird additives or hidden gluten! My son has celiac and I’ve been struggling to find a jerk seasoning that’s safe for him without paying $12 a jar at the specialty store. This is so cheap and easy to make, and he said it tastes better than the restaurant version. Win for our family!
First time ever making any kind of homemade seasoning paste, and this was so straightforward! I was worried I’d mess it up, but the steps were super easy to follow, and the end result tasted amazing. Rubbed it on chicken legs for my roommate’s birthday dinner and he was obsessed. Great recipe for new cooks!
Good flavor base, but man, even with one scotch bonnet it was way too spicy for my taste. I ended up mixing in a bunch more brown sugar and a splash of orange juice to mellow it out, and it was pretty good after that. Next time I’ll skip the peppers entirely and just add a pinch of cayenne for a tiny kick.