The island of Jamaica is well known for its interesting cuisine. Popular Jamaican dishes include curried goat, rice and peas (which is actually rice cooked with vegetables like beans), and of course the national dish of saltfish (salt cod) and ackee (a type of fruit). However, for non-Jamaicans, perhaps the most famous dishes on the island are jerk dishes, especially since Jamaican emigrants have introduced these dishes to other countries such as the United States, Canada and Great Britain, where jerk has become quite popular. popular. .

In Jamaica, the jerk style of cooking is traditionally used to prepare goat or pork meat, however it can also be used for other meats such as chicken, fish or even tofu. In other countries, probably the most popular jerk dish is jerk chicken.

All jerk dishes are made by rubbing or marinating the meat with Jamaican spices before cooking. Jerk spice is actually a mixture of spices and has a fiery flavor. The main ingredients of the spice are allspice (also known as “Jamaican pepper”) and Scotch peppers, however a variety of other spices are also commonly added to the mix, including nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, thyme, and Garlic.

Historically, dried meat dishes were made by slowly smoking strips of meat over an open fire. In fact, this fact explains the origin of the word “jerk” (and in the case of “jerky”): it comes from a Native American word, “jerky”, which means “dried meat”. However, today, dried meat dishes are prepared on a barbecue-style grill or even in a kitchen oven. For the most authentic flavor, you should try to use a charcoal grill, and if possible, add some pepper wood or berries over the coals.