Ingredients
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 medium onion, chopped in quarters
- 5 stalks escallion, cut in half
- 1 bunch thyme, hard stems removed
- 1 head garlic (12–15 cloves)
- 2 Scotch bonnet peppers, more or less depending on preference
Spices
- 1 pinch ginger (about 23g)
- 10 whole pimento seeds (allspice berries)
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg or freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Liquids & Sweeteners
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp browning or homemade browning sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- Juice from 1/2 lime (optional)
- Juice from 1/2 lemon (optional)
- Juice from 1/2 orange (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather and chop all fresh ingredients such as onion, escallion, thyme (removing hard stems), garlic cloves, and Scotch bonnet peppers. Measure out all spices and liquids to ensure smooth processing.
- Blend the Marinade: Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped or pureed to your desired texture, ensuring the flavors meld together thoroughly.
- Store Properly: Transfer the jerk marinade to an airtight glass jar. Store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator to maintain freshness or freeze in ice cube trays for convenient portioning and longer storage. Once frozen, transfer cubes to a freezer bag.
Notes
- Adjust the number of scotch bonnet peppers based on your preferred spice level.
- Optional citrus juices enhance the tanginess but can be omitted if desired.
- Freezing the marinade in ice cube trays allows for convenient portioning and extended shelf life.
- Use the marinade within one week if refrigerated or within three months if frozen for best flavor and safety.
- This marinade is excellent for jerk chicken but can also be used for pork, fish, or tofu to infuse Caribbean flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Marinade
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Jamaican
