Caribbean Jerk Seasoning - Add the True Taste
of the Caribbean to Your Home Cooking

Make your own Caribbean jerk seasoning and you'll soon be adding the piping hot flavours of Jamaica and the islands to your home cooking. Traditionally used to tenderise tough goat meat, you can use this with pretty much all cuts of meat as well as vegetable dishes, fish and other seafood such as shrimp and shellfish.

What You'll Need: (makes about 7-8 tablespoons)

5-6 scotch bonnet peppers (or other hot pepper)
2 tbsp allspice berries
2 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried rosemary
4 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
3 inch piece cinnamon
2 tsp sea salt

tbsp = tablespoon
tsp = teaspoon

Directions:

Break up the cinnamon and chop the peppers

Grind the cinnamon and pepper pieces along with the salt, rosemary, sugar, cumin, allspice, peppercorns and cloves

Sieve into a bowl

Add the onion, ginger and nutmeg. Combine thoroughly

Finally, crumble in the thyme. Combine again

Store in an airtight jar out of direct sunlight. Use within 3 months.

Note: To extract even more flavours out of the whole ingredients, I recommend dry toasting the scotch bonnet peppers (before chopping), allspice, cumin and peppercorns for a few minutes before grinding and blending with the powders. Click here for further tips and photos on this cooking technique. (Link opens in new window)