Jerk Chicken-Jamaican Me Hungry!!

Irie times cooking up some jerk chicken on the BGE. For those who know me, know I ADORE Jamaica and all things Jamaican, especially Jamaican food. I've been going to Jamaica since I was 9 years old, and with no television and three weeks idling away each summer, I picked up some cooking tips from our housekeepers, Beverly and Ulalee. These women could cook like no one's business and left quite an impression on my life. So whenever I have a yearning for my favorite island, I make some Jamaican food and it's like a mini vacation in my mouth. To think I used to complain that I was bored! Spoiled brat! What I wouldn't give to have three weeks a year to bum around in Montego Bay now days. I digress... Here's our hotter than hell Jerk chicken recipe...

Mixed grill with Jerk Flap Steak.... Caribbean fajitas!!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces

in a food processor, blend the following into a paste...
 6 sliced Scotch Bonnet peppers (1 habanero pepper may be used if scotch bonnet peppers are unavailable)
 2 Tbsp. dried  thyme
 2 Tbsp. ground allspice

1 clove, ground

  8 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion chopped

3 scallions
2 Tbsp. turbinado brown sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp fresh ginger

1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
Juice of one lime
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice and reserved peel

  1/2 cup white vinegar

Marinade in a large ziploc for 24 hours. Then throw it on the big Green egg at 250 degrees for 3.5 hours or until the thickest part of the thigh meat reads 170 (jerk tastes better a little dry for some reason).Serve with Seasoned Rice and Peas (pigeon peas, but black beans are tasty too) KITCHEN HACK: True jerk is cooked over pimento wood (from the tree that makes allspice berries) Soak a 1/2 cup allspice berries in water for 2 hours, wrap in foil with a little water and place indirectly on the grill for an authentic flavor).

Rice and Peas

2 cups basmati rice
1 can pigeon peas or red beans

2 cups coconut milk

2 cups spring water

2 cloves minced garlic

1 scallion

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp dried ginger

1 tbs butter

bay leaf

salt to taste

Bring rice and ingredients to a boil, cover and reduce to a low simmer until done according to package. Remove scallion and bayleaf, stir in a can of rinsed and drained beans and serve. Add a little more butter, because butter is so d*mn tasty!

Ya Mon!!! Respect!!!!