"Jerk Chicken".......on a cold and rainy day

Ingredients: (Vegetable group left)...Fresno and Orange Habanero peppers, Thyme, Culantro, Yam, Zuchini, Yellow Squash, Carrot, Okra, Scallions, Red Onion, Chicken Leg/Thigh, Oregano, Jamaican allspice, Nutmeg, Coriander, Grains of Paradise, Cloves, Star Anise.
Lime, Meyer Lemon, Lemon, Unripe and Ripen Plantains, Soy Sauce, Rice Medley, Dark Brown Sugar, Worcestershire Sauce, Pigeon Peas, Myers Rum, Malt Vinegar, Sea Salt, Scotch Bonnet Powder, Pickled Scotch Bonnets, Tomato Paste, Black Strap Molasses, Coconut Milk.

Toast Cinnamon Stick, Dryed Scotch Bonnets, Jamaican Allspice, Nutmeg, Star Anise, Coriander, Black Peppercorns, Grains of Paradise, Cloves, and Cumin Seed until fragrent............grind the spices in a spice grinder, set aside

Add Onion, 4 cloves of Garlic, bunch of Scallions, 8 Pickled Scotch Bonnets, 1" piece of Ginger, Lemon, Lemon and Meyor Lemon cleaned and quartered, ground Spices, Culantro, 8 sprigs of Thyme, 1 cup of Brown Sugar, 1 cup of Rum, 1/2 cup of Canola Oil, 1/2 can of Tomato Paste, 4 tbl of Worcestershire and Soy Sauce... to a blender. Mix until pureed .(reserve 1 cup for bbq sauce)

Pour "Jerk Marinade" over chicken and place in fridge at 6 hrs preferably overnight

Prior to grilling chicken add 1 cup reserved marinade, 1 cup Brown Sugar, 1 cup Rum, 1 ripe Plantain, 1/2 can of Tomato Paste, 1/2 cup of Blackstrap Molasses, 1/2 cup of Malt Vinegar, and 2 cups of Water.....simmer for 2 hrs. ( I ran the sauce through a foodmill to remove the pulp) set aside until needed.

Dust chicken with Bonnet Powder and grill skin side down for 10 minutes. Remove and cook indirectly with wood chips (Pimento Wood if you have it). Cook on low until done.........around 2 hrs.

Meanwhile make vegetable "Rundown"...Saute Chopped Carrots, Yam, 8 cloves of Garlic, Onion, Red Bell Pepper until almost tender. Add Chopped Zuchini, Squash, Okra, and sliced Savoy Cabbage. Pour 1/2 can of Coconut Milk into pan, fold in and place pan uncovered in a 375 deg oven for 30 minutes....when done remove and cover until served.

"Festive Rice".....Saute chopped Fresno and Orange Habanero with 1/2 white onion and 2 cloves of chopped Garlic in Canola oil. Add Pegeon Peas and 2 cups of rice with 3.5 cups of water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until done. Remove lid and add 1/2 cup of Coconut Milk. Cover and set aside.

"Tostones"...Cut Green Plantain(s) into 1.5" slices and deep fry at 300 deg until golden. Remove to paper towel until cool.
Meanwhile make "Mojo" sauce.........Garlic press 8 cloves of Garlic, Add fresh squeezed 2/3 cup of Orange juice and 1/3 cup Lime juice, 1/4 cup of Olive Oil, pinch of Cumin, Oregano, Salt and Pepper.....set aside

Flatten fryed plantains to 1/4" thick , refry at 375 deg until golden about 2 minutes...

bump .....for the plating....ha I'm hungry !

 

[SumOfMyBits]

Interesting island vessel.........How did the chicken on the bottom cook through compared to the smoked amount on the top ?

@225F for ~4 hours... no worries about anything being undercooked. But there was a major difference in flavor profile between the chucks on top that got the smoke and the chunks on the bottom that got the coconut. They blended well together.

 

[PIC 1]

@225F for ~4 hours... no worries about anything being undercooked. But there was a major difference in flavor profile between the chucks on top that got the smoke and the chunks on the bottom that got the coconut. They blended well together.

I'm sure you timed it right, an instant read probe does the trick also, no need to drill a hole in the bottom for moisture to escape? That idea looks interesting, might have to try that next time we throw a Carib theme get together here...thanks fo the infor.

Jerk chicken, rice and peas, fried plantain is my "crave" food!

Thanks,the sides hit the spot

 

[WalkGood]

Thanks,I've made the plantain barbeque sauce before..and you're right Tostones are not in the Jamaican cuisine, you would know that 1st hand.

I did see it in some house holds but never in any restaurants or for sale. Although the households I did see it in did have some Spanish influence.

I'd like to find other uses for them cooked up. Any unique recipes ?

We only do Maduros, Tostones and Rellenos (stuffed with either meat, shrimp, chicken, etc.). You may have seen this or this. If you use a tostonera, it makes it easy and they’re easy to make or you can buy online (see second link). Left over Picadillo or the shrimp are two of my favorites .... My Mom had a few with wines, cooked into other dinners oven style and etc. But she’s in really bad shape these days, no more cooking and in very bad health :/ My sister has some of her recipes and I believe she has the one done in wine but I'm not sure. I’ve never tried to make the wine one as it wasn't my cup of tea but ate it on many occasions. I just emailed my sister to check, if I get one I'll pm you.

I do like the idea of freezing them before the final fry.

We only do this when processing after a large harvest so they don’t go bad. If you just want to make them crispier the cold water trick works great and keeping the oil from jumpin is a mere pinch of salt trick but I’m sure you know those things.

Thanks for the comments. ...I don't think the chicken could have turned out better even if I grilled it in a drum.......a steel drum, that is.

You deserve the comments, you put some serious time and knowledge into these. As far as the drum, you have no argument from me but there’s a few hard core drum cookers *cough P. Dreadie* that may beg to differ (only joking here, don’t know for sure on Mr. Dreadie but some of my JA friends love der drum mon, hehe).

… That idea looks interesting, might have to try that next time we throw a Carib theme get together …

Sacrilege wasting a good coconut rum drink I say Again, only kidding … we’ve cooked beef chunks in nuts but a good portion of the meat and water we use for rice. The holes due help in lower cooking but dries out the meat down there if they’re not super small ... I'm no big fan here but the impact is out of dis world mon! Just use mine for rice, Thai and plenty rum drink mon. Take care and keep up dat great work you do!!!

 

[Chewi]

Wow, speechless again. Lots of time and effort put in to that meal. That looks delicious. I almost ate my phone.

 

[sicman]

if i only could be a fat chick dancing in some of that jerked chicken

 

[JayT]

Ok serious question, I saw that you used Myer's Dark Rum for your jerk paste. Is that common for Jerk recipes? I never used it, but it makes sense. I am going to make some homemade jerk as soon as I can get my hands on some fresh Scotch bonnets this year.

 

[JoynersHotPeppers]

Looks great man, no hijack intended but I love me some jerk chicken thighs!

 

[PIC 1]

if i only could be a fat chick dancing in some of that jerked chicken

lol...........be careful what you wish for.............you have two wishes left !

Ok serious question, I saw that you used Myer's Dark Rum for your jerk paste. Is that common for Jerk recipes? I never used it, but it makes sense. I am going to make some homemade jerk as soon as I can get my hands on some fresh Scotch bonnets this year.

Na, ...Dark Rum is not traditional, nor Worcestershire. But the two add key notes to this "Dr Pepper" list of ingredients. This was a thick marinade . The paste would have had more escallions, onions, ginger and other solids.

The Dark Rum adds depth to the flavor, whether its derived from molasses or sugar cane its just my addition (addiction) , and I like Rum. Although the Myer's never hits my glass, it finds its way into the pan. Its a nice Rum for Banana's Foster......as it reduces the flavor becomes more intense.

Fresh Bonnets are the best. Our Fulton mkts. can't get them in fresh, I've checked, must be an import issue, again. So I'll have to wait until my plants produce. I did use pickled Bonnets with some of the vinegar for a spike, plus some powder. Next time the it will be a paste made from fresh, with an added amount of liquid used as a baste for the "roto" outdoors........on a summer afternoon.

Looks great man, no hijack intended but I love me some jerk chicken thighs!

Nice shot..........who could pass up some juicy "chicken thighs"