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There’s an undeniable magic in the medley of flavor that Jamaican cuisine is known for. The seasonings and spices used in meal prep on this island can and have won over food critics and casual diners alike. But if you're simply looking to enjoy great
In this post, we’ll explore iconic Jamaican recipes, giving you a glimpse into the island's culinary wonders. Not only will you know what to look forward to on your next Jamaican getaway, but with a little practice, you'll also be able to recreate these mouthwatering dishes in your own kitchen.
Read on for some of the most popular Jamaican food recipes around!
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Picture: The Jerk Shack at
Let's start with jerk chicken. Known and loved around the world, this is one of the most popular Jamaican food items there is. This traditional dish is said to have first been made by the Tainos, the first indigenous settlers to Jamaica. The process of making jerk chicken involves “jerking”, an intricate cooking technique. This entails the marination of the chicken (or whichever other meat or fish you decide to use in your recipe) in a mix of spices. Scotch bonnet peppers and allspice are staples here.
Once the meat has marinated, the next step is slow cooking. Slow cooking helps to seal flavor. In the jerk preparation process, the meat is cooked over pimento wood or charcoal. This results in the smoky and spicy flavor that people have come to know and love. While jerk chicken was invented by the Taino people, over the years there have been other influences from the African, Spanish, and British cultures that have helped to make this dish what it is.
Expert Tip: If you want to spice up your jerk chicken even more while in Jamaica, reach for some jerk sauce. You can purchase this in local supermarkets to take home with you!
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon ginger powder
Method
Mix all the ingredients together and rub well into protein prior to marinating.
Hellfire Sauce
Ingredients
• 5 whole Scotch Bonnet peppers
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped ginger
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 stalks of scallion
• 1 clove of fresh garlic
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• Salt to taste
Method
Place all ingredients except oil and water in a blender and blend to a smooth consistency, adding the vegetable oil and water as needed to adjust the consistency. For best results, set aside for 1-2 hours before use to allow the flavors to meld.
Expert Tip: When dealing with dried spices, make the spice mixture in bulk - this will save you time if you choose to make this delicious recipe again.
The Jerk Shack
Serves 4; Makes 1 ¼ Cups
Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon stemmed & finely chopped Scotch Bonnet pepper (about 1 pepper)
• 2 tablespoons stemmed fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground allspice (not too fine)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• ¾ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 ½ cups finely chopped scallions (using the white and the green parts)
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
Method
Place all ingredients in a food processor except soy sauce and oil.
After finely minced or pureed, place in a mixing bowl and add soy sauce and oil.
Store in a glass jar or clay pot.
You can buy whole chickens and carve them or buy a whole chicken already cut up. Either put it in a resealable bag or a shallow pan and pour half the marinade over. Massage it in, so that every piece is covered, then repeat with the remaining marinade. Put it in the fridge, either sealed or covered, and let it sit overnight.
Method for Seafood (fish, lobster, shrimp)
Place the fish or seafood in the marinade for one hour only. Do not over-marinate or it will break down the fibers in the fish and seafood, resulting in a mushy consistency when cooked.
Remove from the marinade and grill at a high temperature until cooked through.
Step 4: Bake & Grill
Picture: The art of grilling has been perfected at
When you’re ready to cook, pull the chicken out and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You want to start the cooking process, not roast it - that’s what the grill is for.
Put your chicken in the pan. Make sure to choose a pan that is large enough that no chicken overlaps, which would result in underdone or steamed parts.
Bake chicken for 30 minutes, and get your grill ready, making sure it’s hot so you can get a good sear on the chicken. Take chicken out of the oven and sprinkle a little more of the spice mixture you made on it, and brush it with olive oil - this helps keep it from sticking and adds a nice sheen.
Chef’s Note: A great deal of jerk’s flavor comes from pimento wood smoke. For the most authentic jerk flavor without pimento wood, soak ¼ cup whole allspice berries in water for at least 1 hour (preferably overnight). Sprinkle over the coals or flames of the grill right before cooking, and be sure to close the lid to trap the smoky flavor.
Grill for 5 to 10 minutes, checking to make sure it’s not burning, then flip and repeat. The key is to squeeze some lime juice on the chicken, cover loosely with foil, and don’t touch it for at least 10 minutes.
Then you just let it cool off and dig in!
A lot less spicy than the popular Jamaica jerk chicken, oxtail is a must try in Jamaica. This dish is hearty, savory, and supremely delicious. Before we get too carried away with the flavors, let’s get into some of the things you might want to know about oxtail!
You might be surprised to know how many people are just not sure what type of meat oxtail is. Without a doubt, it is exceptionally delicious, but what is it exactly? Well, the meat used in the popular Jamaican dish known as oxtail is from the tail of cattle, specifically beef cattle. So, although the name might suggest otherwise, oxtail does not come from oxen (castrated male cattle).
Often in Jamaica and in places where Jamaican cuisine is popular, you’ll find oxtail on the menu in various recipes. Among the most popular is stewed oxtail. When made right, this can be one of the most delicious meals you’ve ever tried, especially when paired with Jamaican rice and peas with festivals on the side! Oxtail is also often featured in soups.
Getting a good oxtail recipe is the first step to making great oxtail, and that's why we're here. Slow cooking is the preferred method for the best results. Let's get into it!
Ingredients
• 2 ½ pounds of oxtail
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of garlic and herb spices
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of Grace browning sauce
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 chopped onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 cups of beef broth
• 1 bunch of thyme
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons butter
Method
Step 1: Take a shallow baking dish, and add the oxtail first.
Step 2: Mix up Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, garlic and herb seasoning, browning sauce, sugar, paprika, and both types of pepper to create a sauce. Rub the oxtail with the sauce and remove any excess from the dish.
Step 3: Place a large pan over high heat and sear the outside of the oxtail in vegetable oil until it changes color to a golden brown hue. This should take around three minutes. Then, take your oxtail out and place it on a plate.
Step 4: In the same pan, saute your carrots, garlic, celery, and onion until they begin to go soft. It’ll take around five minutes. Once they’re softened, start to add your beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture up to the boil and then, as soon as it’s boiling, you can add your oxtail.
Step 5: Reduce the heat on your pan and cover. Then simmer at low heat until the oxtail is completely tender and falls apart. This will take around three hours. It’s worth the wait!
Step 6: Once the oxtail is tender and succulent, you can remove the lid and increase the heat. Stir the mixture from time to time and wait for the sauce to thicken. It’ll only take five minutes or so.
Step 7: Your authentic Jamaican oxtail is now ready to serve! You can serve this dish as it is, for a comforting stew, or accompany it with typical Jamaican sides like rice and peas or baked plantain.
Ackee is actually a fruit. It is native to West Africa but grows in Caribbean islands like Jamaica and it is often used in the island’s cuisine. Ackee comes from the soapberry family and its botanical name is Blighia sapida. In terms of appearance, this fruit resembles a pear and has smooth skin that ranges from reddish to yellowish. Inside the fruit, you’ll find three large, shiny black seeds. It's easy to tell when ackee is ripe as the flesh turns bright yellow. This fruit stands out for its unique mildly nutty taste and its interesting texture when cooked. Ackee can resemble scrambled eggs once it gets cooking.
While ackee is widely known to be a key ingredient in Jamaican cuisine, it is also used in many West African countries like the Ivory Coast, Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Cameroon, and Sierra Leone. Though ackee and saltfish is one of the most common dishes made with this fruit, there are other recipes like ackee stir-fry. Ackee wine is also made in some places.
Good to know: Ackee requires special preparation for it to be safe to eat as unripe ackee can have toxic compounds. For this reason, it is common practice to boil ackee for about five minutes before consumption to remove any toxins that may be present.
Saltfish is essentially fish that is salted for the sake of preservation. The process of making saltfish includes first cleaning the fish, then cutting it open. After that it is heavily salted. The salt is said to remove the moisture from the fish which in turn extends its shelf life. After the salting process, the fish can become quite hard which makes it important to rehydrate it when cooking. Some people choose to soak the saltfish in cold water overnight to rehydrate it. This process can involve changing the water multiple times to remove salt. The boiling method is more popular in some places as this can take less time.
Once rehydrated and desalinated, you can use saltfish in a range of recipes. This includes stews, soups, fritters, and breakfast dishes. When cooking with saltfish you may not need to add any salt at all as doing so can result in an exceptionally salty dish. Both Caribbean and Mediterranean cuisine tend to use saltfish in their dishes as it is quite versatile.
There are a few different ways to prepare the national dish of Jamaica. Like any popular dish, recipes have evolved over time and have passed from generation to generation. For a simple start, try this Jamaican ackee and saltfish recipe:
Ingredients
• ½ pound of Saltfish
• ½ cup cooking oil
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Fresh thyme
• 2 onions
• 1 cup of bell peppers
• ¼ Scotch bonnet chilli
• 1 can of ackee
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon pepper
Method
Insider Tip: If you are off to Jamaica to an
One thing’s for sure, there’s no shortage of scrumptious things to try on this island. Whether you enjoy freshly picked fruits or try mouthwatering local recipes, it's not hard to have a memorable
Cassava pone is a great example of the versatility of cassava which can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. In terms of the texture, cassava pone is dense and pudding-like. At first bite, you may notice its sweetness and the coconut flavor. The aromatic spices bring everything together. Cassava pone is usually cut into squares or slices, and then served. You’ll most often find this traditional treat being served on special occasions and holidays.
The use of cassava goes way back in the Caribbean, all the way to indigenous people like the Tainos and the Amerindians, specifically the Arawaks. These civilizations cultivated and used cassava in lots of different ways. African traditions are said to have influenced the use of cassava in dishes like cassava pone. As influences from Africa filtered down during the colonial era, Caribbean cuisine as we know today started taking shape. European culinary traditions played a significant role as well.
Historians believe that cassava pone originated in Trinidad and Tobago. With simple ingredients like cassava, coconut milk, spices and sugar, just about anyone can make this dish. Cassava pone has gone well beyond the islands and is enjoyed among Caribbean communities across the globe.
Ingredients:
• 3 cups grated sweet cassava
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1 cup grated pumpkin
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• ½ cup raisins
Method
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350F, ready for baking later.
Step 2: Peel your cassava and pumpkin. Wash the flesh of both and grate entirely. Be careful as you do so as this can be a little dangerous! To make this step a little more convenient, you might wish to opt for peeled and frozen cassava instead. This is available at most supermarkets in the US, in the frozen section.
Step 3: In a big bowl, combine coconut milk, sugar, spices, and your grated cassava and pumpkin. Whisk thoroughly to break down the sugar. Then, once this is well combined, add your remaining ingredients.
Step 4: Grease your chosen baking dish. A round, ceramic dish that you’d usually use for pies works well for this. You can grease with butter, or use cooking spray or any flavorless oil. Make sure you grease well as this will stop the dessert sticking to the dish later on.
Step 5: Pour your mixture into the greased dish and put in the middle of your preheated oven. Bake for approximately one hour, or until a fork comes out clean when dipped into the middle of the pudding. If your fork comes out with wet mixture on, the pone isn’t quite ready yet, so let it cook for a further 15 minutes and repeat the test.
Step 6: This will be difficult, but you must wait until the pone is totally cool before you try to slice it! Resist the temptation to tuck in straight away, as you could cause a pone collapse! Once cooled, your recipe is ready to serve. This pone recipe is great served up on its own, or you could add a garnish of mint and a scoop of fresh coconut ice cream if you prefer.
Now that was a mouthful! And the consensus? Trying Jamaica food and drinks is an excellent reason to visit this incredible island! Now that you’ve gotten the inspiration, the only thing left to do is to try some of these recipes out for yourself. Whether you’ve been to Jamaica already or you’re on your way there, these recipes are sure to lead to some incredible meals and amazing moments with friends and family!
Picture: At the all-inclusive
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