If you can’t escape to the Caribbean this winter, then bring its spicy heat and tropical flavor to your kitchen. Jamaican jerk cuisine is a method of dry-rubbing or marinating meat in a jerk spice blend or paste packed with fresh chiles, herbs, and spices. The marinade infuses flavor and tenderizes the meat, which is traditionally cooked on a grill.
Jerk seasoning is meant to be hot—very hot—which is typically achieved by adding Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers to the seasoning. If you are familiar with the Scoville scale (the measurement of the heat units of peppers), these peppers are at the top of the scale. This recipe tames the heat a bit by substituting jalapeño or serrano peppers so that you and your dinner companions won’t self-combust. Just remember to carefully seed any peppers that pack heat with gloved hands.
