So, I recently had a debate with a friend over where you can get the best jerk chicken around our way. It resulted in a question: Why is some jerk chicken a dry-rub, and some smothered in sauce similar to barbecue chicken?

The term "jerk" refers to the way a meat is seasoned and prepared. A traditional Jamaican Jerk Chicken is cooked not just over coals, but also over fresh green wood and pimento.

Since I'm not cooking it the traditional way, I find the best way to get a smokey flavor is to grill of course. However, I'm going to broil the chicken first to get a charred exterior, then finish it off baking nice and slow, on a low temperature.

I use a broiler pan to prepare the chicken. I love how it allows the meat to get a nice crisp, while capturing all the juicy goodness at the bottom that can be used at the end to give it a nice kick. If you don't have one of these handy, a cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath will suffice.

I would like to caution you when preparing this recipe because it is tailored for those who really enjoy spicy! If you are not one of those people there are certain things you can do to create a milder version. For example, use the mild Grace Jerk Seasoning and do not add scotch bonnet pepper, chili powder or cayenne pepper. Please use all or any combination of these to temper the spice.

I used a family pack of drumsticks for this recipe. There were 18 in a pack, approximately 7.5 lbs of chicken.

Ingredients:

Black Pepper ... 3/4 tbsp

Cajun Spice ... 1 tbsp

Adobo ... 1 1/2 tsp

Garlic Powder ... 1/4 tbsp

Thyme ... 3/4 tbsp

Basil ... 1/4 tbsp

Cumin ... 1/2 tsp

Coriander ...1/2 tsp

Chili Powder ... 1/2 tsp

Cayenne Pepper ... 1/4 tsp

All Spice ... 1/2 tsp

Sazon ... 1 pack

Scotch Bonnet ...1 Pepper

Lime Juice ... 1 tsp

Red Wine ... 1 tbsp

Browning ... 1 1/2 tbsp

Worcestershire ... 8-10 shakes

Grace (Hot) Jerk Seasoning ... 3 large tbsp

[Add to marinade for basting chicken]:

Cinnamon

All Spice

Brown Sugar

Rum

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, place chicken pieces. Cut up a lemon in four wedges, and squeeze the juice on the chicken. Add cold water to the bowl, then massage chicken with hands to clean. Let sit for a few minutes to get rid of any impurities on the meat. Then rinse the chicken with cold water until lemon juice is gone, remove any seeds from the bowl, and pat chicken dry to prepare for seasoning.

Once chicken is fairly dry, add the ingredients above and massage into the chicken. Once the chicken pieces look well coated, take a knife, or fork, and puncture each piece of chicken to allow the seasonings to permeate into the meat to ensure the flavor gets right down to the bone. Massage the chicken once more, and make sure each piece is well coated, especially on the inside layer between the skin and the meat. Once this is finished, place a cover on the bowl, or put the pieces and any leftover marinade in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. I prefer to let mine marinate overnight if I have the time.

Position the oven rack on the 2nd or 3rd groove from the top, and turn the oven on to a High broil setting. Place the chicken pieces onto the broiler rack with the skin side facing upwards. Set aside the excess marinade into a saucepan to create a sauce to baste the chicken and place on medium-high heat on the stove top. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add rum, cinnamon, brown sugar and all-spice. If you need to stretch the mixture add water and some of the jerk seasoning, then let simmer on medium-low heat until sauce thickens.

Place chicken in the oven and let broil for approximately 5 minutes or until the skin becomes charred. Brush marinade over the chicken, and flip to the other side. Brush marinade on this side of the chicken and let broil for another 5 minutes. Turn the chicken back to the other side with the skin facing upwards, baste with any remaining marinade and cover pan with foil. Set oven on 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake chicken for about 45 minutes (until chicken is falling off the bone). Toss in remaining marinade. (Tip** If you want some extra heat, use some of the dripping from the broiler pan and add to the marinade for a nice kick!

Bon apetit!

#meat