Jamaican Jerk Seasoning – The Food Blog

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Give your kitchen a powerful shot of Caribbean flavor! Jamaican jerk seasoning is a delicious way to do this. A staple of Jamaican cuisine, this aromatic and flavorful blend of herbs and spices can bring out the flavor profile of your favorite meats and vegetables.

Spices in general and spice mixes in particular are expensive. Save money and make it yourself with ingredients you probably already have in your spice cabinet. You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own Jamaican jerk seasoning mix at home.

Jamaican jerk spice mix in a jar on a marble countertop.

what is idiot

Jerk is a style of cooking that originated in Jamaica and is common throughout the Caribbean. This cooking method involves marinating the main ingredient, typically chicken but also many other proteins and vegetables, with a mixture of aromatic spices, herbs and hot peppers. The marinated food is slowly cooked over a fire or grill, traditionally using green allspice wood over smoldering coals. The smoky aroma and flavor of wood smoke are essential elements that contribute to the unique and fiery taste of jerk dishes.

A jar of Jamaican jerk seasoning with a small wooden spoon in it.

Of course, jerk seasoning is a must for grilled jerk chicken, but that’s not all! This delicious and versatile marinade can be used on steaks, pork chops, shrimp, salmon, tofu or vegetables. This Caribbean Jerk Seasoning is a dry spice mix. The key ingredients that give Jamaican jerk condiment its distinctive flavor are Scotch Bonnet Peppers, Allspice (Allspice) Berries, Nutmeg and Thyme.

Why You Should Make Your Own Jerk Seasoning Blend?

  • Simply: Making your own spice blends couldn’t be easier. Just stir everything together and you’re done!
  • Versatile: This Jamaican jerk seasoning mix can be used on everything from grilled meat or seafood to roasted vegetables. It imparts a spicy, smoky flavor that enhances the flavor of any recipe.
  • Customizable: When you make your own Jamaican jerk seasoning yourself, you can customize the mix to your liking. I’m sharing my personal favorite mix here, but you can adjust the spiciness, sweetness, and flavor to your liking.
  • Healthier: If you make your own spice blends, don’t use release agents or MSG and they’re always gluten-free. You can also control the amount of sugar and sodium.
  • Economically: Save money making homemade spice blends. (Next, you might want to try these other flavorful homemade condiments: Cajun seasoning or garam masala).

Ingredient Notes

To create the perfect Jamaican jerk seasoning, you need a combination of flavors, sweetness, and spiciness. For full ingredient amounts, see the recipe card at the end of this post.

  • onion powder
  • garlic powder
  • Brown sugar: A little sweetness is a great way to balance out the spiciness.
  • Scotch Bonnet Pepper Powder: One of the traditional elements of jerk seasoning, the Scotch Bonnet has a fiery spiciness balanced by a delicious fruity flavor. If you can’t find Scotch Bonnet powder at your local grocery store, habanero pepper makes a very good substitute. You can also use cayenne pepper powder or crushed red pepper flakes. Cayenne pepper is much milder compared to hot peppers, so feel free to increase the amount if you like it spicy.
  • Black pepper
  • Salt
  • Ground allspice powder This ingredient, with its signature warm and peppery notes, is essential for authentic Jamaican flavor.
  • Dried Thyme
  • Smoked Peppers
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Cinammon
Combine all of the individual ingredients for preparing Jamaican Jerk Seasoning on a white plate.

How to Prepare Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

  1. Place all ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Mix everything together until everything is evenly mixed.
The spices are mixed in a white bowl.
  1. Pour into a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
A small wooden spoon next to a jar full of Jamaican jerk spice mix.

Best Tips

  • heating level: You can adjust the amount of Scotch Bonnet Pepper Powder to increase or decrease the spiciness of this Jamaican spice. If you like it milder, you can also replace it with two teaspoons of cayenne pepper. If you really love a hot spice mix, you can add a spicier flavor with one of the hotter chillies like Ghost Pepper or Reaper. (These are really, really hot, so don’t say I didn’t warn you!)
  • Storage: Store your homemade spice mix in an airtight container, like a lidded glass jar, in a cool, dark place like your pantry. With proper storage and using fresh spices as ingredients, it has a shelf life of up to a year. Once you notice the flavor has dulled, it’s time to make a new batch!

variations

This versatile spice blend is easy to customize.

  • Sweetness: I tested this recipe without sugar and it still works. However, some sweetness adds another flavor dimension that I felt was missing. Although I use brown sugar, you can easily use coconut sugar, turbinado (cane) sugar, or even white sugar instead.
  • Spices: In addition to the sweet spices of allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, you can also use ground cloves or ground cumin.
  • Marinade: Make a moist marinade by mixing jerk seasoning with a little olive oil and lime juice.
Small heaps of individual spices on a white plate.

did you make this recipe Please leave one Rating in the comments below and let us know how it went. Did you make any changes? We would appreciate if you share it and Your feedback is important! Thanks for visiting the Food Blog!

Recipe

An open jar of Jamaican jerk seasoning next to a small wooden spoon.

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Why would you buy Jamaican jerk seasoning mixes when you probably already have all the ingredients in your spice cabinet? Save money and make it at home! This homemade spice blend is quick and easy to make, and customizable too.