Don’t Let a Few Peppers Inspire a Knee-Jerk Reaction!

If you like your food with any degree of spicy heat – anywhere from the mild bit of flavor provided by three crushed red pepper flakes to the take-off-the-roof-of-your-mouth explosion of fire that occurs when you include a handful of scotch bonnet peppers in a recipe – then you simply must try this recipe for jerk chicken. The word “jerk” applies to both the cooking/seasoning technique and the mix of spices used.

The jerk seasoning technique, either dry rub or wet marinade, allows the jerk seasonings to become a part of whatever protein you are cooking. Jerk originated in Africa and became a part of the Caribbean island culture when the Spaniards who lived in Jamaica held large numbers of slaves to work the plantations.  In 1655, the British invaded and the Spaniards fled, leaving their slaves to fend for themselves. Rather than suffer a second enslavement, they hid in the Jamaican hills and blended in with the locals.

Now jerk cooking techniques and seasonings have spread around the globe as people of Caribbean descent have migrated and settled in new locales. You can find jerk in restaurants just about anywhere you go. Try this simple jerk recipe and modify the heat level to your personal preference.

USE THE RED NEXT PAGE LINK BELOW FOR THE RECIPE AND INSTRUCTIONS.

Quick Tip:  Make certain that you wear rubber gloves whenever you are handling any type of hot pepper, and wash your hands thoroughly after you are finished. Oils from the peppers can linger on your hands and cause severe pain if you happen to touch your eyes or other sensitive areas.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Sabrina at Dinner Then Dessert