Spiciest Jerk Chicken In America

June 24, 2019 at 01:00 AM EDT

Jamaican food

Alachua, Jun 23, 2019 (Issuewire.com) - Reggae shack cafe The spiciest jerk chicken in America!

Fathered in Jamaica and born in Gainesville is a joke chef Omar oselimo loves to use, although Florida has one of the largest Jamaican population in America, they mostly live in the melting pot of the south Florida area, so Gainesville tucked in the north-central Florida region home if the Florida gators, burgers, and pizza is one of the places you would expect to find authentic jerk chicken extra spicy with homegrown scotch bonnet peppers.

Some of our key ingredients used in making this authentic Jamaican spiciest jerk chicken in America include scotch bonnet peppers, soy sauce, and green onions. The chicken is usually marinated a day before as the jerk sauce rubbed on it needs a few hours before it is grilled. After it is ready, it is put into the barbecue grill. It is then cooked for over an hour and a half. This is how great spicy Jerk chicken is made.

History of jerk chicken

Jerk chicken originated from Jamaica through the Caribbean and found its way into America, Europe, and Asia as Caribbean people migrated and tourist visits the islands taking home duty-free rubs and spices. Jerk is a traditional cooking style of Jamaica which involve the application of several ingredients key local ingredients and used to cook items like pork, beef, vegetables, seafood, tofu and commonly used in chicken. Jerk chicken is prepared by coating the chicken pieces into spices and cooking it under a low fire or grill. Traditionally, the fire is composed of green pimento wood positioned over the burning coal and the smoke from the fire adds flavor to the dish.

The Taino developed the jerk method and later taught the African slaves who escaped to Jamaica when the island from Spain was captured by the British. They practice cooking in order to adapt to their new life and also to use any available food resources to survive. The slaves created the spice source and cook the meat on a low fire over the smoke. The term jerk is believed to originate from a Spanish word charqui which means dried meat which is similar to today's jerky. The term jerk spice on the underhand is a Jamaican word meaning spice rub.

Jerk chicken is famous in Jamaica because of its marinated pungent with scotch bonnet pepper and allspice berries, scotch bonnets similar to habanero chili pepper but have a distinct flavor and is shaped like the Scottish bonnet hats. Other spices include cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, ginger, brown sugar, salt, garlic, cloves, and thyme but usually each jerk that is passed down has its own special ingredients added to it. The meat has holes that allow the marinade to spread well in it. The jerk chicken can be eaten with different side dishes like cornbread fritters call festivals in Jamaica, beans, rice, sweet potatoes, breadfruit, and plantains. We ask chef Omar about his award-winning jerk served at the reggae shack café.

What Kind of Wood to Use?

Since pimento wood which is the wood from the allspice berry tree is not readily available we use the oak with dry allspice berries, the wood gives it that wood flavor with the berries giving it that Jamaican authenticity.

Major Rules of Making a Great Jerk Chicken

You have to use fresh ingredients if you want your jerk to come out good. Allspice, scotch bonnet, scallion are a must; they define the flavor of Jerk, meat has to be marinated before but does not overdo it. Make sure your grill is hot before you put the meat on

Does Customers Usually Like It This Spicy?

The newbies get pissed but the regulars boycott Reggae Shack Café if we ever tone it down and we sell so much and have so many regulars that get it, we don't have to worry. Some people get so red and sweat as they gasp for air, they always state how much they love it and thank me for living up to spicy food -what makes jerk chicken a delicacy in America.

What Are the Key Ingredients in Making Great Jamaican Jerk?

The American jerk chicken has several key ingredients, we use the scotch bonnet and other spices. Reggae Shack Café uses thyme leaves, Habanero Peppers, with brown sugar and soy sauce. You can also add ginger, scallion, green onions, and cinnamon nutmeg dry orange peel if you like. Each part of the jerk, be it the Jerk base or the jerk sauce.

How Did You Learn to Make Jamaican Jerk?

I learned how to make this Jamaican Chicken Jerk just from watching my family members preparing it when I was growing up. It was especially during our family get together or dance parties. Despite the fact that jerk is not an everyday meal in Jamaica unless you dine out, it is usually a special event or special spot kind food, everyone has their own twist. It is, however, a great meal that is adored by many people.

The Award I Won for My Authentic Jerk Chicken?

In 2007, I was invited to the fairgrounds to participate in a rib festival. It was a large competition, one of the competitors couldn't make it to the festival. My jerk pan was not mobile at the time so I had to run to and buy a chargrill. I sprayed it red green and yellow and made a pit by putting wood and spices in the bottom of it. All the other guys had these big smokers, I was a bit the odd one out. When the judges tasted my jerk chicken they were pleased, they loved how I had prepared my authentic jerk chicken. I got the bluer ribbon first place, unanimous choice after a blind taste test, it was a really proud moment.

FINALLY WHAT ITEMS DO YOU HAVE NO THE MENU THAT ARE JERK?

Oh man, so many thing, we have jerk tofu meal which is the spiciest dish on the menu, we have jerk tofu sandwich, we have spicy tempeh that contains jerk sauce and spicy tempeh sandwich, we have a jerk burger and a jerk veggie burger, we have jerk shrimp, jerk wings, jerk pork and jerk chicken which you can get bone-in dark meat or boneless white meat

Do you want a taste of this beautiful jerk chicken? Visit us at the reggae Shack Café and enjoy the spiciest jerk chicken in America.