Jerk Chicken
My favorite smoked meat of all time just might be jerk chicken. This recipe is spicy, smoky, herby, juicy, sweet and delicious. It is also a lot of fun to make.
Ingredients
CHICKEN & DRY BRINE:
- 1800 g skin-on chicken leg quarters, 4 large
- 30 g kosher salt
- 15 g sugar
JERK MARINADE:
- 25 g fresh thyme leaves
- 50 g garlic, 10 cloves
- 50 g scallions
- 8-10 g black pepper
- 50 g sliced ginger
- 75 g habanero peppers, 1-3 peppers, deseeded, adjust to taste
- 100 g olive oil
- 75 g soy sauce
- 50 g brown sugar
- 20 g allspice, ground
- 5 g cinnamon, ground
- 5 g nutmeg, ground
- 60 g fresh lime juice
JERK SAUCE (OPTIONAL):
- remaining jerk marinade
- 50 g water
Instructions
- Remove backbone from leg quarters using a paring knife. Split into drumstick and thigh along the joint to create 8 pieces.
- Mix salt and sugar. Season both sides of chicken generously. Chill uncovered in fridge for 15–20 minutes.
- In a food processor, combine thyme, garlic, scallions, ginger, habanero, olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lime juice. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly textured.
- Toss the brined chicken with half the marinade. Arrange skin-side up on a sheet tray. Brush any exposed areas with extra marinade. Chill uncovered for at least 4 hours, preferably 24.
- Set up for 2-zone cooking. Add wood chips (preferably pimento or hickory) to a smoker box or foil pouch on the hot side. Preheat grill to about 300°F with good smoke flow.
- Oil the grates well. Place chicken skin-side down on the cooler side. Grill for 10 minutes. Flip, brush grilled side with more marinade, and cook another 10 minutes. From this point on, flip the chicken every 5-10 minutes until deep browning has occurred and the internal temperature hits 185℉. Be sure to brush more marinade on after each flip. When the process is done, the skin should be rendered and slightly crisp.
- Make sauce (optional): Simmer remaining marinade with water over med heat for 5 minutes. Blend until smooth.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Serve hot, optionally with a drizzle of jerk sauce and a squeeze of lime.
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