Australian Gourmet Traveller - (12)December 2019 (1)

Fortherealdeal,

headtoQueenVee’s

inMelbourne,which

servesjerkchicken,

jackfruitorfish

alongsidepickled

cucumberandgreen

tomatoesaswellas

grilledpineapple.

Sydney’sMomofuku

Seioboservesjerk-

chickenskinas

thegarnishtoits

Caesarsaladfor

amoderntwist.

Find

it

ACCOMPANIMENTS

Sidedishesarekey

toosettingtheheat

oftheJerkspice

mix.There’susually

Jamaicanbread

knownasharddough,

andfestival,asweet

frieddumpling.Rice

andbeansarea

popularchoice,too,

whilefriedplantain,

pineappleormango

salsa,andlimeadd

freshandfragrant

flavourstotheplate.

1.MEAT

Chickenistypicallyused;

however,pork,beef,goat

andfish,orevenvegetables

andfruitsuchaseggplant

orjackfruit,arecommon

alternatives.Oncethemeat

iscoatedwiththespicemix,

it’sgrilledonthebarbecue,

traditionallyoverburning

wood,forasmokyflavour.

2.SPICEMIX

Jerkseasoningis

madefromtwo

coreingredients:

pimentoorallspice,

andScotchbonnet

chilliesforakick

ofheat.Onion,

freshthyme,salt,

pepper,nutmeg

andcinnamoncan

bethrownintothe

mixandusedas

adryrubfora

crispexterior.Or

amarinadeofthe

jerkseasoningplus

soysauce,lime

juiceandvinegar

producesajuicy,

tangymeat.

U

p there with Chinese char siu and South American

asado, Jamaican jerk is one of the greatest barbecue

traditions in the world. Meat, usually chicken, is

liberally rubbed with a hot spice mixture made

from Scotch bonnet chillies and allspice (sometimes other

spices) and slow-cooked over glowing coals. The name “jerk”

is said to have originated from the native Quechua word

“charqui”, meaning to preserve meat by curing and drying

• a technique used by Jamaica’s indigenous Arawak people,
  and later developed by African slaves brought to Jamaica.

Chilli, spice and smoke are the essential

avours of this classic Jamaican dish.

Jerk chicken

Anatomy of a dish

36 GOURMET TRAVELLER

WORDS GEORGIE MEREDITH. PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER. STYLING JERRIE’JOY REDMAN’LLOYD. ALL PROPS STYLIST’S OWN.