JAMAICAN-JERK-
RUBBED ROAST
CHICKEN
Jerk-style chicken is a specialty of Jamaica, where the
chicken gets a wonderful smoky-sweet flavor from being
slow-cooked over fresh pimento wood or laurel wood—
the tree that bay leaves come from. We don’t have access
to those ingredients in our kitchens, but we do have what
it takes to make the spicy allspice-scented marinade.
Rather than roast the bird over laurel wood, I do the next
best thing: roast it surrounded on all sides by thyme and
bay leaves. Using the butterflied method gets you
gorgeously crisp, charred skin.
NOTES: For the juiciest results and best skin, dry-brine
the bird and air-dry it overnight as described here. Be
extremely careful working with Scotch bonnets or
habaneros: they are very hot and their oil can cause skin
and eye irritations. Use a separate cutting board, wear
latex gloves if you have them, and wash all surfaces and
knives immediately after slicing them.