Easy, Tasty Jamaican-style Barbecue Sauce
If you've ever had jerk chicken, then you know that Jamaicans have a way with meat. Well, wait until you taste Jamaican-style barbecue sauce! Saturday, June 02, 2018
Traditional Jamaican cuisine tends to be unique. As with other world cuisines, the historic islanders worked with what they had... which was quite a lot. If you've ever been in Jamaica, you'll certainly have noticed the abundance of locally grown food.
In the island's tropical climate, citrus, breadfruit, bananas, papayas, mangos and more are everywhere. Add to that chicken, pork, and fish, and you've got many excellent ingredients to mix and match. Some of the results are like nothing found anywhere else in the world.
What a Jerk!
One of the more unique and famous Jamaican creations is jerk chicken, although its culinary relatives, jerk fish and jerk pork, are also quite savory. The "jerk" itself is a very hot, spicy mix of seasonings, also known as Jamaican jerk spice, that the meat is either wet-marinated in or dry-rubbed with.
The meat (whatever it may be) is smoked over hardwood charcoal in a steel drum called a "jerk pan," usually with allspice wood or leaves added to the coals. The result is a fiery, flavorful charred creation that makes me drool like Niagara just thinking about it.
The Sauce Itself
This recipe isn't quite a jerk recipe, but it does evoke the island flavor, and it can be made very easily using ingredients you won't have any trouble finding. It's great for grilled pork, by the by -- and it's quick and easy to make.
Ingredients:
2 bacon strips
2 medium diced onions
2 chopped green onions (bulbs, leaves, and all)
2 finely chopped jalapeno peppers (wear gloves, or you'll regret it)
2 tablespoons of ground mustard
2 tablespoons of fresh minced thyme
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons of salt
1 pinch of allspice
2 cups of ketchup
1 cup of molasses
1 cup of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
A dash of soy sauce
4 tablespoons of cider vinegar
4 tablespoons of lemon juice
Directions:
First, fry the bacon crispy in a large saucepan, then remove the bacon and eat it. Sautee the onions and jalapenos in the bacon drippings until they're soft, then stir in all the other ingredients and bring it all to a boil. Let it go for 2-3 minutes, so the flavors will mix, then remove it from the heat.
Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, then store it in a sealed container in your refrigerator until you're ready to use it. This Jamaican-style barbecue sauce recipe makes about 32 ounces, which should be enough to dress a pretty big pig, plus provide all the extra sauce your diners will want to slather on it.
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