# Negril.com Message Board Forums > Jamaican Cooking and Recipes >  My jerk ingredient

## tubes

We have tried making jerk chicken many times, came close but was always missing something.
I found a pimento cutting in Florida a few years ago and have managed to keep alive. While grilling chicken in my Webber we add a few leaves and some small pieces of wood from plant. Really helps add that authentic flavor. With pimento/allspice wood so expensive this is a good option.

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## sunray

> We have tried making jerk chicken many times, came close but was always missing something.
> I found a pimento cutting in Florida a few years ago and have managed to keep alive. While grilling chicken in my Webber we add a few leaves and some small pieces of wood from plant. Really helps add that authentic flavor. With pimento/allspice wood so expensive this is a good option.


Tubes,
The pimento wood chips and leaves must add unbelievable flavour.  Along with enough scallion and scotch bonnet in the marinade, you must be making some great jerk chicken!

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## zeus

I soak cherry or apple wood chips in all spice for a number of days and it has worked marvelously 
Wish I could grow the real one but live in Wisconsin

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## tubes

> I soak cherry or apple wood chips in all spice for a number of days and it has worked marvelously 
> Wish I could grow the real one but live in Wisconsin


Thats a good idea, soaking in allspice. We r in NJ,  the pimento tree stays out for summer then we bring it indoors. Easy to grow. It wont ever bare berries here tho. It ads a great flavor and the smell coming off the Webber is great. Reminds us of Debar.
In winter while in house if you pick a leaf and crunch it up it smells like baking pumpkin pie!
Was the final ingredient to semi authentic jerk. Now if I could duplicate 3 dives granny sauce we would be in heaven.

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## gregandkelly63

I order pimento wood off the internet.  Much easier!   :Smile:

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## JohnNYC

I get to Negril as often as possible. No dishes to do when you’re done, and the rum punch is always better.
     I’ve actually found a food truck on the upper east side of Manhattan, run by a woman from Kingston. She has an amazing jerk chicken, and every so often a great curry goat! I was suprized to find this on a street corner in NYC

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