Dry Jerk Spice perhaps a dumb question

[Ti2m]

We like it HOT and have found Buffalo Wild Wing Caribbean Jerk sauce to be a favorite. Try adding some jerk sauce to mayo for a sandwich spread. Even better when making a sandwich with Boars Head Jerk Turkey.

[Chet & Coleen]

I am quite partial to Island Spice dry Jerk Seasoning, I use it as a rub, but as mentioned a touch salty, but comes in 16 oz bottle.

If you ever get a chance and see the spice guy in Negril, buy everything, he sells out of a Toyota wagon and has chicken and fish and meat, all different colors, it is in bulk he bags it in a cellophane bag when you order

I grow my own scotch bonnets and dry them and have a coffee blender devoted to dry rubs, I add no salt and get great flavor. One of my portable favorites is to rub a pork tenderloin liberally and wrap it in foil over night, then grill at about 185 for 3 hours , pull it out of the foil and finish it over fire, tasty tasty

Have fellow Jamaica travelers coming over tonight and have a briskett that has been on the grill for about 3 hours at 250 already, I used a Worlds Harbors sweet and spicy Jamaican Style Jerk Marinade & Sauce we first found in Memphis - it is pretty tame heat wise but packs a lot of flavor, I will go out and wash the briskett in sauce and then wrap in foil for another couple hours here in a few minutes. www.mizkan.com I order by the case.

I have 4 chicken back quarters marinating in in Jamaica Queen Jamerican Jerk Sauce a friend has found in K.C., he ships me a couple jars a month, I understand a Jamaican lady in K.C. makes a few jars at a time and he gets them a a farmers market. Pretty damn authentic, her sweet somewhat takes me to Bigga's, regular jar says caribbeanqueenkc@yahoo.com on her green, yellow and black label.

[Marko]

always been using karjos Easispice products for years......mi buy the big 16oz packages
especially da chicken, pork, fish seasoning and even der Black Pepper........
mi even cooked with it tonight.....but dat is nuthin new......lol
mi rub it in and let it sit in the refrig for awhile......then cook.......
always comes out great......mi have tried da others but you can't beat Easispice.....
or da price when you buy it in da 16oz packages......
Island Spices is very close to Easispice.........hardly much difference.....
except da price cause dem don't sell 16oz at a time like Easispice......
or at least mi haven't been able to find it.....
Walkers is very good of course and so aren't a lot of the others.......
you can't really go wrong using any Jamaican products........

Cool Runnings, Marko

[Chet & Coleen]

If I were searching for easispice in a jamaican store I would not look for a spice aisle i would head to the meat counter and put my head on swivel,,,,, interesting grouping there, think of what you can and can not get in the states

some years ago we were in an open market in Castrie, St Lucia,,,, they were selling saffron for a couple US per pound, understanding the flavor profile from fine dining experiences and that it is harvested from the stigma of flowers and is super labor intensive and it's value through out history I bought a plastic bag full, only to get home and find out it was selling for wow,,,,, shoulda coulda woulda left all my clothes on the island and filled my luggage if I woulda only understood,,,, know your spices, there are great values to be had in Ja

[RockRobster]

I have to disagree with the posts about the best jerk "marinade". In my opinion, the best "marinade" I have found is Busha Browne's Traditional Jerk Rub.

It is a paste in a small jar. You coat your chicken with oil and then vigorously rub the paste into the meat. If you intend to leave the skin on, put the rub on the meat underneath the skin. Then, I put the chicken in vacuum bags and seal them. "Marinate" overnight in the fridge and you are good to go. You can also use Ziploc gallon freezer baggies, just make sure you get as much air out of the bag as you can. A bit of caution....the longer the chicken "marinates", the "hotter" it will be!

I have tried the liquid "marinades" and none of them have given me the intense flavor that Busha Browne's has.

For dried jerk spices, the Island Spice Shake and Coat Extra Hot Jerk Pork Spice is a pretty good product. Again, I like to "marinate" it overnight.

I bought a huge(24oz) container of Badia "Jamaican Style" Dry Jerk Seasoning at the PriceSmart in Kingston, JA. It is good, with definite citrus overtones, but may be a bit too salty for some.....

[Lady Jane]

Love all the suggestions here. I am making notes. Thanks you who have answered. So glad you share your experiences and tastes

[limeex2]

I use dry rubs on meats with plenty off fat. Wet stuff on cuts like pork tenderloins cause loins can dry out quick if your not careful. My favorite, and it seems to be hard to find is, Island Gourmet Jamaican Marinade. I am old school, and would get jerk from a place called "Da Bus" back in the 80's and it was by far the best I have ever had. I have been to Negril 8 times in 25 years and Island Gourmet is the closest flavor to Da Bus(confirmed by many)and is the bomb! Like mentioned before try chicken with the skin on with the goods underneath. Thigh and leg combo work the best, or use pork steak, which is the same cut as a ham, but not smoked. Plenty of fat, and like to be cooked a little quicker than chicken which benefits from the smoke. Marinate on Sunday, cook the next weekend. The smell will tease you all week.