Jerk

Jerk dishes are central to Jamaican cuisine. They primarily feature chicken, pork, or fish as the main ingredient. The term “jerk” refers to both the traditional spice blend and the cooking method. The core of jerk seasoning is allspice and Scotch bonnet peppers, which are rounded out by other ingredients like thyme, scallions, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. The meat is either grilled or smoked over wood (traditionally pimento wood from the allspice tree), which gives it a distinctive smoky aroma.