This works great with our Jamaican Jerk Mop Sauce recipe! Rub your meat with this rub, and then finish off the cook with the mop sauce. Do something amazing with your grilling this weekend!
Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub is Great for Pork, Chicken, Ribs
What Is Jamaican Jerk?
Jamaican jerk is a style of seasoning and cooking that originated in Jamaica and is known for its bold combination of heat, sweetness, herbs, and warm spices. Traditional jerk seasoning often features Scotch bonnet peppers and allspice, along with ingredients such as thyme, garlic, onion, and other spices.
A dry Jamaican jerk rub captures many of those same flavors in an easy-to-use spice blend. It works especially well with chicken and pork, but you can also use it to season beef, seafood, or even grilled vegetables. The combination of spicy, savory, and slightly sweet flavors makes jerk seasoning a great choice for grilling, smoking, or other outdoor cooking methods.
What's in Jamaican Jerk Rub?
Each ingredient in a Jamaican jerk rub contributes something a little different to the finished flavor.
Allspice is one of the most recognizable flavors in Jamaican jerk seasoning. Despite its name, it is a single spice with warm notes that can remind you of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
Thyme adds an earthy, herbal flavor, while garlic and onion powder provide the savory base of the seasoning.
Paprika contributes color and a mild pepper flavor. Depending on the recipe, cayenne pepper or other ground chile peppers add the heat traditionally associated with jerk seasoning.
Warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves can add another layer of complexity. A little brown sugar provides sweetness and helps balance the stronger spices and pepper heat. Salt and black pepper round everything out and help bring the individual flavors together.
The result is a flavorful rub that can be adjusted to your preference. Add more cayenne for extra heat or reduce it for a milder jerk seasoning.
How to Apply Jamaican Jerk Rub
For the best flavor, apply the jerk rub directly to the surface of the meat before cooking. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel, then sprinkle the seasoning generously over all sides.
Use your fingers to gently rub the seasoning into the meat so it forms an even coating. You can also apply a very light coating of oil before adding the rub, especially when grilling lean meats or vegetables. The oil can help the seasoning stick and encourage browning.
For deeper flavor, season the meat several hours before cooking and refrigerate it until you are ready to grill or smoke. Even 30 minutes of resting time will give the spices a chance to begin flavoring the surface.
When cooking over high heat, keep an eye on rubs containing sugar. Sugar can caramelize quickly and eventually burn, so indirect heat or moderate temperatures may work better for longer cooking times.
Jamaican Jerk Spice Rub
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon Red pepper flakes More or less to taste
- 1 tablespoon Ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon Ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon Smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon Dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Chili powder More or less to taste
- 2 tablespoon Garlic powder
- 3 tablespoon Brown sugar
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well.
- Rub meat with a layer of yellow mustard. This the holding agent, and will help the rub stick to the ribs. Mustard will cook off and you won't taste it when done.
- Rub on prepared meat. If you can do this 24 hours in advance, great. If only a few hours prior, that works too. At the very least, give it an hour between the time you apply the rub and put this on the grill or in the Solar cooker.
