Directions
Admittedly, this jerk spice rub cheats on a few items. The allspice should be whole berries, the cinnamon
should be a stick, and the cloves should be whole (which they are, if you have
them). Those items would then be smashed, pounded, ground in a spice
mill—whatever it takes to create a granular rub to mix with the sugar, black
pepper, and cayenne. If you can go that route, I recommend it.
On the other hand, this recipe is all about getting good jerk flavor in
a simpler, more convenient way: store-bought ground spices. If you can, buy a
little bit at a time from the bulk section of your market rather than in cans
that sit on the shelf forever.
A fresh pineapple salsa kicks up the Caribbean pizazz even more. But
again, if fresh pineapple is not in season in your part of the world, go with
good-quality canned.
Note: You can
grill the skewers directly on the grill, but I really like the Japanese method
of grilling skewers on bricks, as described at Chicken Yakitori with Shiitakes and Scallions.
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the
Chicken
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp whole cloves, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for rubbing
8 3-oz chicken tenders
sea salt
Jerk Spices
For the
Salsa
1 cup small-chopped fresh pineapple chunks
1/2 cup small-chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Small-Chopped Pineapple
Preparation
For the
Chicken
Combine the first 6 ingredients (through cloves) in a small bowl. Stir
in 3 tablespoons of oil to form a thick slurry. Rub the spice slurry all over
the chicken tenders, cover, and refrigerate 3-4 hours.
Light a grill for medium-high heat. Wrap 2 bricks tightly in foil and
place on the grill as noted in Chicken Yakitori with Shiitakes and Scallions.
Season the chicken tenders with salt and thread 2 lengthwise on each of
4 skewers (soaked in water 30 minutes, if wood).
Place the skewers on the bricks and grill the chicken, turning a few
times, until lightly charred on all sides and cooked through, about 20 minutes
total, depending on the thickness of the tenders.
Jerk Spice Slurry Jerk-Rubbed Chicken Skewered Chicken Tenders Skewers Beginning to Grill Grilled Skewers
Transfer the skewers to a platter and serve the salsa (recipe follows)
in bowls alongside.
Grilled Jerk Chicken Skewers with Pineapple Salsa
For the Salsa
Combine
all ingredients in a medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes (or
cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours).
Pineapple Salsa
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