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Jerk Chicken

John Sheimo

Cook Time: 45 minutes  /  Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup dark rum

3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 bunch scallions (white and green parts), roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons Pickapeppa sauce (see note below)

1 tablespoon freshly grated peeled ginger

1 tablespoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 chicken halves (about 6 pounds)

Pulse the vinegar, rum, brown sugar, scallions, garlic, chile, Pickapeppa sauce, ginger, allspice and pumpkin pie spice in a food processor to make a slightly chunky sauce. Heat the oil in a medium skillet and cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring, until the oil is absorbed and the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Cool.

Rub the jerk paste all over the chicken halves, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Prepare an outdoor grill with a medium-high fire for both direct and indirect grilling. Position a drip pan under the grate on indirect side. Place the chicken, skin side down, over direct heat and cook until skin crisps and has definite grill marks, about 4 minutes per side. Move to indirect heat over the drip pan and cook skin side up, covered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let the chicken rest about 5 minutes, then cut into pieces and serve.

Note: Pickapeppa — the celebrated Jamaican bottled sauce — is a blend of tomatoes, onions, sugar, cane vinegar, mangoes, raisins, tamarind, peppers and spices. Fans use this “Jamaican ketchup” on all manner of grilled foods. It adds a distinct punch to this version of the island’s spicy jerk marinade.