Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Jerk chicken is a staple dish Caribbean cuisine. A food in its own right, almost, the meal has practically developed a cult following. Try as you might, there’s nothing quite like that smoked spice hitting your taste buds.Native to Jamaica, cooking jerk chicken involves meat (or alternative) to be marinated and then grilled or smoked over a fire. It is the cooking technique that is “jerking”, not the seasoning – a concept commonly misunderstood in the western world. The origins of jerk cooking can be traced back to the indigenous Arawak and Taíno people of Jamaica, where the technique of preserving and flavouring meats this way was passed down in the 17th century. Enslaved Africans who fled into the mountains during the Spanish invasion of Jamaica in 1655 would have to disguise the fires, so they were taught to cover the meat with wood.Jerk chicken is known and loved by many people around the world - but what is it that makes it so special? And where is it truly authentic?