Summer’s on, crank the heat up with this tasty jerk recipe from Rudie’s…
Ingredients
1 free-range chicken (1.8kg)
Marinade
2 cloves of garlic
3 spring onion stalks
½ scotch bonnet pepper (preferably Jamaican yellow variety)
½ tsp of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
½ tsp of freshly grounded pimento (allspice)
¼ tsp of grated nutmeg
½ tsp of sea salt
¼ tsp of freshly grounded black peppers
100g of brown sugar
1 tsp of vegetable oil
Preparation
1. Blend all the ingredients for the jerk marinade together in a blender or food processor.
2. Cut chicken lengthways through the breastbone and spatchcock. Make three slices in each breast and thigh.
3. Rub the jerk marinade all over the chicken, ensuring it gets into all the nooks and crannies.
4. Wrap the chicken in cling film tightly and leave it for at least 24 hours (preferably 48 hours) in the fridge.
Grill:
1. Light the charcoal in the BBQ (or preferably the jerk drum). Be patient in lighting and getting the charcoal to the right temperature (no flames, just simmering white coal) before starting to grill.
2. Cook the chicken on a slow indirect heat for 60 mins by placing the charcoal on one side of the grill and chicken on the other, and finish off by lightly colouring the skin over direct heat (for 15 mins).
Optional: Throw in a handful of soaked woodchips on to the coal to get the real smoky flavour and cover the chicken with few bay leafs for the added aroma.
3. Chop the chicken into 2 inch pieces using a large cleaver before tucking in!
Read our BBQ tips from Rudies’ head chef Nicola Melilo here.
Rudies | 50 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 7XB
