Jerk is a style of cooking that is associated with the Caribbean in general, and Jamaica in particular. The style gets its name from the native American word "charqui" which means "dried meat", and which originally referred to smoking strips of meat over an open fire ("charqui" is also origin of the word "jerky" too). Today, however Jamaican jerk dishes are generally cooked over a barbecue grill, preferably a charcoal grill, although a normal kitchen oven can be used when a grilling is not possible.
The secret behind jerk is "Jamaican jerk spice". This is used as a marinade, and rubbed into the meat before cooking. It is best to make some light cuts in the meat, rub the jerk spice into those and the meat generally, and then marinade the meat over night in the 'fridge, before cooking the following day. Jamaican jerk spice is actually a mixture of several different spices, which in combination produce a fiery but tasty flavor. The ingredients in jerk spice include pimento (also known as "Jamaican allspice"), Scotch bell peppers, as well as cinnamon, cloves, garlic, nutmeg and thyme. Chopped onions and scallions may also be added to the jerk spice mixture.
As already mentioned, if possible you should try to cook jerk dishes over a charcoal grill. For extra flavor, you might want to place some pimento wood or berries on top of the hot coals, of if this not possible use apple or hickory instead. In Jamaica, jerk cooking was traditionally done with pork or goat meat, but today other meats are used as well. Jerk chicken in particular has become a very popular Jamaican recipe in North America and the United Kingdom.
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