Tag: Chipotle jerk seasoning

New spices for your quarantine cooking

Time to shake up your spice drawer!

With so many of us in lock-down and cooking more at home, it’s a perfect time to try some new spices.  Whether you’re bored and looking for inspiration or an expert looking to expand your repertoire, I think you’ll love these Bluewater Pepper Farm spices.

Order some Hot Smokey Chipotle, a versatile Mexican inspired spice made from Ontario-grown jalapenos, smoked over apple wood chips. Use it in combination with your usual spices to add a kick of heat and smokey sweetness.

Try my Jerk Chipotle Seasoning, a balanced blend of tropical spices, and Bluewater Pepper Farm signature chipotle. Make a classic jerk marinade or use it as a rub for grilled meat and fish.

To help you get started, here’s a collection of recipe ideas. Of course you’ll find tons more great recipes online. Above all, experiment and add a little fun to your food while we’re all in quarantine.

Oh, and watch for some new spice products launching over the next couple of months. Sign up for my mailing list to get recipes and be the first to hear about the new products.

Jerk Chicken

This Jerk Chicken recipe uses my Bluewater Pepper Farm Jerk Chipotle spice blend combined with authentic Jamaican spices.

Jerk Chicken
Print Recipe

Jerk Chicken

This Jerk Chicken recipe uses my Bluewater Pepper Farm Jerk Chipotle spice blend made with a generous shot of my Hot Smokey Chipotle combined with authentic Jamaican spices.  You'll get an authentic smoked flavour from this oven-baked version.  Use 3 to 4 lbs of chicken.  I like leg quarters cut up, but you can cut up a whole chicken or use breasts instead.  
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Jamaican
Keyword: jerk chicken
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 lb chicken pieces approx size of a whole chicken or buy pre-cut pieces.

Jerk Marinade

  • 1 to 2 tbsp Bluewater Pepper Farm Jerk Chipotle Seasoning use more or less to taste
  • 1 to 2 tsp Salt to taste My Jerk Seasoning contains no salt. I find 2 tsp is about right for a whole chicken, but adjust to suit your taste.
  • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce For gluten free, use Tamari instead (soy sauce is traditionally made from a blend of soy and wheat)
  • 2 tbsp Brown sugar
  • 1 Juice of a lime
  • 2 or 3 Crushed green onions Give them a good whack with the flat of your knife
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 Chicken bullion cube Optional
  • 1 tbsp Browning sauce You can find browning sauce in any Jamaican food shop and many grocery stores. Substitute 1 tsp of molasses if you don't have a bottle on hand.
  • 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper Optional – my seasoning mix is mildly hot. The scotch bonnet adds heat and a nice flavour. It's the favourite of my Jamaican friends. Remove the seeds for less heat.

Instructions

Marinate the chicken pieces

  • Prepare the chicken pieces.  Leave the skin on, trimming off excess fat. (You can remove some or all of the skin but remember, fat adds flavour!)  I like to score the meat deeply using a sharp knife to let the marinade do it’s work.
    Jerk chicken pieces
  • Bluewater Pepper Farm Chipotle Jerk Seasoning
    Bluewater Pepper Farm Jerk Chipotle
  • Whisk the marinade ingredients in a measuring cup or large bowl, keeping aside the onion and scotch bonnet.
    Jerk Marinade
  • Add the chicken pieces, coating them thoroughly with the marinade.  Add the crushed onions and scotch bonnet (if you’re using one)
    green onions
  • Cover and store refrigerated for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight
    Jerk Chicken in marinade

Cooking instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F
  • (optional) Brown chicken pieces before baking
  • Place the chicken pieces skin side up in baking dish in a single layer
  • Pour all of the marinade over top of the chicken
  • Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes
  • Remove foil, spoon some marinade on top and bake for another 15 minutes
  • Remove from oven and place chicken on serving platter
  • Skim fat off and pour the gravy into a small saucepan
  • Reduce over medium heat to desired consistency and pour some over the chicken.  I like the gravy to be fairly liquid so you might add some liquid at this point too.  It’s going to be spicy, so taste a sample before you add too much!

Notes

Serve over rice and peas or plain white rice with a generous serving of delicious gravy.
You can also make this recipe with pork in place of chicken.  Use a relatively fatty cut like a shoulder.   Adjust the cooking time accordingly.  
You can also make this recipe gluten-free.  Use a Tamari sauce instead of Soy sauce.  Check the ingredients if using a bullion cube or browning sauce.   The Bluewater seasoning mix contains no gluten.