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Review - Jamaican Jerk Grilled Kebabs - Printable Version

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Review - Jamaican Jerk Grilled Kebabs - HomeCulinarian - 07-01-2009

Made this for dinner tonight. Thought I'd have at least my daughter visiting from CO joining us for dinner, but she and her little sister got a craving for Steak n Shake grease & salt. I guess there aren't Steak n Shakes in CO. Oh, well.

The flavor was good, but not the hot jerk flavor we expected. the only heat in the marinade is cayenne, and just 1/4 teasp. Plus you only brush the glaze on the skewers, not marinated. I was distracted tonight because I had someone stopping by and the girls coming and going, I didn't get the skewers evenly rationed, so I had surplus chicken and ran out of sausages so one of the skewers was chicken & peppers. No big deal, but I usually plan better.

The best part of this dinner is th Cuban Sweet potato Salad with pineapple & jicama. This was really good and quick. If I owned an ice cream maker, we'd have tried the Bahamian Guava Sorbet.

So overall, I'd rate this dinner as "good". Not in a hurry to make it again.


Re: Review - Jamaican Jerk Grilled Kebabs - labradors - 07-02-2009

Quote:

the only heat in the marinade is cayenne, and just 1/4 teasp.



There are two things that are absolutely necessary for true Jamaican jerk: Scotch bonnet peppers and allspice.

Here is the recipe I have used and liked.

The Jamaicans also like to add allspice branches to the fire when they cook the jerk. Since I don't have that here, I sprinkle a bunch of the allspice berries into the coals. Good thing those are very inexpensive here!

If you like jerk, and don't mind the heat, try that recipe at the above link. With my taste, I just can't imagine ANY recipe using only 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne - especially in something known for using half a dozen Scotch bonnets! LOL!


Re: Review - Jamaican Jerk Grilled Kebabs - Old Bay - 07-02-2009

This recipe by CAH reminds me of a Cooks Illustrated recipe for Key Lime pie a few years ago. They concluded that Persian limes made a tastier Key Lime Pie. A reader wrote in "you may like it better, but it ain't 'Key Lime' pie without the Key Limes". Amazingly CI concurred.

Well without Scotch Bonnets, it ain't Jerk!!! I didn't think twice about trying this version (1/4t cayenne pepper!?!?). The bobsled team would laugh!! --my recipe almost mirrors Labs, but with about half as many peppers!!!


Re: Review - Jamaican Jerk Grilled Kebabs - foodfiend - 07-02-2009

A friend of ours grows Scotch bonnet peppers so from mid-August until frost, I am guaranteed a fresh supply. He showed me a very tasty way to enjoy that wonderful, although searing, flavor-- a slice of cheese on a cracker with a very thin slice of fresh SB pepper on top. Yeow!

In the fall he smokes a couple of batches over applewood, dries them, then grinds them into the hottest chili powder I have ever tasted (I've never before measured in 1/32 teaspoon before!)


Re: Review - Jamaican Jerk Grilled Kebabs - Old Bay - 07-02-2009

There is a fruitiness in fresh Scotch Bonnet--very fresh--unique with the heat.


Re: Review - Jamaican Jerk Grilled Kebabs - labradors - 07-04-2009

Quote:

There is a fruitiness in fresh Scotch Bonnet--very fresh--unique with the heat.




That's a very good way to say it, Bill. It IS kind of hard to describe the flavour of a Scotch bonnet pepper to people who are only familiar with bell peppers and jalapeƱos.