Meta Description: Master the authentic Jamaican jerk pork recipe! This guide shares the homemade jerk seasoning paste recipe, the best cut of pork for jerk, and how to make rice and peas creamy for a perfect traditional Jamaican dinner recipe.
The Ultimate Authentic Jamaican Jerk Pork Recipe with Creamy Rice and Peas
The first time you taste Jerk, you understand why it’s a global phenomenon. It’s not just heat; it’s a complex, smoky, savory, and sweet symphony that hits every corner of your palate. The heat—delivered by the mighty Scotch Bonnet pepper—is intense, but it’s beautifully balanced by the warm spices of pimento (allspice), thyme, and brown sugar. It’s the kind of flavor that demands a slow cook and an intense marinade.
My first experience with true Jamaican Jerk Pork was from a roadside drum pan. The pork, rubbed with a thick, dark, fragrant paste, was cooked until the outside was charred and smoky, and the inside was meltingly tender. Served alongside a generous scoop of creamy, coconut-infused Rice and Peas, it was pure culinary sunshine.
Jerk is more than a seasoning; it’s a cooking technique rooted in the island’s Maroon history, involving slow smoking over pimento wood. While most of us don’t have a pimento wood pit, this guide will show you how to capture that smoky, complex flavor in your home kitchen, making this the perfect traditional jamaican dinner recipe. We’ll master the homemade jerk seasoning paste recipe, select the best cut of pork for jerk, and, crucially, show you how to make rice and peas creamy—the perfect antidote to the jerk’s fiery heat.
⏰ Prep Time & Cook Time Summary
| Category | Time |
| Prep Time | 30 minutes |
| Marinating Time | 4 hours (Minimum) to 24 hours (Optimal) |
| Cook Time | 2 hours 45 minutes |
| Total Time (Excluding Marinade) | 3 hours 15 minutes |
| Servings | 6–8 |
🌶️ Part 1: The Fire—Homemade Jerk Seasoning Paste Recipe
The soul of this authentic Jamaican jerk pork recipe is the marinade. The paste must be thick, pungent, and intensely flavorful. This is the jerk pork marinade ingredients list you need.
✅ Ingredients for the Jerk Paste
- 4–6 Scotch Bonnet Peppers (Remove seeds and membranes for milder heat, but use gloves! Be careful!)
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 6–8 cloves garlic
- 2 large scallions (green onions), roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons thyme leaves (fresh is best)
- 2 tablespoons ground allspice (Pimento is the Jamaican name!)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup lime juice (or orange juice)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preparation: Creating the Pungent Paste
- Blend the Aromatics: Place the Scotch Bonnet peppers, onion, garlic, scallions, and ginger into a food processor or blender. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Add Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, lime juice, and oil. Blend until you have a thick, relatively smooth paste. Note: The texture shouldn’t be a liquid, but a chunky, fragrant paste. This homemade jerk seasoning paste recipe is now ready for the pork.
🐷 Part 2: The Meat—Marinate and Cook
Patience and choosing the right cut are essential for the grilled jerk pork shoulder technique.
✅ Ingredients for the Jerk Pork
- 4 lbs pork shoulder (also called pork butt or Boston butt—this is the best cut of pork for jerk)
- All of the Jerk Paste (from Part 1)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (for washing)
Preparation: Achieving Fall-Apart Tenderness
- Wash the Pork: This is a traditional step. Rinse the pork shoulder under cool water and rub it thoroughly with apple cider vinegar and a squeeze of lime juice. Pat the pork completely dry with paper towels.
- Score and Marinate: Use a sharp knife to score the surface of the pork (especially the fat cap) about 1/2 inch deep in a diamond pattern. Rub the jerk pork marinade ingredients deeply into all the cuts and over the entire surface.
- Rest: Place the pork in a large sealable bag or dish, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally 12 to 24 hours. This ensures the flavor penetrates the meat for the authentic Jamaican jerk pork recipe.
- Slow Cook (Grilled/Oven Technique):
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to a low temperature, around 275°F (135∘C), or prepare your grill for indirect heat (coals or burners on one side, pork on the other).
- Cook: Place the pork on a rack over a pan (to catch drippings). Slow-cook for 4–6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 200°F (93∘C) and the pork is fork-tender. The long cook time ensures the tough connective tissue in the pork shoulder breaks down.
- The Finish: For the last 30 minutes, increase the heat to 400°F (200∘C) (or move the pork over direct high heat on a grill) to create a beautiful, crispy, charred jerk crust. This is the goal of the grilled jerk pork shoulder technique. Rest the pork for 20 minutes before shredding or slicing.
🥥 Part 3: The Counterbalance—Creamy Rice and Peas
The cooling, savory flavor of Rice and Peas (which uses pigeon peas, not green peas!) is the ideal partner for the fiery jerk pork.
✅ Ingredients for Rice and Peas
- 1 cup dried Gungo Peas (pigeon peas) or kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained (Kidney beans are a common substitute)
- 3 cups water (for cooking peas)
- 1 (13.5 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 whole small Scotch Bonnet pepper (do not cut or break!), optional
- 1 small piece fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
Step-by-Step: Easy Authentic Caribbean Rice and Peas
- Boil the Peas: Place the soaked and drained peas/beans in a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 45–60 minutes. (If using canned peas, skip this step and use the canned liquid).
- Combine and Simmer: Drain the peas/beans, reserving the cooking liquid (if desired). Return the peas to the pot. Add the coconut milk, rinsed rice, thyme sprigs, ginger, the whole Scotch Bonnet pepper (if using), and salt.
- Cook the Rice: Bring the mixture to a rapid boil. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to very low, cover tightly, and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid!
- Fluff and Serve (How to Make Rice and Peas Creamy): Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the whole pepper and thyme sprigs. Fluff the rice gently with a fork. The coconut milk should have made the rice incredibly creamy and flavorful. This is the easy authentic caribbean rice and peas method.
🌟 Pro Tips and FAQs for Jamaican Flavor
Recipe Variations: Beyond Pork
- Jerk Chicken: Substitute the pork shoulder with bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and legs). Marinate for 4–12 hours. Cook on the grill or bake at 375°F (190∘C) for 45–60 minutes, turning often, until juices run clear.
- Fish Marinade: Jerk works beautifully with thick white fish like mahi-mahi or swordfish. Marinate for only 1 hour and grill or pan-fry quickly.
- Jerk Sauce: After shredding the pork, toss it with a homemade or store-bought Jerk BBQ Sauce for extra moisture and sweetness before serving.
Common Questions Answered
Q: What is the best cut of pork for jerk?
A: The best cut of pork for jerk is pork shoulder (or pork butt). Its generous marbling and connective tissue require the long, slow cook of the grilled jerk pork shoulder technique, which yields the tender, pull-apart texture that contrasts perfectly with the crispy, charred jerk exterior.
Q: How to make rice and peas creamy without adding cream?
A: The creaminess comes entirely from using full-fat coconut milk as the cooking liquid for the rice and allowing the rice to sit, covered, off the heat after cooking. The starch from the rice is released into the fatty coconut milk, creating a natural, rich emulsion. This is the secret to easy authentic caribbean rice and peas.
Q: Why should I score the meat?
A: Scoring the meat is essential when using the jerk pork marinade ingredients. The deep cuts allow the thick homemade jerk seasoning paste recipe to penetrate far beneath the surface, ensuring every bite of the thick pork shoulder is saturated with flavor.
🍽️ Serving and Pairing Suggestions
This authentic Jamaican jerk pork recipe and rice and peas combination is a complete meal, but a few fresh sides elevate the experience.
Traditional Serving Suggestions
- Coleslaw: A simple, crunchy, vinegary coleslaw (not creamy mayo-based) provides a fantastic, cool acidity.
- Fried Plantains: Sweet, caramelized fried plantains (maduros) are a classic sweet counterpart to the spice.
- Side Sauce: Always offer extra jerk sauce or Scotch Bonnet hot sauce on the side for the true heat enthusiasts!
Beverage Pairings
The intensity of the Scotch Bonnet peppers needs refreshing, tropical partners.
- Beer: A cold, crisp lager like Red Stripe (the classic Jamaican choice) or a simple pale ale.
- Rum Punch: A chilled, tropical rum punch with pineapple and orange juices cuts through the heat and complements the sweetness in the jerk.
- Non-Alcoholic: Freshly squeezed Sorrel (hibiscus drink) or a simple ginger beer.
📊 Nutritional Information (Estimated)
Note: These values are estimated per serving (1/6 of the recipe, including pork and rice/peas, but excluding sauces) and can vary based on the fat content of the pork.
| Nutrient | Amount |
| Calories | 650 kcal |
| Protein | 50 g |
| Fat | 35 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sodium | 950 mg |
A Final Invitation to Flavor
You’ve successfully navigated the powerful flavors and techniques of the authentic Jamaican jerk pork recipe. You’ve mastered the fiery homemade jerk seasoning paste recipe, chosen the best cut of pork for jerk, and learned how to make rice and peas creamy. This traditional jamaican dinner recipe is a rewarding culinary journey that fills your home with an intoxicating, tropical aroma.
The long marinating time and the slow cook are acts of patience, but the resulting tender, smoky pork is your delicious reward. Don’t be shy with that jerk paste—it’s meant to be bold!
Once you’ve made your jerk pork and rice and peas, I’d love to hear your favorite secret ingredient addition. Did you use orange juice or lime juice in the jerk pork marinade ingredients? And how much heat did you add? Happy cooking! 🇯🇲
