What is perfect jerk? Is it chicken or pork? Should the meat be marinated, or just rubbed? How hot should it be? Is it best smoked, grilled, or baked in an oven?
After many years of experimentation in my own kitchen I have come up with what I think is a pretty good approximation of the best jerk that my wife Kate and I tasted during the two times we visited the beautiful island of Jamaica. Usually I make jerk chicken, but lately I’ve been cooking jerk pork, and it’s super delish.
In the past I’ve made my own jerk marinade, but these days I just use a rub. Some might call it overkill, but I like to serve jerk with a rich, spicy gravy made with chicken broth and jarred jerk marinade.
I’m also including the perfect accompaniments to a jerk dinner, a spicy but refreshing slaw, and the classic Jamaican side dish, Rice and Beans (also known as Rice and Peas).
Jerk Pork 
This recipe also works well with chicken or fish.  
Serves 6
6 nice fatty pork loin chops or pork blade steaksJamaican-style Dry Jerk SeasoningVegetable oil
Prepare your grill for medium direct cooking. Sprinkle the chops with a generous coating of the rub and drizzle them with enough oil to make them shiny. When your grill is ready, place the pork on the cooking grate and cover the grill. Turn the chops every couple of minutes till they’re done (internal temp of 140F for medium). Let them rest, tented in foil, for at least five minutes. Serve the pork with slaw, rice and beans, and jerk gravy (see recipes below).
[Alternative method: cook the pork in a smoker using mesquite, or if you can get it, pimento wood, as a flavouring agent, and finish it on the grill. This technique works great with pork bellies, or you could even do a whole pork shoulder butt roast like this.]
Jamaican-style Dry Jerk Seasoning This rub gives chicken, pork or snapper – or whatever else you’re grilling – a classic Jamaican flavor without any fuss.      2 Tbsp|30 mL granulated onion     2 Tbsp|30 mL dried onion flakes (get flakes that aren’t too big)     1 Tbsp|15 mL ground dried thyme     1 Tbsp|15 mL kosher salt     2 tsp|10 mL ground allspice     1/2 tsp|5 mL freshly grated nutmeg     1/2 tsp|5 mL ground cinnamon     1 Tbsp|15 mL sugar     2 tsp|10 mL freshly ground black pepper     2 tsp|10 mL ground dried habanero chilies (or cayenne or chipotle powder if you can’t find habanero)     1 1/2 Tbsp|22.5 mL dried chives Note: Double or quadruple this recipe so you have some on hand. It’s super easy to make a great jerk marinade simply by whizzing 1/2 cup|125 mL of this rub in a food processor with a splash of cooking oil, a chopped habanero, a chopped onion and some chopped scallions. Jerk Gravy
4 cups |1 L chicken or beef broth2 Tbsp|30 mL jarred jerk marinade or jerk seasoning paste (Walkerton of Jamaica makes one of the best, and if you’re in British Columbia there’s a local product called Auntie Bev’s that’s really good, too.)1 Tbsp|15 mL soy sauce (or, if you can get it, 1 tsp of something called “browning,” which is a thick, black liquid made with water, caramelized sugar and salt)2 tsp|10 mL corn starch1/4 cup|60 mL cold waterSalt and pepper to taste
 
Place the chicken broth in a saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil. Reduce it by at least half. Add the jerk seasoning and soy sauce (or browning) and stir it into the broth.
Quickly mix the corn starch into the cold water and immediately pour it into the gravy, stirring constantly until it thickens and turns shiny.  Season it to your liking and serve in a gravy boat.
 
Jamaican Cole Slaw This recipe, adapted slightly from the excellent Jerk From Jamaica cookbook by Helen Willinsky (I’ve added raisins and fresh pineapple), is a superb side. If you want to serve it with something other than jerk, substitute your favorite rub for the Dry Jerk Seasoning.  4 cups|1 L shredded purple cabbage 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh pineapple 3/4 cup|185 mL grated ca