• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Chickens and Farm Animals
  • Gardening
  • Recipes
  • Podcast

Beyond The Chicken Coop logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Chickens and Farm Animals
  • Gardening
  • About
    • Contact Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Podcast
×

Home » Spice Blend » Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Published: Jul 28, 2022 · Modified: Jul 28, 2022 by Kathy · This post may contain affiliate links

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
A small glass filled with seasoning and a spoon.

A delicious blend of seasoning perfect for adding to BBQ or pan fried meats including chicken and shrimp.

This Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is perfect for mixing up and storing in your pantry until you're ready to use it in your favorite recipe.

A small container filled with a seasoning blend with an ornate spoon in the mixture.
Table of Contents
Making your own seasoning
Key ingredients
Mix it up
💡 Recipe tip
Variations
Frequently asked questions
To use
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Making your own seasoning

Making your own Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is such a great idea! You simply combine dried herbs and spices and you have a spice mixture ready to use anytime you need it.

When you mix your own seasoning, you can adapt the seasoning to your liking. If you like things a little spicier, add additional chili powder and red pepper flakes.

Need less salt, simply reduce the amount called for in the recipe.

I already have a cupboard filled with herbs and spices and I had everything on hand to make this jerk seasoning making it super affordable.

Many of the same ingredients in this spice mixture are used in my taco seasoning too; onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, smoked paprika and ground cumin.

Jerk seasoning also has ground cinnamon, cloves and ginger which are spices I use regularly in my baking.

Chances are you already have most of the ingredients for this seasoning mix in your cupboard too!

Key ingredients

A bowlful of different herbs and spices.
  • Dried herbs - parsley and thyme
  • Seasoning - onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper
  • Heat - chili powder, red pepper flakes, smoke paprika
  • Spices - cinnamon, cloves, ginger and cumin
  • Sugar - a touch of brown sugar

Mix it up

This recipe is as easy as it gets! Simply place everything in a bowl and stir until well mixed!

Swirling spices together in a bowl with a whisk.

Store jerk seasoning mix in an airtight container in your pantry or cupboard.

💡 Recipe tip

If you don't have dried parsley, take fresh parsley and dry it quickly in the microwave. Lay a single layer of parsley on a paper towel on a plate. Place another paper towel on top.

Microwave for 30 seconds and then for 15 second intervals until the parsley is dried. Just crumble the dried leaves and discard the stem.

Variations

Start with the basic recipe and then after you've tried it in a recipe, play around with the quantities to make this recipe your own!

  • To make spicier add a scotch bonnet pepper powder. I'd start with adding a teaspoon. If you like it spicier still, just keep adding!
  • If you need to tone down the heat, you can omit the red pepper flakes and reduce the chili powder by half

Frequently asked questions

How long will jerk seasoning last?

While jerk seasoning will not ever go bad, it will start to lose its potency over time. For best results, use within one year.

Why is it called jerk seasoning?

Jerk seasoning originated in Jamaica and is derived from a Spanish word Charqui. Originally it was seasoned strips of meat that were dried into what we would call jerky. The name of the seasoning from Jamaica is still used and is now called jerk seasoning.

To use

Simply rub a generous amount of jerk mix on pork, beef, chicken or fish. Just sprinkle it on and then rub it in. Cook right away or let the seasonings flavor the meat by letting it sit for 15-30 minutes!

Check out this recipe for Jamaican Jerk Chicken Lettuce Wraps! A perfect use for this seasoning!

This seasoning can also be sprinkled over grilled vegetables or added to sour cream to use as a dip! Get creative and add it to whatever inspires you!

An old spoon filled with a spice mixture.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Be certain to check out all my homemade spice blends!

  • Homemade Onion Soup Mix
  • Taco Seasoning
  • Homemade Pickling Spice
A small container filled with a seasoning blend with an ornate spoon in the mixture.

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Kathy
A blend of spices perfect for rubbing onto beef, pork, chicken or fish
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 5 mins
Total Time 5 mins
Course Spices
Cuisine American
Servings 1
Calories 6 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Spoons
  • Whisk
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions
 

  • Place everything into a bowl and mix well
  • Store in an airtight container in your pantry or cupboard

Notes

Recipe yields just under ½ cup
 
To Use: Simply rub a generous amount of jerk mix on pork, beef, chicken or fish. Just sprinkle it on and then rub it in. Cook right away or let the seasonings flavor the meat by letting it sit for 15-30 minutes! 
 
This spice mixture could also be sprinkled over grilled veggies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1teaspoonCalories: 6kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.2gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 238mgPotassium: 22mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.5gVitamin A: 174IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.2mg
Keyword jerk seasoning, spice blend
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

« Episode 005 Smoking Fish
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Lettuce Wraps »
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mix
  • Yummly

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. David @ Spiced says

    August 03, 2022 at 6:31 am

    5 stars
    Ohhh...what a great idea to make this at home, Kathy! I have a container of store-bought Jerk seasoning that's been in the pantry for far too long. Time to toss that one and make my own! I love it!!

    Reply
  2. Saara says

    July 28, 2022 at 6:44 am

    Waaw nice one , very interesting

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 29, 2022 at 6:05 am

      Thank you! It makes a delicious seasoning. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

The author holding a chicken.

I'm Kathy, a busy working mom who loves to cook from scratch, grow a garden, and raise farm animals. Take a look around and find all my recipes, gardening tips, and country living antics..

More about me →

Popular

  • Oatmeal Banana Muffins
  • Beer Battered Fish
  • Pan Fried Walleye
  • Chicken Pasta Bake

Amazing Breakfasts

  • English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich
  • Puff Pastry Baked Eggs
  • Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
  • Biscuits and Gravy

Strawberry Desserts

  • Strawberry Roll Cake
  • Strawberry Chocolate Shortcake
  • Strawberry Rhubarb Upside Down Cake
  • Strawberry Ice Cream

Featured In...

Beyond the Chicken Coop recipes have been featured in many different sites.

Footer

↑ back to top

Beyond the Chicken Coop recipes have been featured in many different sites.

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright © 2022 Beyond the Chicken Coop®