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Home » Spice Blends

Published: Jul 28, 2022 by Kathy

Jerk Seasoning

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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 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.

Caribbean jerk seasoning

Making your own Caribbean 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, smoked 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 it spicier add a scotch bonnet pepper powder. Start by 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 the Spanish word Charqui. Originally it was seasoned strips of meat that were dried into jerky. The name of the seasoning from the Caribbean 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 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!

If you're looking for more homemade spice blends, check out this tasty Cajun Seasoning from Beaming Baker!

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!

  • Dried basil in a glass crock.
    How to Dry Basil
  • A teaspoon overfilled with a spice blend.
    Homemade Poultry Seasoning
  • A jar filled with coarse salt and dried rosemary.
    Rosemary Salt
  • A glass jar filled with a red spice blend.
    Homemade Blackened Seasoning
A small container filled with a seasoning blend with an ornate spoon in the mixture.

Jerk Seasoning

Kathy Berget
A blend of spices perfect for rubbing onto beef, pork, chicken or fish
5 from 15 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes 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.

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. James Ward says

    August 18, 2022 at 11:11 am

    You only left off two ingredients. Traditional Jamaican jerk seasoning also has turmeric and ground and annatto seed or achiote.

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      August 19, 2022 at 8:54 am

      Thanks for letting me know. 🙂

      Reply
  2. 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
  3. 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
5 from 15 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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I'm Kathy, and I love to create delicious recipes from scratch utilizing many ingredients that we grow and raise. I'm a recipe creator, food photographer, and cookbook author!

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