Jerk Paste
A ferociously fragrant, near-black paste of scotch bonnets, allspice, and scallions that scorches your nose with heat before the deep, clove-dark warmth follows — the soul of every proper Jamaican jerk.
Ingredients
For 4 servings · tick what is ready
Use the scaled ingredient list. Steps and temperatures stay unchanged; use a larger pan or dish if needed. Seasonings to taste stay to taste.
How to make it
Wear gloves when handling scotch bonnets — the capsaicin in these peppers will transfer to your hands and linger for hours. Roughly chop the peppers (seeds and all for full heat; remove seeds for milder paste), scallions, and garlic into pieces small enough to blend. The seeds of scotch bonnets carry significant flavor in addition to heat — do not discard them unless you specifically want a milder result.
Add all remaining ingredients to a blender or food processor. Pulse 5–6 times to break everything down, then blend on high for 60 seconds. Scrape down the sides and blend again for 30 seconds. Add oil one tablespoon at a time if the paste is too dry to move in the blender — you want a thick, spreadable paste, not a sauce.
Transfer the paste to a jar or sealed container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using. The resting period allows the acid from the lime juice to mellow the raw sharpness of the allium, the spices to bloom and integrate, and the capsaicin to distribute evenly throughout the paste. The flavor difference between freshly blended and rested jerk paste is significant.
About this recipe
By ForkRecipe Kitchen · Source: ForkRecipe / FoodML and contributors. Recipe content available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Serving count is an estimate; check quantities in the source recipe.