This jerk BBQ sauce is a flavor explosion that encompasses the flavors of traditional jerk spices, and fresh citrus with a sweet tangy finish that is lightly sweetened. To kick the heat level up a notch, add one or two more Scotch Bonnet peppers. As constructed in this recipe, this sauce has a heat level of between 1 and 2 or a scale of 10 being the hottest. Mildly spiced but flavorful where everyone can enjoy it without hesitation.
Here’s what you’ll need;
Ingredients
3 cups tomato puree
6 cloves of garlic
1 yellow onion diced
6 green onions
4 sprigs of thyme
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
2 tbsp dry jerk seasonings
2 whole pitted dates
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
1 thumb of ginger diced
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ cup dark brown sugar
In a deep pot, preferably a Dutch oven, add 2 tbsp of neutral oil over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, garlic, and scallions to sauté. Add a pinch of salt and stir occasionally to avoid burning. Once they become fragrant, add in the jerk marinade and tomato puree and allow to cook together for about 5 minutes.
Add the zest, juices, and remaining ingredients except for the sugar. Cover and simmer over low heat for 40 minutes. Check halfway through and stir. After 40 minutes, pour everything into a blender and blend until smooth. After blending, pour through a metal sieve to ensure it is completely smooth. Add the sauce back to the pot over low heat. At this point, add the sugar to sweeten to your desired taste. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes and then remove from the heat. Cover and allow to slowly cool before pouring into your sauce jar or bottle.
Jamaican Cabbage Slaw
½ green cabbage shredded
2 whole carrots shredded On a large grater
Juice from 1 lime
¼ cup of brown sugar
⅛ cup white vinegar
In a bowl, mix all ingredients together until combined. Cover and place in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to marry for about 2-4 hours. Before serving, stir again to allow the vinegar and sugar dressing to coat the cabbage once again.
To make a Jerk Chicken Sandwich, season some boneless skinless chicken thighs with the Jamaican Jerk Marinade and some dry jerk seasoning. Then grill these up. After grilling, chop the chicken into small pieces and serve. Use the Jamaican cabbage Slaw recipe detailed above to build your sandwich. On a toasted bun, add the slaw, the chicken, and a healthy drizzle of the jerk sauce.
This sandwich combination will take your taste buds to new heights of flavor.
