Jamaican Jerk Smoked Pork

Fiery Caribbean-style smoked pork with authentic jerk seasoning.

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🔪 Prep Time 30 minutes

🔥 Cook Time 7 hours

⏱️ Total Time 7 hours 30 minutes

👥 Servings 10

Jerk seasoning is an explosion of flavor - scotch bonnets, allspice, thyme, and a symphony of aromatics that define Caribbean cooking. When applied to pork and kissed with smoke, something magical happens. This is fire and spice balanced with aromatic complexity that'll transport you straight to the islands.

Perfect for Caribbean-themed parties, summer cookouts when you want to bring the heat, or any time you're craving bold, adventurous flavors. This is a show-stopper for backyard luaus, island-themed birthday parties, or when you want to spice up your usual BBQ rotation.

Serve with rice and peas (made with coconut milk and kidney beans), fried plantains, and a cool mango salsa to balance the heat. Festival (Jamaican fried dumplings) and jamaican coleslaw are traditional accompaniments. Have plenty of Red Stripe beer or rum punch on hand to cool things down.

Adjust the scotch bonnet peppers based on your heat tolerance - they're seriously spicy. Habaneros are a good substitute if scotch bonnets are hard to find. For a milder version, remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers. Some jerk recipes add cinnamon for warmth or brown sugar for sweetness.

Traditional jerk is cooked over pimento wood (allspice branches), so adding some allspice berries to your smoke wood helps approximate this flavor. Marinate the pork overnight for the best flavor penetration. The meat should be cooked until tender but still have some texture - it's not pulled pork.

Instructions