Jerk Pork
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Jerk Pork video recipe
Click on the video to watch Tracy cook some Jerk Pork, scroll down to see the picture recipe for Jerk Pork or scroll down to the bottom to read about the history of Jerk Pork!
Jerk pork recipe
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to prepare enough jerk pork for 6 people:-

6 sliced scotch bonnet peppers (jalapenos may be used if scotch bonnet peppers are unavailable)
2 Tbsp. thyme
2 Tbsp. ground allspice
1 Bulb of garlic, finely chopped
3 Medium onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
Juice of one lime
1 cup orange juice
1 cup white vinegar
1 to 2 Tsp of the following (to taste)
-ground cinnamon
-nutmeg
-ginger
Preparation



Use a fork to poke some holes in the pork pieces.


Cooking

Serving


History
Jerk pork is believed to have been conceived when the Maroons introduced African meat cooking techniques to Jamaica which were combined with native Jamaican ingredients and seasonings used by the Arawak. The method of smoking meat for a long period of time served two practical purposes, keeping insects away from the raw meat and preserving it for longer once it has been cooked. This process also introduces a strong smoky flavour to the meat.
There are two commonly held theories regarding how the name "Jerk" came to be used. One is that it originates from the Spanish word "Charqui", used to describe dried meat. Over time this term evolved from "Charqui" to "Jerky" to "Jerk". Another theory is that the name derives from the practice of jerking (poking) holes in the meat to fill with spices prior to cooking. Nowadays, the word "Jerk" is used as a noun to describe the seasoning applied to jerked food and as a verb to describe the process of cooking used.
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