This authentic Jamaican jerk pork recipe brings the taste of the Caribbean right into your own home! Use with any cut of pork, chicken, or veggies.
One of the many reasons I loved visiting Jamaica for the first time recently was being able to try authentic jerk pork and chicken. Just like cuisine native to any country, the recipe varies depending on what region of Jamaica you’re from but after testing out a few recipes and consulting with my podcast partner, Vincent, who is from Jamaica, I feel confident I’ve created the BEST Jamaican jerk pork recipe.
As much as I’d love to click my heels and be back in Jamaica enjoying this jerk pork in the warm Caribbean sun, making it at home is a great way to bring the flavor of the islands into your own kitchen – no passport required.
What’s great about this recipe is that all of the ingredients are simply placed in a food processor and then pulsed until smooth. If you don’t own a food processor, I highly recommend this one.
For the Jamaican jerk marinade, you pulse together scallions, onions, spices and Scotch bonnet peppers.
If you have leftover Jamaican jerk pork, save it for sandwiches, salads, or wraps for later in the week.
Frequently asked questions:
What is Jamaican jerk?
Jerk is the process of how meat is seasoned and cooked. The ‘jerk’ portion is the poking of the meat to ensure the flavor is absorbed.
How do you keep Jamaican jerk mild?
Scotch bonnet peppers are hot papers. If you leave them out you’ll make the jerk pork milder. They are totally optional and if you leave them out you will have a mild Jamaican jerk pork chop. Alternatively, if you want it to be hotter, double the amount of peppers.
How long do I need to marinade the pork chops?
I recommend a minimum of 3 hours or up to overnight.
What other cuts of pork work with Jamaican pork?
Pork tenderloin would be a great alternative to the pork chops. You can also use chicken as well.
What should I serve with Jamaican jerk pork chops?
I recommend serving this with Jamaican rice and peas (beans).
Want to take it to the next level? Serve these pork chops with a tropical smoothie or Caribbean rum punch.
Your fork is waiting.
Jamaican Jerk Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1 bunch scallions (stem trimmed, quartered )
- 1 small white onion (peeled and quartered)
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger (peeled, sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¾ teaspoon ground pimento seeds (or allspice)
- 2 Scotch bonnet peppers (or more to taste, seeded and diced)
- 4 pork chops (bone-in, center cut)
Instructions
- Place everything but the pork chops in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Put pork chops in a resealable plastic bag and coat with the marinade. Let sit in refrigerator for 3 hours or up to overnight.
- Heat grill on high heat and grill pork chops 8 minutes per side.
hi liz. good job. may i recommend adfing pimento seeds, crushed yo your mix,as its an essential part of jerk pork. i am a jamaican. if you cant find the seeds, use allspice powder. its the ewuivalent, and remove the cinnamon. its definitely not a part of the traditional recipe. let me know what you think
YES!! Absolutely! I wanted to make it accessible to anyone using a regular grocery store so I used Jamaican allspice but this is a great tip and note. I’ll add it to the recipe notes! Thank you!