Reggae, summer, sitting on the beach with bare feet and listening to the surf. That's right, we are on the Caribbean island of Jamaica, from which we brought this fantastic spice mixture for you. Get all your taste buds ready because the result is impressive.

AROMA AND TASTE
What distinguishes Jamaican Jerk from the countless other spice mixtures that are used throughout the Caribbean is a matter of debate among the individual islands. Jamaicans, however, would claim that their dishes were the most heavily seasoned and therefore tasted the best. In any case, it is clear that our Jamaican Jerk is incredibly powerful. The best thyme, which is mainly used in Mediterranean cuisine, harmonizes ideally with meat and fish dishes with its intense taste. The mango powder gives the mixture a wonderfully sweet note, creates a crust full of roasted aromas with caramel notes when grilled and counteracts the moderate spiciness of the chilies. The onion also supports the sweet character of the spice mixture, but together with the garlic it contains, it provides the unmistakable heartiness. Allspice, an originally Jamaican spice, is considered a universal spice, but is particularly suitable for refining strong meat or stew dishes. Ceylon cinnamon, mace and cloves provide the more delicate, volatile aromas and at the same time make the spice mixture exotic. We have combined 12 components in our spice mixture for you. Sounds like a lot? It is; But you can't leave anything out of this round thing. Get excited about your beach barbecue spot on the Jamaican coast.

HOW TO USE THE FRUITY-SPICY JAMAICAN JERK IN YOUR KITCHEN
Anyone who knows how people cook in Jamaica will have been surprised by the phrase 'in your kitchen'. There, the national favorite dishes are cooked in, at best, semi-fortified huts or on the street. But you can also work with our spice mixture in the kitchen, if not entirely authentically, at least convincingly. The flavors of our spice mixture go best with chicken that is marinated (dry or with a little oil) and then grilled over an open fire. If you don't want to light a fire at the moment, or the season or weather doesn't allow it, you can safely use the oven.

THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD KEEP IN MIND WHEN USING JAMAICAN JERK
If you grill, make sure you regulate the heat so that the spices don't immediately turn black and therefore bitter. It's best not to grill over an open flame, but to wait with the Jamaican barbecue until the fire has burned down to embers; The heat emitted is still extremely high and is definitely enough for grilling. Then just hit the cooking point and you're half Jamaican!

WHAT IS JAMAICAN JERK?
Jamaican Jerk is not a single spice, but is made up of a mixture of many different spices. The term 'jerk' refers to a preparation method used by the native inhabitants of Jamaica, which supposedly has its origins in the cooking methods of African slaves who fled to the island. Meat is exposed to heat through a wood fire, which has previously been tossed in a strong, spicy, spicy marinade. It should be noted that the cooking process is very slow, which is why the resulting smoke gives the meat a particularly rural aroma. Since the 1950s, people in Jamaica have started converting old oil drums into grills by cutting them in half lengthwise and connecting them with a hinge so that the grill can be opened and closed. This is brilliant because the cooking conditions are similar to those of a smoker that is widely used in US barbecue today. The ingredients allspice and chili are non-negotiable. In addition, the remaining spices vary greatly: from cinnamon to ginger to cloves or - as in our spice mixture - mace.

HISTORY AND ORIGIN
The theory that Jamaican Jerk found its way to the island of Jamaica through escaped African slaves can be well founded - but it is not certain. The entire Creole cuisine, such as that of Jamaica or that of the Antilles, can be understood as a type of amalgamation of the cooking practices of the settlers' countries of origin and the spices, herbs, animals and fruits available on the island. Influences from former colonial powers on the cuisine also play a role. From Jamaica, jerk meat is now conquering the rest of the world. Whether in Great Britain, Canada or French cuisine - where poulet boucané is prepared very similarly - what is good prevails.

HOW HOT IS JAMAICAN JERK?
As in all regions of the world where people are exposed to a hot and humid climate, in Jamaica people like to eat spicy food. Our spice blend is mild to medium hot, but if used excessively it could probably make a European eater sweat. Pepper and chili create a slight burn on the tongue and palate, but together with the fatty skin of chicken and the added sugar, it creates a pleasant spiciness that does not dominate the other flavors.

CAN I MAKE BEEF JERKY?
A method of preserving meat that is more common in the USA can also be achieved with our seasoning. To do this, you remove the cartilage and tendons from lean beef, cut the meat into thin strips, marinate it with our spices overnight in the refrigerator and dry the meat the next day at a temperature of around 50 degrees Celsius. The water it contains is lost, the weight decreases significantly, while the nutritional value is retained and the shelf life increases rapidly. The perfect snack for a long mountain hike or the next off-road trip. And beef jerky is outrageously delicious! Try it, definitely!

Ingredients: Onions, sea salt, thyme, mango powder, black pepper, garlic, cane sugar, allspice, Ceylon cinnamon, mace, cayenne pepper, birds eye chili, cloves.