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“Jerk” refers to both the cooking method and the spice blend famous in the Caribbean. The smoky, spiced meat—typically pork or chicken—is grilled by a variety of wood-burning methods. This food tradition dates back to the indigenous Taino and Arawak peoples of Jamaica. The most prevalent flavors in jerk are Scotch bonnet peppers and allspice, an earthy fruit that tastes like a blend of nutmeg and cloves.

The art of jerking is believed to have been passed down from the indigenous Taino people to the enslaved Africans, freed in 1655 during the invasion of Jamaica. When the English invaded, Spanish colonists freed their slaves. They escaped into the interior of the island, forming their own free communities called the Jamaican Maroons. They hunted the island’s wild boar, and the technique of underground cooking was used to prevent smoke, which would’ve betrayed their location to the British. Although the Taino are now considered extinct, jerking is still widely practiced. Today, 70 percent of Jamaicans are descendants of African slaves.

As with many foods, the methods and spices used in jerking vary from region to region, and from group to group. Jerking has also evolved over the centuries based on necessity. Today, jerking in Jamaica is done on barrel-style grills using pork or chicken, with roadside “jerk-stands” or “jerk centres” being commonplace.

Jerked meat smells heavenly on the grill, and the spice blend is surprisingly versatile. Having been traditionally prepared with wild hog by Jamaican subsistence hunters, I think every modern hunter should have jerk in their recipe box. The combination of vinegar, lime juice, and pungent spices does a nice job of slightly tenderizing and complementing gamey meat. I once prepared a couple of squirrels for a group of school kids and their squeamish mothers; several came back licking their fingers looking for more. Jerk venison, rabbit, and even frog legs are also tasty options. Bull frog legs are one my favorites—people on the island of Montserrat historically jerked frog meat, a species they call “mountain chicken.”

Quail are great on the grill, but I encourage you to try this recipe with different types of game birds such as partridge, pheasant, grouse, and even waterfowl. You can serve jerk with rice and beans, coconut rice, Cajun rice, mango or pineapple salsa, collard greens, grilled corn, and/ or Jamaican slaw. Sweet and spicy flavors go well with the heat and earthiness of jerk.

Note on peppers: I don’t prepare this dish with Scotch bonnet peppers simply because they are difficult to find in my area—and because when I’m feeding others, Scotch bonnet might be too intense. If you do use Scotch bonnets, consider that it has a Scoville heat rating of 100,000 to 350,000, while serranoes are only 10,000 to 23,000 on the scale—so plan accordingly when adding the pepper to your marinade. Habanero might be the closest equivalent to the Scotch bonnet pepper.

Jamaican Jerk Quail Recipe

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 whole quail
• Lime wedges

Marinade:

• 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil + extra Juice of 2 limes
• 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar4 green onions, minced
• 1 tablespoon of ground allspice
• 1 serrano chili pepper, minced (or Scotch bonnet pepper, to taste)
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves, minced
• 1⁄4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt

Directions: