I’ve always loved to serve delicious jerk pork and chicken wings, so now I want to share my own favourite recipe for this dish with you! The marinade is the most important part, after you get that right you can handle the meat how you like whether you do it all on the grill or do it in a pan and then into the oven. Jerk cooking is traditionally done over an open fire fueled with allspice wood to add even more delicious flavour! My recipe is just a bit different, traditionally cheaper cuts of pork would be used, and the mango wouldn’t be added either, instead you’d see it served with some plantains and rice, which is a great and authentic way to plate this dish if you have the time to roast the plantains.
Ingredients:
Serves 4-6
>Jerk Pork Loin
>1 1/2- 2 pounds pork loin
>1 semi-ripe mango
>1 1/2 cups Jerk sauce (recipe follows)
For the Jerk sauce:
>1 onion, quartered
>1/2 cup soy sauce
>1/2 cup white wine vinegar infused with thyme
>3 tbsp brown sugar
>3-4 scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, stems removed (you can remove the seeds for a more mild dish)
>2 tbsp ground allspice
>2 thumbs fresh peeled ginger root, a small handfull, or 2 tablespoons ginger puree
dash of worcestershire sauce
>3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
>3 tbsp red pepper flakes
>2 tbsp coarse ground black pepper
>2 tbsp sailor jerry’s rum
>3 tbsp canola or peanut oil
1To start off, slice lightly into the pork loin to create slits in the meat and then work the jerk sauce over it. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight to let the flavors meld.
2Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the pork from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Let the pork come towards room temperature sitting out for about an hour and then grill or sear to color the outside of the pork.
3Cut the mango into thin slices that will fit into the cuts you made in the pork. This adds flavor and moisture. Insert the mango slices and place the pork in a baking dish and pour the marinade overtop. Roast for 20 minutes or until the pork is cooked through.
4Serve with additional fresh mango to garnish.You could also use pineapple if mango isn’t available.
This jerk sauce recipe has been a favorite of mine for a long time. I like a bit of a sweeter jerk sauce that aids caramelization and coloring in the meat, but you can cut down on the sugar a bit if you’re watching your diet or prefer a more vinegary sauce. I find that the addition of a bit of sugar balances the sauce very nicely, though. To make this sauce, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend well. This sauce can be used to marinate pork, shrimp, or chicken for about 24 hours, but no more or the vinegar will break down the meat too much.
