Jerked Chicken

Anyhow, people always kvell over this, and after mailing people the recipe for the umpteenth time, I figured it might be a good idea to just put it up for all to see.

Ingredients

• 4 or 5 habaneros or 8 to 15 serranos
• ca 2 cubic inches peeled ginger root
• Juice of 6 limes
• ca 1 tbsp olive oil
• ca 1 to 2 tbsps allspice
• ca 1 to 2 tbsps cardamon
• ca 1/2 to 1 tbsp cumin
• ca 1/2 to 1 tbsp nutmeg

Algorithm

1. Thoroughly chop ginger and chiles in Cuisinart.
2. Add half the lime juice, and puree thoroughly.
3. Add a little olive oil (to help the jerk stick to the chicken) and the rest of the lime juice; mix some more.
4. Toss in spices - allspice and cardamon in whatever ratio suits your fancy, maybe some cumin and nutmeg - and mix thoroughly so as to "wet" the spices.
5. Cut up, skin, and wash the chicken(s). Arrange in a non-reactive (Pyrex works well) baking pan, and pour the jerk sauce over the chicken, making sure all surfaces get coated.
6. Let sit at least a little while (eg, while you start the BBQ) or for hours.
7. Cook on a covered BBQ, turning and basting frequently. (If you turn too often the jerk sauce will run off and put out the fire; if you turn too infrequently, the chicken will burn.) The goal is to cook the chicken relatively slowly but thoroughly: all (or most) of the fat should boil out.

Notes

• Goes very well with fresh sweet corn, BBQ-ed in husks after the chicken is done.
• Also works well with ribs.
• The habanero version is very hot!