Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Recipe – Want a great jerk chicken seasoning? This is an easy and totally authentic jerk spice mix that is sure to give all of your Caribbean recipes incredible flavor.

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Jamaican Jerk Seasoning falling out of a glass with a spoon

Table of Contents

The Perks and Highlights of the Best Jerk Seasoning

Cuisine Inspiration: Jamaican

Primary Cooking Method: Mixing and Grinding

Dietary Info: Vegan, Gluten-Free Everyone’s invited to this flavor party!

Key Flavor: Spicy, Aromatic Get ready for a spicy kick complemented by deep, aromatic flavors.

Skill Level Required: Easy

Sweet Highlights: Perk 1: Customizable Heat You’re the captain of this spicy ship! Adjust the heat to your liking, making it perfect for all spice tolerance levels.

Perk 2: Long Shelf Life Make a big batch because this jerk seasoning is here for a good time and a long time, with a shelf life that’s as impressive as its flavor.

Perk 3: Versatile Use From grilled chicken to roasted veggies.

Perk 4: Quick and Easy

Perk 5: Authentic Flavor Transport your taste buds straight to Jamaica

Several spoons, each one containing one ingredient of the Jerk Seasoning Recipe on a marble background

Ingredients

Ground Allspice: This is the grandmaster spice of jerk seasoning, giving you that authentic Caribbean vibe in just a pinch. It’s warm, it’s sweet, and it’s got a kick that says, “Hello, I’ve arrived!”
Dried Thyme: Here’s where the herbaceous magic happens! Dried thyme brings in that earthy and slightly minty flavor, making the blend pop with freshness and zest.
Red Pepper Flakes: Oh, bring on the heat! These little flakes of fiery joy are what give jerk seasoning its notorious kick. Adjust to your heat preference, but don’t be shy – it’s meant to sizzle!
Granulated Garlic: Forget vampires; we’re keeping blandness away! Granulated garlic is the robust, savory backbone of this blend, ensuring every bite is packed with flavor.
Cracked Black Pepper: The classic, the timeless, the can’t-go-wrong cracked black pepper. It adds a subtle heat and a bite, rounding out the flavors and giving that extra oomph!
Onion Powder: And last but not least, onion powder steps in with its sweet, savory goodness, ensuring the seasoning blend is full-bodied and downright irresistible.

Close up of several spoons, each one containing one ingredient of the Jerk Seasoning Recipe on a marble background

How to Make Jerk Seasoning

Gather Your Spices: Make sure you have all your spices ready to go. This is your ground allspice, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, granulated garlic, cracked black pepper, and onion powder.
Mixing Magic: In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the spices together. You’ll want to mix them thoroughly to ensure that every pinch of your jerk seasoning has the perfect balance of flavors.

Overhead shot of the Jerk Seasoning Recipe with a spoon

This recipe is another amazing recipe courtesy of The Spice Diet by a friend Judson Todd Allen that recently passed away. I encourage you to purchase his book because it was absolutely amazing and filled with so many incredible recipes made to help you lose weight in the most flavorful way.

I wanted to honor him by sharing this recipe and also the cajun seasoning recipe. This recipe is about as authentic as a jerk spice will come. The most important ingredient is allspice which is very typical in Caribbean dishes. It is accented perfectly by thyme and red pepper flakes that give it that lovely spice jerk is known for. A few more ingredients like garlic and onion powder round out the flavor balancing it all.

Judson was such a bold, bright and beautiful personality who was also a big star. His star was rising and it broke my heart that all of his dreams didn’t come true. I want to make sure I continue to share his story if I can because he was such an unbelievable talent and beautiful soul. He will be missed by so many.

How to Store

Store it Right: Grab an airtight container and pour your newly made jerk seasoning into it. Make sure to seal it well; this keeps your seasoning fresh and flavorful for a longer time.
Label it Up: Don’t forget to label your container! Write “Jerk Seasoning” and the date you made it. Spices can last a long time, but they do lose potency, so it’s good to know how old they are.
Shake it Up: Before each use, give your container a good shake. This ensures that any spices that may have settled or separated get mixed back in.

Recipes to Use Jerk Seasoning