Jerk seasoning is a hot Jamaican spice marinade from the Caribbean used to prepare barbecued meats.

Jerk is believed to have originated in the 1600s as a meat preservation and cooking technique, and is now popular the world over. The funny name comes from the Spanish word for dried meat, charqui, which turned into jerk (and jerky) in English. A Caribbean signature dish, recipes for jerk seasoning are as varied as those for American barbecue sauce.

The basic recipe involves hot Scotch Bonnet peppers, thyme, garlic, green onions and spices like ginger, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Whether dry-rubbed into the traditional pork (and nowadays, chicken, fish, beef and tofu) or moistened with molasses, vinegar or other liquids to create a marinade, the jerk-seasoned meat is then barbecued over low coals or traditional pimento (or allspice) wood.

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