Jerked Pork at Home (Part 2)

--Tailgatin' and how to make mofos start playa hatin' (Recipes)

I got around to the next test in the quest to perfect Jerked Pork. Just last month I took myself over to Peoria Packing Company and grabbed a few pork butts for pulled pork and a few cuts of rib tips for jerked pork. Another thing that I need to start planning for is my trip to Boston Bay next year during my March trip to Jamaica. I thought the 1st jerked pork project went over pretty damn well but it still wasn't anything near what I'm looking for which is perfection. I imagine that when I finally make it to Boston Bay to experience the bona fide stuff that I'll just give up on ever trying to perfect this centuries old Jamaican recipe that goes back to the Maroons. The runaway slaves used to hunt wild boar and the jerking of the pig would preserve the meat. While alot of people in Jamaica don't eat pork in their diet there are still many who do.


Jerked Pork from Scotchie's in Montego Bay, Jamaica

Click here for more Jerked Pork pictures from around Negril

In case this your first time stumbling upon my site-this isn't the first time I have made jerked pork at home. As you can see from the report on my trip to Negril in March of '09, I have a deep love for jerked pork and it is one of my favorite BBQ items on the globe. As far as international BBQ goes, Jamaica can hang with anyone. I started making jerked pork after my first visit to Jamaica in 2004 and have been getting closer and closer to the real thing. Click HERE for the first chapter of the Jerked pork experiment and read on for the second coming.


My 1st recipe for Jerked pork @ home (Part 1) Click link for info

Its pretty hard to make authentic jerked pork and I for one haven't found anywhere that makes it up to par in Chicago so it was time for the next test. Like I said above I am very pleased with my tests and I sure haven't found any jerked pork in the states that taste anything close to mine let alone the real stuff on the island. So out came the old Weber and on with the project we went.


What a start and if you still want Orton (despite their start) over Cutler your a damn fool

Ingredients for jerked pork-part 2-(serve with rice and peas)

rib tips (end cut of whole spare ribs)
Jerk Dry Rub
1 bottle of jerk marinade-not paste
charcoal (if using a Weber)
hickory wood chunks/chips
1 spice bottle of whole allspice berries

The main difference in this recipe and the last is the cut of pork. I decided that rib tips would be a better example of my preferred style of jerked pork which includes a good amount of bones and cartilage. Also different than from the last time was that I used a dry jerk rub I got from Central Market in Dallas. The rub was on the sweet side but that would be neutralized by me brushing the tips with some Bourbon Beach marinade about 20 minutes before they came off.

Step 1 (1 day ahead of cooking): Rub the tips with the dry rub and put in the fridge overnight if possible but not necessary.

Step 2: Prepare charcoal for the grill or if using a gas grill light both the left and right ends but not the middle and make sure you have a smoke box for the wood. When charcoal is ready spread it on the left and right sides for indirect cooking leaving the middle empty. Put a drip pan with water or red stripe in the middle and layer the charcoal with some wood. Put grill grate back on and place tips in the middle and let cook for 2-4 hours or until the meat starts to pull away from bone. You really cant time BBQ, it will tell you when its ready. Every half hour or so put a spoonful of allspice berries on each side of the fire to give it a scent to penetrate the meat.


Jerked tips smokin' in the Weber (BBQ pork butt in center)


Tips ready for the machete

Step 3: When tips are cooked bring inside and get your largest most heavy knife or a machete if you got one and start chopping. Bones and all chop the tips into little square pieces like those seen below. Serve with rice and peas or anything to your liking. Just make sure you got something to drink.


Just cut and ready for chowing


Tips with the fire sauce from bourbon beach layered on top...don't choke


Close up of smokin' pink perfection

Stay tuned for the 3rd time as we make a boneless style similar to Ragabones in Negril.