This homemade Jamaican jerk seasoning recipe is bold, smoky, and spicy and made with pantry ingredients you have in your kitchen. This homemade spice rub adds intense flavor to chicken, pork, seafood, and vegetables.
Skip the store-bought blends and make your own homemade Jamaican jerk seasoning in minutes!
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Homemade Jerk Spice
So you love bold, smoky, and spicy flavors?
Then this homemade jerk Jamaican seasoning is going to be your new favorite pantry staple.
Known for its warm heat, earthy spices, and slightly sweet notes, Jerk seasoning is a classic Caribbean spice blend.
When you make this DIY jerk seasoning at home you can control the spice level.
Making your own spice blend lets you avoid the preservatives or additives that are in store-bought blends.
This recipe uses simple pantry spices that you can combine in just minutes.
Homemade jerk seasoning is all about the balance of the heat, sweetness, warmth, and herbal notes working together in harmony.
Every sprinkle of this Caribbean seasoning will deliver big flavor to whatever you are cooking.
I love having this easy homemade seasoning on hand to add lots of flavor to weeknight dinners.
Jerk seasoning is the perfect addition to your grilled foods and will make backyard grilling nights extra delicious.
Ideal on chicken, pork, shrimp, fish, and even roasted vegetables, the aroma of this seasoning blend will transport you straight to the islands.
I guarantee that once you try this homemade jerk seasoning recipe, you’ll never buy the store-bought version again.
So go ahead and spice up your kitchen and delight your tastebuds with this bold and flavorful Homemade Jamaican Jerk Seasoning!
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How to make Jamaican jerk seasoning
This is a quick overview of how to make this jerk Jamaican seasoning recipe. Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- Step 1: Combine all spices and seasonings in a mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Whisk the ingredients together until they are blended and combined.
Hint: Store the seasoning in an airtight container and give it a stir or a shake before measuring out for a recipe..
Expert recipe tips
- For best results, use fresh spices because older spices lose their potency over time.
- I love buying spices at the dollar store. Good value for your money especially when you are buying a lot of spices.
- Be sure to mix the seasoning thoroughly so every spoonful has an even blend of flavors.
- Store the seasoning in an airtight container and give it a stir or a shake before measuring out for a recipe.
- If you prefer a milder jerk seasoning, reduce the amount of cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes a bit and you can add extra granulated sugar.
- For a more intense color without adding extra heat you can add more paprika.
- This blend works beautifully as a dry rub but you can also mix it with oil and lime juice to create a quick jerk marinade.
- Try adding this seasoning to soups, sauces and marinades.
Substitutions
- Lettuce - instead of ice berg lettuce, you can use romaine lettuce or spinach
- Granulated Sugar - Brown sugar can be used in place of white granulated sugar. You can use either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Both will give you a deep molasses flavor.
- Allspice - Ground nutmeg can be substituted for allspice, although the allspice does give the most authentic jerk flavor.
- Paprika – For a smoky note, you can replace regular paprika with smoked paprika.
- Salt – If you are making this blend to use with chicken you can replace salt with chicken bouillon granules
- Salt – You can use kosher salt in place of table salt, however, I would double the amount of kosher salt that you use.
Variations
- Smoky - For a smoky flavor, use smoked paprika instead of the regular paprika.
- Extra Heat - Add additional cayenne pepper and crushed red pepper flakes if you want extra heat and intensity.
- Sweeter - For a sweeter seasoning, add additional white granulated sugar or use coconut sugar or brown sugar.
- Citrusy – Love a good citrus flavor? Stir in dried orange peel.
- Salt-Free - You can even make a salt-free jerk seasoning by omitting the salt and adding it separately when cooking.
Storage
- Store your DIY Jamaican jerk seasoning in a tightly sealed glass mason jar or an airtight spice container in a cool, dark place.
- When you store the blend properly, it will remain very flavorful for up to 6 months.
- Be sure to avoid storing the spice blend near heat or sunlight as this can dull the flavors of the spices.
- Always use a dry spoon when scooping seasoning to prevent moisture from entering the jar.
- Label the storage container with the date you made the Jerk seasoning so that you know when it’s time to make a new batch.
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Ingredients
Homemade jerk spice ingredients
- Onion Powder - Onion powder adds a savory depth that forms the part of the backbone of this spice blend.
- Garlic Powder - Garlic powder brings rich, aromatic flavor and enhances the overall boldness of the seasoning.
- Red Pepper Flakes - These flakes provide heat and a signature jerk spice kick.
- Black Pepper - Black pepper adds warmth and sharpness that helps to balance the sweetness and earthy spices in this blend.
- Salt - Salt makes every flavor in the blend pop.
- Paprika - Paprika gives the seasoning its vibrant color and subtle sweet flavor.
- Allspice - Allspice is essential in jerk seasoning, adding a combination of flavors, such as clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg all in one spice.
- White Granulated Sugar - Sugar balances the heat and spices adding just a touch of sweetness. It also helps to caramelize meats when cooked.
- Ground Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon adds a hint of sweetness and warmth.
- Ground Ginger - Ground ginger also adds warmth with a hint of brightness.
- Ground Clove - Clove lends an intense aromatic spice flavor with depth
- Dried Thyme - Thyme brings a classic Caribbean flavor note and herbal freshness to the seasoning that ties the blend together.
Spice Mix Recipes
You'll love making these savory spice blends:
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And if it's sweet spice mix blends, a seasoning salt and noodle seasoning mix you're looking for, check these out:
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons cayenne
- 1 ½ teaspoons white granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
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Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
- Stir or whisk the spices until they are evenly combined and blended.
- Store in an airtight container, or glass mason jar with a lid, in a dry, cool area for up to 6 months.
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