Ginger Beer-Basted Jerk Chicken

Blue Jean Chef

Ingredients

  • 3 – 4 lb. chicken
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp. brown sugar
  • 4 green onions, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1 scotch bonnet or habañero pepper (can use jalapeño or other hot pepper if desired)
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 Tbsp. coarse sea salt or kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 2/3 cup ginger beer (or regular beer if desired)

Preparation

Clean the chicken by removing the giblets, rinsing with water, and drying thoroughly with paper towel.

Make the spice rub by combining the brown sugar, allspice, thyme, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, green onions, scotch bonnet, and salt in a food processor or mini chopper. Add the lime juice and vegetable oil and blend.

Rub the mixture all over the chicken, inside the cavity as well as all over the skin. You may want to use gloves or a re-sealable plastic bag to do this as the mixture will be very spicy and can burn your hands. Preheat the oven to 350°F, or preheat the BBQ grill for 10 – 15 minutes. If you’re using a BBQ grill, create an indirect cooking area by turning off one of the burners or moving the coals to one side of the grill. The indirect cooking area will be the area with the turned off burner or the side of the grill with fewer coals. Pour the ginger beer (or regular beer) into the center of the chicken roaster dish.

Place the chicken over the center of the chicken roaster dish. If desired, place vegetables or sliced onions around the chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Roast or BBQ (over indirect heat) the chicken until the internal temperature of the inner thigh meat registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. The timing will depend on how big a chicken you’re roasting. A 4-lb. chicken will take about 75 minutes. Allow the chicken to cool for 4 – 5 minutes on the chicken roaster dish. Carefully remove the chicken and serve.

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