Jamaican Jerk Chicken

The great thing about shopping at the farmer's market now instead of at the grocery store is the abundance of fresh meats. We already have a freezer well stocked by Shadowchase Farm, but we tend to eat chicken the most. And god, what a difference fresh poultry makes. It's a bit pricier (a 3.5-pound bird will run around $12 in this area), but the quality is well worth it (imagine that). Because we've cut back on meat consumption across the board, my usual plan of action is to just get up early enough to make it to the market by 8 a.m. on a Saturday to ensure I get a chicken if we need one for the week or two ahead. Our poultry choice is Weathertop Farm.


And no, you can't have the convenience of picking up a few pieces of a chicken (say, the breast or thighs as you would in the grocery store). But who cares? Part of the joy of cooking, to me, is getting to really experience the food. And while the thought of actually killing a chicken isn't something I want to do anytime soon, I feel better honing my chicken cutting skills than I would just picking up a hormone-filled piece of chicken packed on a piece of styrofoam and complete with one of those hideous chicken diaper things--you know, the white plastic thing that is placed under the cut of meat for some reason I've never really wanted to explore. (By the way, those "chickens" in the grocery store? During their short lifetime they have been packed to the rafters in the tiniest spaces imaginable and pumped full of hormones to stimulate the growth of huge breasts--basically the poultry equivalent of breast implants. Which means they grow so quickly that they're legs are rendered useless, so they eventually cannot support their own weight. Also? They're fed antibiotics to combat the plethora of diseases running rampant in those "living" conditions, and even still we're exposed to salmonella from chicken available in the grocery store. And for what? The sake of convenience and a cheaper grocery bill? You know what? I'll gladly take that $12 bird from the farmer's market that renders me eight good pieces of meat, a carcass for homemade chicken stock, and the knowledge that my bird had a good life, raised in the open pasture and allowed to be a chicken. I don't understand anymore those who choose to ignore what they eat because it's easier. I really don't want to pay your healthcare costs, thankyouverymuch.)

Stepping off the soap box....anyway. Yeah, Jamaican jerk chicken. That's the recipe I decided to use for my fresh chicken this particular day. I've started to drift more toward my Joy of Cooking cookbook for recipes and inspiration, and this is where the jerk paste recipe for the chicken was found.


So, Jamaican Jerk Paste:
1/3 c. fresh lime juice
10 habanero peppers (or 1/4 c. habanero-based hot sauce)
2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
3 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. dried basil
2 Tbsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. yellow mustard seeds or 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper


Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree. I omitted the scallions and subbed in the habanero-based hot sauce. This is a really nice, spicy blend (the allspice particularly stands out). I do wish I had gone with the raw habaneros, because it wasn't spicy enough. Anyway, I just brushed the paste mix on the cut chicken pieces and grilled on medium heat until done, basting with the leftover paste along the way.


It's important to note that, because fresh chicken isn't pumped full of god knows what, the cooking time is quicker. Therefore, I opt to go with the low and slow way of cooking when using fresh, locally raised meats. It's worth the time.


You can always brine fresh chicken as well to lock in the moisture--just do a simple Google search, and you'll find an encyclopedia of information and recipes, which usually just include a simple mix of water, sugar, and salt.


I'll get to the sides next: just some grilled new potatoes (again, from the farmer's market) and Asian pears.  Pears are pretty prevalent right now as it's their season to shine, so I just picked up a few and made a simple honey vinaigrette to drizzle over them (seriously simple--just combine some honey and lime to taste).

Now, I'm going to step back to the chicken. I'm still no expert at cutting a whole chicken efficiently, but I wanted to share a video that I've found is a great resource for some cutting tips. Yes, it's Gordon Ramsay, but he's helpful--he's not yelling. And again, if you're so inclined as I am, you can easily save the carcass and neck (yep, my fresh chicken comes complete with the neck, which you just have to lop off if it's there) in a Ziploc bag and freeze for future use in stocks. Voila--despite the initial cost, a fresh chicken can yield several uses.