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Jerk - Pimento Wood


Instead of the stand-by Spatchcock with a Dizzy Dust product I'm looking into Jerk Chicken. My wife has made a jerk sauce in the past that we used for Chicken on the Webber but I'm looking to turn it up a notch with the Egg. 

Research finds that actually cooking Jerk on Pimento wood sticks and chips for smoking is one of if not THE the keys. I've read that if there's no Pimento it's not Jerk. 

I've only found one site on-line to buy Pimento products wwwpimentowood.com. It's not cheap and I wonder if it's worth it and how many cooks one could use the Pimento sticks for. 

Any experience out there?


New Albany, Ohio 

Comments

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    You can smoke allspice berries by putting them in a foil pouch. It gets close to using the actual wood. There is a Jamaican dude that makes jerk turkey burgers at a Farmer's market by my work. He uses these packets with rosemary twigs. 
  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,435
    I second what Eggcelsior said !!  I followed cook illustrated recipe for jerk chicken and had excellent results -  soaked wood chips in a mixture of herbs attempting to capture the pimento wood flavor.  The Wood Chips (I used peach) soaked in a wet mixture of of allspice berries, thyme, rosemary, and water.

    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    No experience yet, but here are a couple of articles you may find helpful. Both reference Cook's Country and the smoke packet idea.

    https://myyearwithchris.wordpress.com/2012/06/06/jamaincan-jerk-chicken/

    http://greatlakesbetterfood.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-jerk-store-called-for-more-jamaican.html?m=1

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232


    Thanks - I came across serious eats as well. 

    I emailed pimentowood.com to see how many cooks the "sticks" are good for. Sticks, leaves and shipping is $67. 

    If I can get at least two cooks out of them I might splurge. I'l let you know their response. 
    New Albany, Ohio 

  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232

    Just took a phone call from pimentowood.com. Nice guy. 

    In sum, he recommends the chips over the sticks. He also recommends the pimento leaves in a water pan with water for a steam effect. 

    The sticks, I'm told, can be used for multiple cooks. He does recommend "scrubbing" the sticks before and after that cook to get rid of any past chicken grease drippings. 

    The sticks add a more subtle flavor as the chips provide a stronger flavor. He uses both at the same time but recommends chips over sticks. 

    For the chips, he said to foil and poke holes to release smoke.  One does not want to have the pimento catch on fire. It can leave a sooty mess. 

    These were all suggestions based on the fact I am using  the Egg and he is an Egger. 
    New Albany, Ohio 

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    That's definitely on my list of things to try. A little nervous about Scotch Bonnets though.

    Whatever you decide to cook, be sure to post pics. :)image

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232

    Ahhhhhh

    TWO FORKS! 


    I bit the bullet and ordered chips, sticks and leaves. He's going to throw in a couple goodies too.

    I'm bummed it will not be  here until next week otherwise I know what I'd be cooking for Super Bowl Sunday. 

    You can tone down the scotch bonnets and use half or quarter what the recipe calls for. I prefer a subtle, not an in your face heat. 

    I'll post pics,

    NO FORKS! 
    New Albany, Ohio 

  • GATraveller
    GATraveller Posts: 8,207
    Maybe he'll throw in a couple sacks of Jamaica's finest.

    "Social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak when they once only spoke at a bar after a glass of wine, without harming the community [...] but now they have the same right to speak as a Nobel Prize winner. It's the invasion of the idiots."

                                                                                  -Umberto Eco

    2 Large
    Peachtree Corners, GA
  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232
    Ya Mon! 
    New Albany, Ohio 

  • Tinyfish
    Tinyfish Posts: 1,755
    Is that allowed...two forks in one picture.

  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232

    Blasphomy
    New Albany, Ohio 

  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,459
    @Tinyfish of course it's allowed.

    image
  • stv8r
    stv8r Posts: 1,127
    Yes the Pimento wood is a given...Try the Walkerswood jerk seasoning for an authentic taste!

    I have many customers from Jamaica and all say this is the real deal
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 17,373
    I'd found the OP's link to pimento too, a couple years ago.  Too much for my wallet, but am interested in trying the allspice berries mentioned above.  

    “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.”

                  - Mark Twain 

    Ogden, UT, USA


  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232
    @tinyfish

    It's not so much a clean silverware drawer, it's a slimy fork with food and your drool on it. 
    New Albany, Ohio 

  • dstearn
    dstearn Posts: 1,705
    I spoke with Gary at Pimentowood, I ordered a 2LB bag of chips but he said he would throw in some samples of the chunks, leaves and the Tree Top marinade which he said was better than the Walkerswood that I have been using. I am going to compare using the chips and the chunks to see which works out best.
  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232
    Cool Cool

    I'm excited for the shipment. Will likely prepare the marinade Thursday or Friday and cook Saturday. My wife has a great Rum Punch recipe and we'll add a Sweet Potatoe puree.


    New Albany, Ohio 

  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,232
    edited January 2015

    And a Caribbean Corn Bread recipe from Blanchard's in Anguilla.  
    New Albany, Ohio