A bold and smoky Jamaican classic—crispy pork belly marinated in a rich, fiery jerk blend. Perfect for BBQs, meal prep, or a weekend treat!

Ingredients

For the Pork:

  • 3kg pork belly (cut into large slabs)

  • 4 tbsp jerk seasoning rub

For the Marinade:

  • 1 onion, chopped

  • 4 spring onions

  • 8–10 garlic cloves

  • 2–4 scotch bonnet peppers (adjust to heat preference)

  • 10 pimento seeds (allspice)

  • Handful of fresh thyme

  • ½ cup brown sugar

  • 1 tbsp browning

  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1 tsp sea salt

  • Juice of ½ lime

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 250ml water

  • 100ml white vinegar

Prep the Pork:

  1. Wash the pork belly thoroughly with vinegar and lime, then set aside.

  2. Score the pork skin with a sharp knife—this allows the flavour to penetrate deep into the meat.

Make the Jerk Marinade:

  1. Add all marinade ingredients to a blender and pulse for 10–15 seconds until slightly chunky.

  2. Pour into a sealed jar—this marinade can be stored and reused.

Marinate the Pork:

  1. Rub the scored pork belly generously with dry jerk seasoning.

  2. Pour on the marinade and massage well into the meat.

  3. Let it marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight for deeper flavour.

Grill Method:

  1. Heat your grill to medium. Place pork skin-side down, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

  2. Flip and cook flesh-side down for another 20 minutes.

  3. Turn heat to low (or move to indirect heat if using charcoal).

  4. Continue flipping every 15 minutes, keeping the grill covered.

  5. For the final touch, place pork on the top rack for 5 minutes to absorb smoke.

  6. Brush with jerk BBQ sauce during the final stage to lock in moisture and flavour.

🔪 To Serve:

  • Let the pork rest, then chop into bite-sized chunks.

  • Drizzle over more jerk BBQ sauce and serve with rice & peas, festival, or fried plantain.

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