Sweet and spicy is one of the very best flavor profiles and this Caribbean jerk sauce recipe is the real deal! It combines a traditional earthy spice blend with a quick and easy sauce recipe perfect for topping chicken, pork, or seafood. I use this sauce frequently for my favorite spicy dishes and it only takes ten minutes to make. So next time you are craving island flavors like Jamaican jerk chicken, you have to try this simple sauce with sweet heat. Full recipe card below.

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What is Caribbean Jerk Sauce?

Caribbean jerk is a spicy sauce commonly used in Jamaican cuisine as well as other Caribbean island foods. Typically authentic recipes are made with scotch bonnet peppers, ground allspice, and habanero peppers. This sauce is frequently seen on restaurant menus with Jamaican jerk chicken or jerk chicken wings at places like Buffalo Wild Wings.

I fell in love with this sauce because I love spicy food and up until recently I used to buy the Buffalo Wild Wings version at my grocery store, but rumor has it they are phasing it out. This obviously meant I needed to come up with a homemade sauce to satisfy my cravings. And after a day in Aruba on a cruise stop I was reminded how much I truly love the flavors of Caribbean jerk sauce. I almost licked my plate…seriously.

There are different ways of making Caribbean jerk but many of them include complicated ingredients like scotch bonnets or soybean oil. Conversely, packaged sauces often contain questionable ingredients like sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, or soy lecithin. To simplify my Jamaican jerk sauce recipe I stuck to more common pantry ingredients that everyone can pronounce and an easy spice blend to make a deliciously spicy homemade jerk sauce more similar to the Buffalo Wild Wings sauce.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This is a delicious sauce that is easy to make any day of the week and doesn’t even require the food processor. It is a versatile sauce that can be used on chicken breast, pork chops, shrimp, and even pizza! Yes, even pizza. Did you really have any doubt? It is full of complex flavors and just enough sweet heat. This is truly one of my all time favorite sauces!

Ingredients

Making your own homemade jerk sauce is easier than you think! This simple Caribbean jerk sauce is a great recipe that can be made in just ten minutes, requires no cooking time, and the main ingredients are pantry staples. I tested this sauce many times before it had just the right flavor, so I will give you my notes and suggestions based on what gave me the best results.

Ketchup – To make this recipe super easy, I used ketchup as the base. You know, the bottled stuff you most likely have in your fridge. I used the bottle of Heinz I had on hand, but any brand will work.

Soy Sauce – This simple ingredient is a staple in my pantry and I use it frequently. It is a very thin sauce with a high salt content. Because of this I always use the low-sodium soy sauce to avoid an overly salty dish but you can use regular soy sauce if that is all you have. If you don’t have soy sauce, I think the closest substitute is Ponzu sauce which I have actually used as a substitute before when I accidently ran out of soy.

Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar? While these two can be substituted for one another they will not yield the exact same flavor. Brown sugar is simply sugar with molasses added, but how much is what gives you dark brown sugar or light. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light which gives it a darker caramel color. The first time I made this I used light brown sugar but as I experimented with it I felt like dark brown sugar was the better way to go.

Lime Juice – This will add a bit of freshness as well as some additional citric acid which helps cut some of the spice in the sauce.

Thyme – Thyme is an aromatic herb with sweet and savory notes that adds a depth of flavor and element of freshness to any dish and is a key component in Jamaican jerk seasoning as well as sauce. I used dried Thyme leaves in this recipe but you can also use fresh. Just stay away from ground thyme as it will have too much potency and will overpower the sauce.

Ginger – Ginger is another common ingredient used in many sauces and international cooking and adds a fresh and slightly spicy flavor to a dish. For this recipe I used ground ginger but you can use fresh ginger if you have it. The natural flavor of ginger is truly one of my favorites. You can find whole ginger in the produce section in grocery stores. While it is technically classified as a spice it looks similar to a root vegetable. The best way to use fresh ginger is to grate it. I find this works best if you store it in the freezer and grate it frozen.

Cayenne Pepper – Normally jerk sauce gets its spice from hot peppers, but to make this an easy recipe I used cayenne. Depending on your taste buds you can add more or less. I personally think somewhere between a half and a whole teaspoon is the right amount of heat that doesn’t overpower the sauce. Feel free to add as much as you like.

Cinnamon – This aromatic spice has a warm and comforting taste and is often associated with fall and winter dishes but it is also very common in international cuisine. You will want to use ground cinnamon here not cinnamon sticks. Just remember, cinnamon is a potent spice and a little goes a long way!

All Spice – This is another aromatic spice with multi-dimensional flavors. Because it has notes of cloves, star anise, nutmeg, pepper, and cinnamon, it is often mistaken for a spice blend when it actually comes from whole allspice berries. I used store bought ground all spice but if you happen to have the real deal, feel free to grind your own with a spice grinder. Like cinnamon, allspice is a potent spice and a little goes a long way. If you add too much, your sauce will turn out bitter.

Ground Cloves – Ground cloves are another very strong spice that comes from dried flower buds. It has an earthy yet sweet flavor almost like licorice with a slightly bitter taste. Again, this is a potent spice and if you use too much the sauce will be bitter.

Garlic Powder – I almost always use jarred garlic when I cook, but for this recipe I think garlic powder is a better option for combining. If you choose to use real garlic, you will need two teaspoons or two cloves.

Salt & Pepper – Like all dishes a little salt and pepper goes a long way with the flavor.

* Note to my readers. I strive to bring home cooks reliable recipes you can count on. Every recipe on this site is tested and made by me personally in my own kitchen and given to my harshest recipe tester critics for invaluable feedback. This site does not review its own recipes or participate in paid reviews nor does it purchase recipes and photos from third parties. Photos are taken of each recipe and not artificially generated. All reviews are real trustworthy reviews and if you make a recipe and have feedback, please feel free to contact me.

Storage

The best way to store leftover Caribbean jerk sauce is in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Heat in a small saucepan just before using or coat freshly cooked chicken, pork, or seafood with it.

When to Make Caribbean Jerk Sauce

This spicy sauce is perfect on chicken breast, chicken wings, chicken tacos, shredded chicken, or on a chicken pizza. It also pairs really well with pork and shrimp as a topper, a dipping sauce, or a glaze. I most frequently use it on chicken tacos and chicken sandwiches though. This good jerk recipe adds a ton of complex flavor to any dish and can be made in just ten minutes! So if spicy food is your style of cooking you have to give this delicious sauce a try!

Looking for more sauce recipes? Try my gourmet ketchup recipe with balsamic vinegar, copycat Kraft chipotle aioli, easy mayo ketchup recipe, Thanksgiving cranberry sauce, or my quick teriyaki sauce without ginger.

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This post, Homemade Sweet and Spicy Caribbean Jerk Sauce Recipe, appeared first on Garrison Street Eats.

Homemade Sweet and Spicy Caribbean Jerk Sauce Recipe

What is Caribbean Jerk Sauce?

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Ingredients