Spicy Jerk Chicken: A Flavorful Homemade Delight

Light, aromatic, piquant, made from the most ordinary ingredients! Dried chicken is a recipe for an easy-to-prepare appetizer that is suitable for any feast, both on a weekday and on a holiday. It contains no flavor enhancers or harmful additives, and the taste is in no way inferior to a store-bought product.
cook time: 96h 15 min
Zoe Kendrick
Spicy Jerk Chicken: A Flavorful Homemade Delight

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

113
Calories
2g
Fat
1g
Carbs
22g
Protein

Ingredients (12 portions)

Basic:

Ground black pepper 2 tsp
Salt 2 tbsp
Caraway (ground) 2 tsp
Paprika 2.5 tsp
Chicken fillet 1 kg
Ground red pepper 1 tsp

Recipe instructions

Step 1

Step 1
How to dry chicken? Prepare your food. You will need chicken breast fillet, and it is better if the meat is unfrozen and fresh, because it will not be subjected to any heat treatment. Wash the fillet first and dry it with paper towels — excess moisture will prevent the chicken from wilting.

Step 2

Step 2
Another key to the success of dried meat is well-chosen spices — don’t be alarmed, you will need quite a lot of them, but they certainly won’t be superfluous. Paprika, ground red and black pepper and ground cumin are great here (it is sold specifically for basturma, it will give our meat a unique aroma). In any case, you can add or remove something to your taste. Pour the spices into a deep bowl.

Step 3

Step 3
Add salt to the spices — it’s okay that this recipe requires quite a lot of it, we need the meat to be thoroughly salted, otherwise the taste of the finished dish will not be the same. I would like to add that the meat will take as much salt as it needs and will not be over-salted.

Step 4

Step 4
Mix the spices and salt well.

Step 5

Step 5
Rub each piece of chicken fillet well with the resulting mixture on all sides, place tightly in a container and refrigerate for 24 hours. You can put pressure on the chicken. I cooked it for the first time and didn’t put it under pressure, but when I cook it again (and I will certainly do it more than once), I’ll try it to compare the result. This time I will say that all the meat was perfectly salted and soaked in spices, so it’s up to you to decide.

Step 6

Step 6
During the time spent in the refrigerator, the meat will become dense. Rinse it well under running water and dry with paper towels. If you like spicier meat, I recommend leaving a little spice.

Step 7

Step 7
For more flavor, you can add garlic — pass it through a press or finely grate it on top of the chicken.

Step 8

Step 8
Sprinkle the top with paprika and rub each piece of fillet well with garlic on all sides.

Step 9

Step 9
Wrap each piece in gauze. In principle, if you have a cold season and have the opportunity to hang the fillet on a balcony or loggia, then you don’t have to wrap it in gauze — then the crust of the meat will be more dried, and inside it will be soft and tender. Personally, next time I’ll try drying without gauze.

Step 10

Step 10
Tie each piece tightly with thread, making a loop on top from which the meat will be hung.

Step 11

Step 11
Dry the fillet in a cool place for 3-4 days, maybe a little longer if you like drier meat. It all depends on your taste preferences. I dried the fillets on the loggia, it’s quite cool now. But fillets can also be dried at room temperature; I’ve also seen this option. Personally, I think it’s safer to do this in the cold.

Step 12

Step 12
The dried chicken is ready — look how appetizing and aromatic it is, it cannot be compared with sausage bought in a store, and, to be honest, chicken fillet is also much more profitable in this regard.

Step 13

Step 13
Slice it thinly and serve as an appetizer. Bon appetit!

Additional rubrics

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