Pimento wood smoking chips?

[leech~~]

Anyone ever use it for smoking or even know where to get some?

I had some smoked Jamaican jerk chicken from a street vendor at a Farmers market one time which was great!  It had that real dark char on the outside and great smoke tender meat on the inside.

I really want to try and make some in my new smoker and heard they use Pimento wood in Jamaica for smoking the real thing.

May end up just trying some apple wood but wanted to be authentic-mun!   

[pikestabber]

This site has it, but it's spendy...

 

And this isn't quite what you were asking for, but maybe something to look at...

 

My two cents, get a marinade that replicates the jerk flavor, then smoke with your favorite (cheap, American) wood.

[Getanet]

According to this story, there aren't many companies you can buy the real thing from here in the States. Lucky for you one of them in is MN.

http://www.citypages.com/restaurants/got-jerk-local-company-pimento-wood-sells-true-jamaican-flavor-worldwide-7966288

 

[CaughtABuzz]

I made the trip to Jamaica and loved the stuff, took me a long time to combine recipe's and come up with what I liked best....have had a it a few places like smallies, and street trucks and they got nothing on this recipe. Start low and slow with smoke then at the end go direct heat to get that good char

 

Kitchen window in uptown also sells the wood, leafs, and pimento spice to grind which I have used all 3 and it makes the world of difference....the marinade below will work with other smoking options but if you want the real deal you need to try that. it isn't the cheapest stuff cause there is a finite amount each season, but the amount I use allows me to do 4-5 batches per year so it's totally worth it to me

Pikestabber- sorry but your 2 cents this time is way off....if you have had traditional jerk chicken- any marinade that replicates jerk flavor isn't even close. Same goes for a ton of restaurants that have jerk items on menu, don't even know what recipe they are using cause it aint close

 

I used a about a 3lb package of chicken legs but breast, thighs, or even a full chicken cut up works

Marinade:

All Spice- 2 Tbsp
fresh thyme- 2 Tbsp
fresh ginger- 3 tsp
Sugar- 2 Tbsp
Salt- 2 Tbsp
Pepper- 1 Tbsp
nutmeg- 2 tsp
cinnamon- 2 tsp
Garlic- 8 cloves chopped
Scotch Bonnet Peppers- (substituted with Habenero) peppers- 3
White onions- 2 chopped
Scallions- 1 bundle chopped
soy sauce- 1/2 cup
white vinegar- 1/2 cup
olive oil- 1/2 cup
Juice from
orange- 2
lime-1
lemon-1


Blended all ingredients than threw in ziploc bags with chicken to marinade 24 hours overnight, turned out very good and the char on chicken was tasty. I would recommend this one for the grill this summer. I like spicy food and with the (3) habaneros I didnt think it was that spicy, Bonnets and habaneros are very similar from what i understand and the recipe called for 8 so I had far less than they called for. Next time I will add 1 or 2 to see but Serranos would work for those who like less spice and even jalapenos but I think it would just be too bland that way and not authentic


For cooking the authentic way calls to be grilled over charcoal and wood chips from Pimento wood which also produces the All spice berry in seasoning(This is the main ingredient). 

Edited June 8, 2017 by CaughtABuzz

[leech~~]

40 minutes ago, CaughtABuzz said:

I made the trip to Jamaica and loved the stuff, took me a long time to combine recipe's and come up with what I liked best....have had a it a few places like smallies, and street trucks and they got nothing on this recipe. Start low and slow with smoke then at the end go direct heat to get that good char

 

Kitchen window in uptown also sells the wood, leafs, and pimento spice to grind which I have used all 3 and it makes the world of difference....the marinade below will work with other smoking options but if you want the real deal you need to try that. it isn't the cheapest stuff cause there is a finite amount each season, but the amount I use allows me to do 4-5 batches per year so it's totally worth it to me

Pikestabber- sorry but your 2 cents this time is way off....if you have had traditional jerk chicken- any marinade that replicates jerk flavor isn't even close. Same goes for a ton of restaurants that have jerk items on menu, don't even know what recipe they are using cause it aint close

 

I used a about a 3lb package of chicken legs but breast, thighs, or even a full chicken cut up works

Marinade:

All Spice- 2 Tbsp
fresh thyme- 2 Tbsp
fresh ginger- 3 tsp
Sugar- 2 Tbsp
Salt- 2 Tbsp
Pepper- 1 Tbsp
nutmeg- 2 tsp
cinnamon- 2 tsp
Garlic- 8 cloves chopped
Scotch Bonnet Peppers- (substituted with Habenero) peppers- 3
White onions- 2 chopped
Scallions- 1 bundle chopped
soy sauce- 1/2 cup
white vinegar- 1/2 cup
olive oil- 1/2 cup
Juice from
orange- 2
lime-1
lemon-1


Blended all ingredients than threw in ziploc bags with chicken to marinade 24 hours overnight, turned out very good and the char on chicken was tasty. I would recommend this one for the grill this summer. I like spicy food and with the (3) habaneros I didnt think it was that spicy, Bonnets and habaneros are very similar from what i understand and the recipe called for 8 so I had far less than they called for. Next time I will add 1 or 2 to see but Serranos would work for those who like less spice and even jalapenos but I think it would just be too bland that way and not authentic


For cooking the authentic way calls to be grilled over charcoal and wood chips from Pimento wood which also produces the All spice berry in seasoning(This is the main ingredient).

 

 

Thanks guys for the feed back. Wow, that wood an't cheap for a few sticks?

CaughtABuzz I was looking down your marinade for the Scotch Bonnet's to see if you had them on there. I have some Ghost peppers, and Carolina Reapers growing in the garden but I had never heard of Scotch Bonnets or how hot they are, their Hot.  I really would like to try and make it as authentic as I can but not sure if I can find up everything like the wood and bonnets.  I'll try the place in Uptown and hope I don't have to order twigs on line. My wife may just not understand when they show up!

 

The time I tried it the guy was making half chickens and chopping them up for you right out of his smoker. Did I say he was a big Jamaican guy wielding a big frigen clever at the speed of light! I'm glad I liked it and told him that ASAP!!   

 

[chaffmj]

I went to Jamaica 3 times in the early 80's. I ate a lot of jerk. It was very good. I also had some goat head soup which was also very good. They did a lot of smoking down there!

Edited June 8, 2017 by chaffmj

[Mike89]

sounds interesting!!!

[Jodi]

We supply the pimento wood. Jamaica is extremely strict in the export of the wood. We are the only approved importer of pimento wood. PimentoWood.com is the site. Or call us at 612-868-JERK. The wood is very strong - a little goes a long way. Our chips are packaged in brown burlap bags with the Jamaican flag on them and our company name. Be very cautious not to buy knock off wood - your order will be seized in customs or you can end up bringing in pests as the wood isn't properly treated. 

[CaughtABuzz]

15 hours ago, leech~~ said:

 

Thanks guys for the feed back. Wow, that wood an't cheap for a few sticks?

CaughtABuzz I was looking down your marinade for the Scotch Bonnet's to see if you had them on there. I have some Ghost peppers, and Carolina Reapers growing in the garden but I had never heard of Scotch Bonnets or how hot they are, their Hot.  I really would like to try and make it as authentic as I can but not sure if I can find up everything like the wood and bonnets.  I'll try the place in Uptown and hope I don't have to order twigs on line. My wife may just not understand when they show up!

 

The time I tried it the guy was making half chickens and chopping them up for you right out of his smoker. Did I say he was a big Jamaican guy wielding a big frigen clever at the speed of light! I'm glad I liked it and told him that ASAP!!   

 

 

I have not been able to find fresh scotch bonnets nor had I heard of them prior to looking into traditional recipe....My parents neighbor is from Jamaica and mentioned they are similar to habaneros but a little hotter so I think the peppers you have would suffice....start on the low side and tweak your recipe to your liking. I also dont think the peppers make a ton of difference compared to the wood, the aroma's of smoke are way different than your typical woods and because All spice is the main component(dried fruit for pimento teree) it just compliments that flavor for the real deal

 

Good luck and snap some pic's!

[leech~~]

2 hours ago, Jodi said:

We supply the pimento wood. Jamaica is extremely strict in the export of the wood. We are the only approved importer of pimento wood. PimentoWood.com is the site. Or call us at 612-868-JERK. The wood is very strong - a little goes a long way. Our chips are packaged in brown burlap bags with the Jamaican flag on them and our company name. Be very cautious not to buy knock off wood - your order will be seized in customs or you can end up bringing in pests as the wood isn't properly treated. 

 

Jodi Welcome to the forum

Odd how you just showed up on this subject.  Did someone contact you for us? Lol 

 

[Mike89]

one does wonder!!!

[PurpleFloyd]

10 hours ago, leech~~ said:

 

Jodi Welcome to the forum

Odd how you just showed up on this subject.  Did someone contact you for us? Lol 

 

Divine intervention.

[CaughtABuzz]

Cooked a batch up at the cabin for the 4th.....got a really nice smoke going with the pimento wood and turned out awesome. Pic of the pups to go with it