Our Favorite Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce
If you’re looking for a fantastic Jerk BBQ sauce for your chicken wings or grilled jerk chicken, then try this easy recipe! With just two steps, you’ll have a perfectly spicy and sweet Jamaican Jerk BBQ sauce that’s so much better than a store-bought sauce!
When we were in the restaurant business way back when, we used to get the most amazing Jamaican Jerk sauce from our food service supplier… and of course, it was only available in a quantity of 4 gallons, and you can’t buy the same jerk sauce from a regular grocery store.
So over the past few years we’ve spent tons of money trying just about every bottled Jamaican Jerk sauce available at all of our local grocery stores. And none have ever come close to being as good.
So when we were making homemade jerk chicken recently, we decided to go out on a limb and try to recreate our favorite sauce.
And I must say, I nailed it.
This homemade BBQ sauce is spicy and sweet with the perfect blend of spices, and it will definitely be a staple recipe for when we’re making Jamaican Jerk smoked wings or our favorite Jamaican Jerk Chicken Burritos.
What is Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce?
Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce is like a mix between a spicy jerk sauce and a sweet barbecue sauce, with a hint of pineapple and Caribbean flavor!
If you’ve ever had jerk chicken wings, then you’ve probably had a Jerk BBQ sauce, as most jerk wings are sauced with a Caribbean-style barbecue sauce rather than a straight jerk sauce or marinade, which is much spicier.
Our jerk bbq sauce recipe is perfect for basting on your grilled jerk chicken, adding to your jerk chicken burrito, or drizzling on top of a spicy Caribbean fried rice. In fact, you can use this spicy sweet sauce in most recipes as a substitute for other barbecue sauces… as long as you can handle the heat!
Ingredients for Jerk BBQ Sauce
- ketchup
- brown sugar
- molasses – Or you can substitute honey.
- pineapple juice
- lemon juice
- soy sauce
- apple cider vinegar
- liquid smoke – Gives your sauce a nice smoky flavor that’s reminiscent of a grilled jerk chicken.
- scotch bonnet pepper(s) – Or substitute habanero peppers.
- green onions
- garlic powder
- nutmeg
- all spice
- ginger
- thyme
How to Make Jerk BBQ Sauce
Making this sauce recipe involves just two steps: blending all of the ingredients together in a blender and then reducing the sauce on the stovetop. Here’s a look at how to make this fantastic homemade Caribbean-style barbecue sauce:
Blending the Sauce
To start, add all of your ingredients to a large blender cup. This includes the whole habanero pepper and the whole green onions. The blender will do the work for you to break these ingredients down, and you’ll be left with a smooth sauce.
Reducing the Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce
When the sauce is done blending, simply pour it into a medium saucepan to reduce. Heat the sauce over medium heat just until boiling, and then reduce the temperature to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.
FAQ’s
What if I can’t find scotch bonnet peppers?
The scotch bonnet peppers are a staple in traditional Jamaican cuisine, but they’re not readily available in most grocery stores. We couldn’t find these peppers in any of our local stores, so we used habanero peppers instead. Habaneros are an excellent substitute, as they have a similar heat level on the Scoville Scale.
Is this jerk bbq sauce spicy?
It wouldn’t be a jerk sauce if it wasn’t spicy, right?! But there are ways to adjust the heat level. The recipe calls for one habanero pepper, but you can cut the pepper in half or substitute a less spicy pepper variety, like a jalapeno, if you’re afraid of the heat.
Or in contrast, if you want a spicier sauce simply add an extra habanero pepper. But we honestly feel like the recipe is perfect as is.
How long does the jerk sauce stay good?
You can store this homemade sauce in the fridge in a covered container for up to 5 days. Because there aren’t any added preservatives, you should probably toss the leftovers out after that time.
Jamaican Jerk BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 6 oz can 100% pineapple juice
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons molasses (or substitute honey)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 whole green onions root end removed
- 1 whole habanero pepper (or 1/2 pepper for less spice)
- juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon nutmeg
- ½ tablespoon liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large blender cup, including the whole habanero pepper and whole green onions. Blend until smooth, about 60 seconds.
- Pour sauce into a medium saucepan, and heat over medium heat just until boiling. Then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until sauce is reduced to your liking.
- Serve the sauce warm or cold. Or allow the sauce to cool and transfer to a jar or covered storage container to store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- The recipe calls for one habanero pepper, but you can cut the pepper in half or substitute a less spicy pepper variety, like a jalapeno, for a less spicy jerk sauce. Or for a spicer sauce, add another habanero pepper.
