There are a lot of things Jamaica is known for. It is the birthplace of reggae and home to lush greenery, luxurious beaches, refreshing drinks, and historical buildings and mansions. It is also home to many dishes that are unique to Jamaica. They’re super spicy, chock-full of flavor, and only with the freshest ingredients.
In this article, we’ll be highlighting the best of the best dishes in Jamaica. Make sure to have a bite of everything if you’re ever lucky enough to visit Jamaica!
1. Jerk Chicken
Jerk chicken is a super spicy chicken dish popular around the world. That’s due to the scotch bonnet chili peppers that enrobe these chicken pieces. Indeed, these peppers are so spicy that we highly recommend wearing gloves and avoiding touching your face when handling these peppers!
The jerk in jerk chicken refers to the cooking method used. It is believed that the Taino people of the Caribbean first used it as a way of preserving their meats—hence, the name jerk refers to jerky. They then taught this cooking method to African slaves, and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, jerk chicken is what most people think of when they think of dishes from Jamaica.
The dish is served with lots of rice, vegetables, and beans to help balance the spiciness.
2. Ackee and Saltfish
If jerk chicken is the most well-known of Jamaica’s dishes, then ackee and saltfish is the national dish of Jamaica! This simple yet comforting dish features salted cod and an interesting-looking fruit called ackee. It’s then stir-fried with more scotch bonnets, bell peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and much more.
The dish first emerged as a cheap dish for enslaved people in Jamaica. Since then, it’s become a staple that households there love to have for breakfast. Here’s a fun fact for you—did you know that Jamaica’s legendary runner Usain Bolt often has this dish for breakfast
3. Oxtail
Oxtail is another one of Jamaica’s dishes with a lot of history behind it. For one, oxtails were used because they were throwaway cuts of meat none but the hungriest of people would eat. This dish is also cooked in one pot, reminiscent of the cooking methods African slaves were very fond of.
Society has since changed a lot since those dark periods, and now oxtail is a beloved dish across the Caribbean and around the world. Oxtail has become one of the more expensive cuts of meat, ranging from $4 to $10 per pound even though half of the weight is bone!
In Jamaican oxtail, the meat is slow-cooked for a few hours until it is delightfully tender. Serve with rice and peas for a well-balanced and filling meal.
4. Brown Stew Chicken
Brown stew chicken is a dish that’s popular all over the Caribbean, Jamaica included! This dish consists of chicken that is sometimes fried beforehand for a little bit of crunch. It’s then stewed and slow-cooked with a ton of spices and sugar, which gives the dish its characteristic caramelized brown color. The resulting gravy is extremely rich and pairs well with rice or potatoes.
The vegetables included in this dish will depend entirely on your preference. Our recommendation is to use vegetables that are in season for ultra-freshness. And of course, no Jamaican dish can be complete without the spiciness.
5. Fish Escovitch
Take a look at the picture below. Isn’t it so bright and colorful? This is fish escovitch, fried fish that is seasoned with vinegar, eye-healthy carrots, onions, scotch bonnets, garlic, and more vegetables of your choosing.
This dish gets better the more you let it sit. In fact, we highly recommend making it in the morning so you can eat it during the evening. By that time, the flavors should have been well-absorbed and the fish absolutely flavorful. Serve the entire thing with fresh bread so you can mop up all of that delectable sauce in the end.
