History of Jerk

Jerk- the term is derived from the Spanish word Charqui of Jerk or dried meat. Its origins can be traced back to the Cormantee hunters of West Africa. Jerk Pork, for instance, Jamaica’s informal national dish first gained notoriety here as a hand-me-down from the Maroons – the slaves who escaped from the British during the invasion of 1655. With wild boar as their usual target, they would smoother the pork with a seasoning mix heavy in peppers, pimento and other spices, wrap the meat with leaves, and allow it to cook in its own juices over a lazy fire.

Like any other cuisine, recipes and techniques evolve, and so it’s told that the maroons eventually added the seasoning method used by the native Arawak Indians to their own. The meat is cooked by slowly and carefully smoking it over a smoldering rustic pit of pimento wood and coals. Originally the jerk meat was cut into strips and dried in the Sun for use at a later date. A small fire was lit under the meat so that the smoke would prevent flies from laying their eggs on the raw meat.

Jamaican jerk meats have become the defining national cuisine. It is the meal of choice for most Jamaicans and a “must have” for visitors to the island. Jerk has become an international craze, and has given rise to the preponderant use of the Jamaican jerk seasoning mix by many inside and outside of Jamaica. This method however, lacks the required hours of marinating and slow cooking that defines “the real thing”.

Authentic Jerk meals is prepared by a slow process of cooking that can only be described as:

• Food is seasoned with traditional Jamaican spices (all spice, thyme, scallion, other herbs) and peppers

• Food is placed on pimento or sweet wood and slow cooked over a pit of coal fire

• Food is covered with wood or pimento leaves to trap the smoke

Portland Jerk Seasoning is the one of a kind seasoning formulation that replicates the entire Jerking process

while providing that authentic original Jerk Flavour.

"Jamaica Jerk Experience"

Date: July 7, 2013 {Sunday}

Time: 10am - 10pm

Venue: Folly Oval, Port Antonio

THANK YOU JAMAICA

Portland Jerk Festival 2012

Last year we were proud be an official celebratory event for the Jamaica 50 independence celebrations.

The Portland Jerk Festival is by far the most anticipated event to take place in Portland; it is among the most popular major annual calendar events to take place in Jamaica. Jamaicans absolutely love food, music, entertainment and the arts. Jamaicans especially love ‘jerked’ cuisine, and good entertainment. Hosting a Jerked foods Festival in Portland, the birthplace of ‘Jerk’ and combining that food experience with popular music and entertainment all packaged and delivered right beside the sea, explains why this festival continues to grow in local and international popularity year after year.

This year marks the 50th year of Jamaica's independence and the event celebrated this national milestone with three Days of Activities.

Portland Jerk Festival 2012 was held between Friday, June 29 to Sunday, July 1  in, Port Antonio, under the theme of “Jamaica 50 Jerk Experience” and featured over 25 authentic Jerk Chefs who prepared a variety of jerked meats (pork, chicken, goat, lamb, fish, conch, lobster, etc…) and vegetables. Lots of entertainment was provided for the family all day.

The event started as a means of exposing the Boston ‘jerking’ community to the world and it has grown to become a real celebration of our unique and distinctively Jamaican cuisine; JERK. The festival's promise is:

“…the  very  best  of  authentic  Jamaican  Jerk  and  cultural  foods,  an  ultimate  social  experience, Portland’s serenity and  sea  breeze  and  an  unforgettable and  spectacular produced cultural and popular entertainment showcase.”

The Portland Jerk Festival aims to strike the perfect balance between Jamaican Food experience and cultural Musical entertainment so that the event caters to a wide cross section of the Jamaican population. We do hope you enjoyed our celebrations this year, and if you missed it, make sure you are there in 2013.

Portland Jerk Festival Office

Participate 2013

Call us:

Festival Office             (876) 993 – 4346

Kingston Office:          (876) 754 - 7107

WEST PALM AVENUE

PORT ANTONIO, PORTLAND

PLEASE VISIT OUR PARTNERS

Food "Jerk" Menu

Jerk Pork ......................................$Crispy

Jerk Wild Pig ................................$Firm

Jerk Chicken ..................................$Woody

Jerk Fish ........................................$Spicy

Jerk Shrimp ....................................$Madd

Jerk Lobster ....................................$Madder

Jerk Goat/Mutton/Lamb ..........$Interesting

Jerk Deer ...........................$Very Interesting

Jerk Vegetables ....................$Healthy Spice

Jerk Yam ..................................$Very Fast

Jerk Breadfruit.........................$Spicante

Jerk Music ...............................$Sell Off

Jerk Dancing ........................$Reggae Spice

Jerk Breeze ...........................$ Sea nery

Jerk Jam ................$Portland Jerk Festival

Portland Jerk Festival and Boston Jerk Festival are trademarks owned and registered to the 20/20 Vision 21st Century Foundation.

About Us

20/20 Vision 21st Century

Foundation

The franchise began in 1999 when the community of Boston, the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Member of Parliament (Dr. Donlad Rhodd) came together to promote Boston Jerk culture to the world. The 'Boston Jerk Festival' was the result of this effort. The event was a huge success with many persons coming from all over Jamaica to enjoy orignial Jerk foods and good entertainment. The festival eventually outgrew the venue and moved to the Folly Ruins site and have found a home there. 

Over the past 10 years, the foundation throug its partners and investors have invested significanlty in the product to bring it to what it is today. Currrently the festival is operated as a franchise.

This year (2013) the event is being produced by 20/20 Vision 21st Century Foundation in association with the Art of Music, producers of the annual Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival.

THANK YOU JAMAICA

History of Jerk

2013 Event Details

Portland Jerk Festival 2012

The 21st Century 20/20 Vision Foundation would like to sincerly thank our producers (Messers Colin and Michael Bell), our sponsors, our Jerk partners, our suppliers and most importantly the PUBLIC for making 2012 another successful year for us. Thanks.

Jerk- the term is derived from the Spanish word Charqui of Jerk or dried meat. Its origins can be traced back to the...

The 2013 Portland Jerk Festival will be held on July 7, 2013 at the Folly Ruins in Port Antonio, Portland. The event is being produced by the 20/20 Vision 21st Century Foundation in association with Art of Music, the producers of tthe Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival.