Jerk Chicken vs Barrel Chicken

[Tropicana]

I had never heard of barrel chicken or noticed it before. (See what happens when you stay with family )

The first time I had it a few weeks ago it had this tomatoey sauce all over it (which I didn't like). It didn't have jerk seasoning. I saw them preparing it in 'arbourview.

What they sold at the airport as jerk chicken taste the same. I found it hard to find real jerk chicken this time. It seemed to be only available on the weekend and the one that we saw looked really white so we didn't bother.

So break it down for me, what is the difference between barrel chicken and jerk chicken both in terms of preparation and seasoning? How long has barrel chicken been around? Is jerk chicken ever cooked in a barrel?

[Tropicana]

This is what I mean by barrel.



I had never noticed it but apparently they have it in Asia too.

[Peasie]

Oh. You mean pan chicken.

As you know, jerk is either (or both) a seasoning mix or a method of cooking. There's a lot of research out there.

[Tropicana]

Okay pan chicken.

Yes I understand the jerk seasoning and method of preparatoin but I am confused about the pan chicken. It had way too much tomato sauce on it or perhaps it was ketchup. I didn't like it.How long has this been around? I don't remember it.

I have usually seen jerk done over an open fire. Are they sometimes cooking jerk chicken in in a barrel too?

[RichD]

pan chick was my regular late night ting on the way home after tennis when i worked in kingston (that was way back in 1986/87)

if i had to guess it started to become popular in about 85'

Pan chicken is basically just BBQ chicken. you don't have to have the sauce .

jerk is slow cooked usually on a grill made of wood.

[Tropicana]

Man I must have been hiding under a rock some place. I never noticed it. It's amazing what you notice when you stay with family rather than just visit family.

So what are some of the ingredients that go into the pan chicken. I saw onions, skellion, pepper, and salt when the guy was preparing it in 'arbourview. Anything else? What is that HORRIBLE tomatoey sauce Is it ketchup? I can do without that. What are the best pan chicken places around Ochi? Mobay?

Is authentic Jerk chicken ever prepared in the pan or always over an open wood fire?

[Wahalla]

pan chick was my regular late night ting on the way home after tennis when i worked in kingston (that was way back in 1986/87)

if i had to guess it started to become popular in about 85'

Pan chicken is basically just BBQ chicken. you don't have to have the sauce .

jerk is slow cooked usually on a grill made of wood.

and it should be pimento wood.....thought i have jerk has now been used interchangable when its is grill chicken marinade in a jerk sauce and cooked over pimento wood is now called jerk..... with pan man claiming that they are selling jerk.. it was a male maroon ting.. a jerk is supposed to be cooked for hours

Aslo jerk chicken is a relative new addition to culinary land scape. A result of rasta revolution and its dietrary constraints.....it evolved that is all....

piemento wood when dry burns with very little smoke....

.. jerk pork was the original jerk....not chicken fish or conch... for obvious reasons....so nothing is "authentic" about jerk chicken...

But then we need to find a cousin to validate....

[Tropicana]

One more thing. I found some people were trying to pass of pan chicken as jerk chicken. It took one bite to see that it was that horrible tomatoes sauce. That is what they sold at the airport and called jerk chicken and it was the same thing that came out of the pan in 'arbourview.

You said you used to like it RichD. Was it with or without that sauce when you had it?

I have probably seen those pans at hawker stalls in Malaysia or Singapore but I guess I wasn't paying attention. I had not noticed them in Jamaica so they did not jump out at me as something familiar.

I remember seeing this in Malaysia...a cooking handcart






as well as this




Can't recall If I have seen this in Jamaica. I guess I need to pay closer attention to what is going on around me.