Monday, October 26, 2009

Pulled Jerk Chicken Sandwiches Recipe


Pulled Jerk Chicken Sandwiches Recipe

TIME/SERVINGS
Total: Up to 8 hrs 40 mins
Active: 35 mins
Makes: 24 sandwiches (about 8 to 12 servings)
By Ali LaRaia

Jerk chicken normally gets marinaded forever and a day and then grilled up quickly. Here we throw it in the slow cooker so it marinates while it cooks, killing two culinary birds with one stone. Shred the meat and serve it up on rolls for your next game-day bash or just keep the thighs whole for a winner of a chicken dinner.

What to buy: A traditional jerk recipe would use Scotch bonnet chiles, but they can be really hard to find. The more common habanero pepper is a good substitute.

Game plan: You can make the jerk chicken and toast the rolls up to 1 day ahead so all you have to do is warm up and assemble the sandwiches when you’re ready to eat.

This recipe was featured as part of our Tailgating Recipes photo gallery.

INGREDIENTS
For the rub:
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
For the chicken:
4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the marinade:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup dark (a.k.a. robust) molasses
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
10 peppercorns
5 medium garlic cloves, smashed http://GarlicShope.com
3 medium scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cilantro (about 1 bunch), coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced into 1/4-inch coins
1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, sliced into rounds
To serve:
24 (4-inch) deli French rolls or other crusty bread
Method of Preparation
Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl. Coat chicken all over with rub and set aside. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it just begins to smoke, place 1/2 of the chicken in the pan skin side down and fry both sides until well browned, about 10 minutes total (the chicken will not be cooked all the way through). Place in a slow cooker and repeat with remaining chicken.
Place all marinade ingredients in a medium nonreactive bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over chicken, cover, and cook on low, turning chicken pieces every few hours, until meat is falling off the bone, about 5 to 8 hours.
When chicken is ready, remove to a cutting board. Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer, pour back into the slow cooker, and set to warm.
When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces (discarding skin, fatty pieces, and bones), and place back in the slow cooker with the sauce until ready to serve.
Split deli rolls in half and toast, then place 1/4 cup jerk chicken mixture on each sandwich.

No comments:

Post a Comment