The History of Jamaican Jerk Cooking

The name jerk may come from the Spanish for dried meat. It could also refer to the process of jerking, making holes in the meat so that the flavor of the spices can be absorbed more easily. The method of cooking might have originated in 1655 by slaves who escaped when Jamaica was invaded by the British. Today you can find jerk stalls selling jerk cooking all over Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean.