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BROWN STEW CHICKEN LEGS AND JERK FRIES

A late-night Caribbean street food tower built for live fire. Sticky brown stew chicken legs form the base, jerk-spiced fries pile high, and golden fried plantain crowns the top — finished with dripping sauce and lime.
Course Main Course
Cuisine JAMAICAN
Keyword barbecue, chicken, jerk
Author jacksmeatshack

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 6 chicken legs thigh & drum attached if possible
  • 2 tbsp browning sauce
 or substitute: 1 tbsp dark soy + 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp ground allspice pimento
  • 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • Salt & black pepper
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion sliced
  • 1 spring onion chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 250 ml chicken stock
  • 1 whole Scotch bonnet optional but authentic

for the fries

  • 1.2 kg Maris Piper potatoes cut into chunky fries
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1½ tbsp jerk seasoning
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • Salt

To finish

  • 1 pack plantain crisps
  • Fresh thyme
  • Sliced spring onions
  • Lime wedges
  • Optional drizzle: jerk mayo or mango hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat the grill to 200°c and set up for two zone cooking.

  2. In a large bowl, coat the chicken legs with browning sauce, allspice, thyme, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
  3. Massage well and set aside.
  4. Place a deep cast-iron pan over direct heat. Add vegetable oil to the pan.
  5. Sear chicken legs until deeply browned on all sides (about 5–6 minutes total).
  6. Remove chicken and set aside.
  7. Add sliced onion and spring onion to the pan with the chicken juices.
  8. Cook until softened and picking up colour.
  9. Stir in tomato purée and cook until darkened and sticky.
  10. Return chicken to the pan.
  11. Add chicken stock and drop in the whole Scotch bonnet.
  12. Move pan to indirect heat, cover loosely and simmer for 30–35 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thick, dark and glossy.
  13. Remove Scotch bonnet before serving.
  14. To make the Jerk fries, toss the prepared fries with oil, jerk seasoning, sugar and salt.
  15. Cook on the BBQube over direct heat (plancha, grill basket, or shallow-fry in a pan) until crisp, golden and slightly charred.
  16. Hold hot on indirect heat.
  17. To build. stand the chicken legs upright, spoon plenty of brown stew sauce over the chicken.
  18. Pile jerk fries high on top, letting some fall between the legs.
  19. Crush and sprinkle over plantain chips
  20. Scatter fresh thyme and spring onions. Drizzle with extra stew sauce or jerk mayo. Finish with a squeeze of lime.