Jamaican Jerk Marinade

One of my favorite ways to serve pork is in the Jamaican jerk style. It's the perfect blend of savory and sweet, spicy and citrusy. There are many Jamaican jerk marinades on the market, but they almost all contain high fructose corn syrup and other additives. For a more authentic taste without all the chemicals, I use the recipe below. I like to marinate thick cut pork chops from the farmers' market for several hours, and then grill them on charcoal. You could also use this marinade on poultry and even fish. It can marinate up to 1 1/2 pounds of meat.

Jamaican Jerk Marinade

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (more if you like it extra hot!)
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. allspice
1 1/2 tsp. ginger
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Mix all ingredients. Reserve a small amount to use as a sauce if you like (before you place the meat in.) Place meat and marinade in a gallon size plastic bag. Massage the marinade into the meat and let sit in the refrigerator for a few hours. (The longer the meat marinades, the more flavorful it will be.) Remove the meat and cook with your preferred method.