These are the core spices, aromatics, and everyday flavor builders in Jamaican cooking. Each entry gives a short description, the flavor it brings, and common uses at home.
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Two quick base mixes used in Jamaican home kitchens. Make the base, cook it gently, then add your protein or vegetables.
Finishers: A squeeze of lime at the end for brightness. A knob of butter or a splash of coconut milk for body. Taste and adjust salt.
Description: Jamaica’s signature spice made from dried pimento berries.
Flavor profile: Warm mix of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg notes.
Culinary uses: Core of jerk. In stews, soups, escovitch pickle, sausages, and baking. Used whole and ground.
Description: Seeds used for color and gentle aroma. Often infused in oil.
Flavor profile: Mild, slightly peppery, earthy.
Culinary uses: Tints stews, fish, and rice. Makes annatto oil for frying and sautéing.
Description: Fragrant leaves added whole to the pot.
Flavor profile: Herbal, slightly floral, savory.
Culinary uses: Rice and peas, soups, stews, and sauces. Remove leaves before serving.
Description: Everyday table and cooking spice.
Flavor profile: Sharp, pungent heat.
Culinary uses: Seasoning for meats, stews, eggs, and fish. Added with salt and pimento in many dishes.
Description: Caramelized sugar sauce used as a color and flavor booster.
Flavor profile: Deep caramel with a light bitter edge.
Culinary uses: Stew chicken, oxtail, brown stew fish, and holiday cakes. Use sparingly for color and body.
Description: Inner bark of Cinnamomum trees.
Flavor profile: Warm, sweet, aromatic.
Culinary uses: In porridge, puddings, spice cakes, sorrel drink, and some jerk blends. Used as sticks or ground.
Description: Dried flower buds used whole or ground.
Flavor profile: Strong, sweet, and warming.
Culinary uses: Sorrel, baked goods, pickles, and some meat cures. A little goes a long way.
Description: Expressed from grated coconut. Staple flavor base.
Flavor profile: Rich, creamy, slightly sweet.
Culinary uses: Rice and peas, rundown, curries, stews, and porridges. Fresh or canned.
Description: Local blends inspired by Indian influences.
Flavor profile: Savory, warm, slightly earthy.
Culinary uses: Curry chicken, goat, shrimp, and vegetables. Burn the curry in oil first for depth.
Description: Jamaican scallion similar to spring onion.
Flavor profile: Fresh, oniony, mildly sweet.
Culinary uses: Base with thyme in almost every dish. Rice and peas, stews, soups, steamed fish, and sauces.
Description: Core aromatic for seasoning meats and sauces.
Flavor profile: Savory, pungent, sweet when roasted.
Culinary uses: Marinades, stews, curry bases, and jerk pastes. Mashed with salt for quick rubs.
Description: Fresh or dried rhizome used in sweet and savory dishes.
Flavor profile: Bright heat with a citrus edge.
Culinary uses: Sorrel drink, cakes, porridges, stews, fish dishes, and pepper sauce blends.
Description: Hallmark spice blend and technique.
Flavor profile: Smoky, spicy, aromatic, slightly sweet.
Culinary uses: Chicken, pork, fish, tofu, and vegetables. Works as dry rub or wet paste. Slow cook over pimento wood if possible.
Description: Fresh lime juice and zest brighten many dishes.
Flavor profile: Tart and clean.
Culinary uses: Marinades, escovitch pickle, fish, drinks, and finishing salads and stews. Often used to wash meats before seasoning in many homes.
Description: Seed from an evergreen. Used fresh grated.
Flavor profile: Warm, sweet, slightly nutty.
Culinary uses: Porridge, puddings, cakes, and some meat rubs. Often paired with cinnamon and clove in drinks like sorrel.
Description: Yellow or white onions are everyday aromatics.
Flavor profile: Savory and sweet when cooked down.
Culinary uses: Stews, curries, brown sauces, escovitch pickle, and burger seasonings. Forms the base with escallion and thyme.
Description: Leaves of the allspice tree used like bay.
Flavor profile: Gentle pimento aroma that is woody and warm.
Culinary uses: Jerk marinades, soups, and steaming fish. Use whole leaves and remove before serving.
Description: Iconic hot pepper of Jamaica.
Flavor profile: Fruity heat with a tropical aroma.
Culinary uses: Jerk, stews, soups, pepper sauces, and escovitch. Used whole to perfume pots or minced for heat.
Description: Most used herb in Jamaican savory cooking.
Flavor profile: Woodsy, savory, slightly minty.
Culinary uses: Stews, soups, rice and peas, steamed fish, curries, and jerk pastes. Add early to build flavor. Finish with a fresh sprig if desired.
Description: Golden rhizome often part of curry blends. Also used on its own.
Flavor profile: Earthy and slightly bitter.
Culinary uses: Curries, stews, and color for rice or dumplings. Bloom in oil for best release of color and aroma.
Description: Used in desserts and drinks.
Flavor profile: Sweet, creamy, floral.
Culinary uses: Puddings, cakes, sweet porridges, and homemade drinks.
Description: Pantry acid for pickles and sauces.
Type: Often white distilled in home kitchens.
Culinary uses: Escovitch pickle, pepper sauces, and quick slaws. Balances rich stews and browning based dishes.