Red Chile Jerk–Spiced Roasted Sweet Plantains

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Gregory Gourdet makes a homemade jerk sauce with pungent spices and hot, fruity chiles to bring spicy flavor to grilled plantains.

Gregory Gourdet

Published on August 4, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

To cook the plantains evenly without burning them, begin by charring them over high direct heat on the grill, then coat them with the jerk sauce and finish cooking them at a lower temperature over indirect heat.

Ingredients

Red Chile Jerk Sauce

1/4 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup tamari
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon allspice berries
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 Fresno chile, stemmed
1 scallion, roughly chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 small shallot, roughly chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 medium-size fresh Scotch bonnet chile or habanero chile with seeds, stem removed

Roasted Plantains

1 tablespoon avocado oil, plus more for grill grates
6 medium-size very ripe, soft, black-skinned plantains (about 3 pounds), peeled (see Note)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Make the red chile jerk sauce

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and process, stopping to scrape down sides of blender as needed, until mixture is completely smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Make the grilled plantains

Preheat a gas grill to high (450°F to 500°F) on one side, or push hot coals to one side of a charcoal grill. Lightly grease grill grates with avocado oil.
Rub plantains evenly with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, and place crosswise on grates over lit side of grill. Grill plantains, flipping once, until charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Brush plantains with 3 tablespoons jerk sauce; transfer, sauce side down, to unlit side of grill. Grill, covering as needed to maintain heat, until plantains are tender and glazed, brushing with 3 tablespoons jerk sauce and flipping once, 8 to 10 minutes Reserve remaining jerk sauce for another use.
Transfer plantains to a platter. Drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

To make ahead

Jerk sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week or frozen up to 1 month.

Note

Plantains continue to ripen after they’ve been picked, becoming sweeter and more tender over time. You can hasten ripening by placing plantains in a brown paper bag; yellow peels should turn black in 2 or 3 days.