This is the perfect sweet & spicy jerk dipping sauce for all your jerk meats. It’s super easy to make and bursting with tons of smoky flavor.
Table of contents
Ingredient Rundown
Ketchup – provides the base and color for the sauce + add a little sweetness.
Water or chicken stock – dilutes the thick consistency of the ketchup. The chicken stock does the same + adds flavor.
Jerk seasoning – brings the Jamaican flavor + a spicy kick to the sauce. You can use more or less to control the heat. I used the wet marinade for this recipe, you can use a dry jerk seasoning as well.
Pink Himalayan salt– You can also use your salt of choice. The salt rounds out the other flavors – you can add more or less base on taste.
Liquid smoke or a piece of your jerk meat – brings that smoky flavor you krave. Liquid smoke has a highly concentrated flavor so using a little bit will go a long way. The jerk meat will do the same. **Extract and discard meat when done.
Brown or granulated sugar– brings the sweetness. Adjust for taste.
*** The full recipe, including all ingredients, measurements, and instructions, and recipe video is located in the recipe card below.
Recipe FAQs
Substitution
Can I Use A Dry Jerk Seasoning Instead Of The Wet Jerk Seasoning?
You sure can. Both bring the spiciness and Jamaican flavor to the sweet and spicy jerk sauce.
Variation
For added flavor, you can also add 2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ sauce to the jerk sauce recipe.
What Goes Well With This Jerk Sauce?
You and pour this delicious sweet and spicy jerk sauce over your:
- Jerk chicken
- Jerk chicken wings
- Jerk Pork
- If you can You jerk it, then the jerk sauce will compliment it.
- ***I’ve had a few people tell me they love it on potatoes and veggies.
- Let me know in the comments what you paired yours with!
Got Leftovers?
How To Store Leftover Jerk Sauce In The Fridge?
You can store your leftover jerk sauce in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
How To Store Leftover Jerk Sauce In The Freezer?
You can freeze your jerk sauce in small batches. This way you don’t have to reheat the whole thing for small servings; it reheats really well. You should freeze it covered in airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, or wrap it tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or freezer wrap for best results.
Properly stored, it will maintain the best quality for about 4 months but will remain safe beyond that time.
Need To Reheat?
How To Reheat Leftover Jerk Sauce On The Stovetop?
The jerk sauce reheats really well on the stovetop. You can remove the frozen sauce from the freezer and allow it to thaw in the fridge until you are ready to reheat. It tastes a lot fresher and much better in my opinion. I pre-heat in a saucepan over low heat and allow the food to heat all the way thru slowly. It does take some patience to re-heat this way, but of course, you can use the microwave. (see microwave instructions below)
How To Reheat Leftover jerk sauce In The Microwave?
The microwaves reheat quickly and easily. Place the food in a microwave-safe container, cover it with a damp paper towel to maintain moisture, and reheat until the food heats all the way thru. The time will depend on the power of the microwave you’re using.
Kraving More?
Check out my other krave-worthy Dipping Sauces or explore The Recipe Index for even MORE KRAVE-WORTHY EATS.
Sweet And Spicy Jerk Sauce
This is the perfect sweet & spicy jerk dipping sauce for all your jerk meats. It’s super easy to make and bursting with tons of smoky flavor.
4
servings5
minutes10
minutes161.14
kcal15
minutes*keeps your device screen on
Gather Your Ingredients
1 cup 1 ketchup
1 cup 1 water or chicken stock
1 tablespoon 1 jerk seasoning (or to taste)
1 teaspoon 1 pink Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon 1 liquid smoke or a piece of your jerk meat
1/2 cup 1/2 brown or granulated sugar
Instructions
- Add all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Mix to combine the ingredients.
- Bring mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and allow the sauce to reduce by half to a thicker consistency (approximately 7-10 minutes). Stir periodically.
- Remove the pot from the burner and turn off the stove.
- Taste and adjust accordingly.
- Give thanks and Enjoy!
Kerri’s Recipe Tips
- You can use dry jerk seasoning instead of wet jerk seasoning. They both add the Jamaican flavor and spiciness.
- Liquid smoke has a highly concentrated flavor so using a little bit will go a long way.
- I ALWAYS recommend reading through the recipe in full a couple of times before starting. That way you know exactly what to expect and you can prep accordingly.
- Gather all your ingredients before cooking. This way you don’t forget to add an ingredient or two. Believe me, It has happened so many times so I use “mise en place” to save my sanity and the recipe.
- For your convenience, you can automatically generate a shopping list of all the ingredients + save the recipe (below scroll ￬).
Key Equipment/Products Used
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per container
Calories161.14
- Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
- Total Fat
0.27g
1%
- Sodium 1405.4mg 59%
- Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
- Total Carbohydrate
41.07g
14%
- Dietary Fiber 1.4g 6%
- Sugars 37g
- Protein 1.04g 3%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
kerriannskravings.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. For more information read our Nutritional Disclaimer.
I made this by only watching the video and not knowing the measurements. But I winged it and it came out so so good!! I didn’t have liquid smoke but I had a smoked salt seasoning. My jerk chicken was good but when I dipped it in the sauce, it really elevated it and added extra heat. I like that this recipe is so easy and you can adjust it a little to your taste preference.
Erika, I am sooooo happy you love our jerk sauce. Thanks for sharing your add-ins – I like the idea of getting the smokey flavor from the smoked salt seasoning. One love and thank you so much for the feedback. xx
I made this and it was so easy and absolutely delicious!
Hey Charlotte, I’m so glad you loved the jerk sauce…I truly appreciate the feedback. xx