Jerk este un mod special de a condimenta si gati carnea de pui, vita, porc, miel sau peste si legumele sau fructele. Acest stil este originar din Jamaica. Metoda specifica de gatit foloseste o marinada. Dupa marinare carnea este fripta lent pe gratar.
Majoritatea istoricilor sustin ca Jamaica a fost ocupata de Indienii Arawak din America de Sud in urma cu peste 2500 de ani. Acestia au folosit tehnici de afumare si uscare a carnii la soare sau la foc lent similar cu cele folosite frecvent in Peru. Acest lucru era important deoarece carnea de vita uscata putea fi luata in calatorii lungi si consumata ca atare sau taiata si fiarta.
Aceasta tehnica straveche este folosita si astazi sub numele de Jerk.

Jerk refers to a way that a meat, be it chicken, beef, pork, goat, fish, vegetables or fruit is seasoned and cooked. This style comes from Jamaica. The typical cooking style uses a marinade. The meat is then marinated and slow grilled.
Most historians agree Jamaica was settled by the Arawak Indians over 2500 years ago from South America. They used similar techniques to smoke and dry meat in the sun or over a slow fire, that were common in Peru. This was important as the dried beef could be taken on journeys and eaten as it is or chopped and reconstituted in boiling water.
This ancient technique goes on today and is known as jerk.