The Brown Sugar Technique For Stewed Chicken (The Jamaican Way) - Tasting Table

"Most recipes have one step in common: searing the meat to lock in flavor and build a rich foundation for the sauce. But in Jamaica, they start with a bold extra step that sets their stew apart - caramelizing brown sugar in the pan before the chicken ever hits it. That burnt-sweet base infuses the dish with a rich, dark color and deep, smoky complexity that are hallmarks of many of the best Caribbean dishes."

"The brown stew takes that natural sweetness a step further by intentionally caramelizing brown sugar at the very start, making it a defining flavor rather than just an undertone. Jamaican brown stew chicken begins with oil heated in a deep skillet to which brown sugar is added - it melts and bubbles until it darkens into a rich, syrupy base"

Jamaican brown stew chicken achieves its characteristic deep brown color and smoky-sweet complexity by caramelizing brown sugar at the start. The sugar is melted in oil until it darkens into a syrupy base, then marinated chicken is seared in that caramel so the meat becomes coated and richly colored. This deliberate caramelization amplifies sweetness beyond typical stews and becomes a defining flavor rather than a subtle undertone. The dish remains a homespun Jamaican classic, often prepared at home and valued for its warm, vibrant, comforting qualities.

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