Meaning
To season food thoroughly, rubbing and marinating meat or fish with a full mix of herbs and spices — scallion, thyme, garlic, pimento, scotch bonnet, and more — often hours ahead so the flavour soaks right in. To 'season up' properly is a point of pride in Jamaican cooking; food that isn't well seasoned up is 'fresh' and tasteless. The 'up' stresses that it is done richly and completely.
Examples
-
Season up di chicken from last night.
Season the chicken thoroughly from last night.
-
Yuh haffi season up di fish good.
You have to season the fish up well.
-
Di meat well season up.
The meat is well seasoned.
Origin
From 'season' + intensifier 'up'; to season thoroughly. See [[fresh]], [[cook-down]].
How it’s used
To season/marinate food thoroughly ('up' = completely). See [[fresh]], [[cook-down]].