Jamaican Beef Patties
These Jamaican Beef Patties are exactly what you’ve been craving! 🧡
If you’ve never had a Jamaican Beef Patty before, get ready to fall in love. And if you have? Well, you already know what’s about to go down!
Biting into a fresh, homemade Jamaican Beef Patty is like sunshine on your taste buds—warm, comforting, and bursting with flavor.
These Jamaican Beef Patties are packed with bold, mouthwatering goodness—juicy, well-seasoned beef that’s wrapped in a golden, flaky, and buttery crust.
Whether you grew up eating Jamaican patties or you’re about to experience them for the first time, this recipe brings the magic of Jamaica straight to your kitchen!
What is a Patty?
A patty is a type of hand-held pastry with a flaky, buttery crust and a flavorful filling.
Many countries have their own version of a patty. In Latin America, you’ll find empanadas or pastelitos. The Greeks have spanakopita, and the British enjoy Cornish pasties.
No matter the name, they all share the same concept: a compact, easy-to-eat pastry stuffed with bold flavors—perfect for enjoying on the go.
Jamaican patties come with a variety of fillings, including chicken, seafood, vegetables, or even curried goat
But the most famous of them all is the Jamaican Beef Patty! 🔥🥟
What is a Jamaican Beef Patty?
The Jamaican beef patty is a spiced, ground beef-filled pastry with a distinctive golden-yellow crust. The crust gets its color from turmeric or curry powder and is traditionally made with flaky, buttery dough.
The filling is seasoned with scallions, thyme, and Scotch bonnet pepper, giving it a rich, slightly spicy flavor. These patties are baked until golden and crispy, creating a contrast between the crunchy exterior and the juicy, flavorful meat inside.
In Jamaica, patties are a quick snack on the go, usually sold hot in a brown paper bag. They are often served with coco bread, which is a soft bread that folds.
Jamaican beef patties are the most popular type of patty and are loved by Jamaicans and people all over the world.
Why You Will Love These Jamaican Beef Patties
You will love these Jamaican beef Patties for the following reasons:
- Authentic Flavor – This recipe stays true to traditional Jamaican seasoning and techniques.
- Crispy, Flaky Crust – The perfect texture for a satisfying bite.
- Bold & Spicy Filling – Packed with Jamaican spices and just the right amount of heat.
- A Taste of Jamaica at Home – No need to travel to enjoy this island favorite!
Ingredients for Jamaican Beef Patties
To prepare authentic Jamaican Beef Patties, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- For the dough: Turmeric powder, all-purpose flour, cold butter, ice-cold water, cold shortening, salt and sugar.
- For the filling: Ground beef, yellow onion, thyme, garlic, plain breadcrumbs, escallion (green onion), salt, black pepper, paprika, ground allspice, beef bouillon, ketchup or hoisin sauce, water, browning sauce, salted butter, olive oil, Scotch bonnet pepper (optional).
- For the Egg Wash: Egg, water
Essential Kitchen Tools
- Large Mixing Bowl: For combining and kneading the dough ingredients.
- Dough Blender (Pastry Cutter): To incorporate cold butter and shortening into the flour mixture, ensuring a flaky crust. Alternatively, you can use a fork or grate the butter and shortening.
- Rolling Pin: For rolling out the pastry dough to the desired thickness.
- Baking Sheets: To place the assembled patties on for baking.
- Measuring Spoons and Cups: To accurately measure both the pastry and filling ingredients.
- Whisk: To mix together the dry ingredients for the pastry dough.
How to Make Jamaican Beef Patties
Making authentic Jamaican Beef Patties involves two key steps: preparing the flaky, crust and the beef filling before assembling and baking them.
First, you’ll mix the dry ingredients for the pastry dough, then cut in butter and shortening until crumbly. After adding ice-cold water, the dough is kneaded lightly, chilled, then rolled out and cut into rounds.
The beef filling is packed with spices, herbs, and Scotch bonnet pepper, creating a bold and savory taste.
Once the dough rounds are filled with the seasoned beef, they are folded, crimped, and brushed with egg wash before baking until golden brown.
🥟✨ You can view the step-by-step instructions and the full recipe below.
Jamaican Beef Patties: FAQS
1. What is a Jamaican beef patty?
A Jamaican beef patty is a savory pastry filled with spiced ground beef, baked inside a flaky, golden-yellow crust. The crust’s distinctive color often comes from turmeric or curry powder.
2. Are there variations of Jamaican patties?
Yes, while the traditional filling is spiced ground beef, there are many variations, including chicken, pork, lamb, goat, seafood, vegetables, soy, ackee, callaloo or cheese.
3. How are Jamaican patties typically served?
In Jamaica, patties are often enjoyed as a quick snack on the go, usually sold hot in a brown paper bag. They can be eaten alone or inside a traditional Jamaican coco bread—a soft, bread roll that complements the patty perfectly.
4. Are Jamaican patties spicy?
They can be. The level of spiciness depends on the recipe, particularly the use of Scotch bonnet peppers, which are known for their heat. With this recipe, you can omit it if you prefer less spice.
5. Can I make Jamaican beef patties at home?
Absolutely! Making Jamaican beef patties at home is a fun and rewarding process. This Jamaican Beef Patties recipe will guide you through creating a delicious Jamaican beef patty.
6. Where can I find Jamaican beef patties?
Jamaican beef patties are widely available in bakeries and restaurants specializing in Caribbean cuisine. They can also be found in some supermarkets and convenience stores, particularly in areas with significant Caribbean communities. Additionally, many online retailers offer frozen patties that can be delivered to your home.
7. What’s the Difference Between Empanadas and Patties?
Jamaican patties are always baked, while empanadas can be baked or fried. Their origins also differ—patties come from the Caribbean, while empanadas trace back to Spain and Portugal. Size and fillings set them apart as well. Patties are usually larger, while empanadas tend to be smaller and considered a lighter snack.
Jamaican Beef Patties
INGREDIENTS
For the Dough (Crust):
- 2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 4 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Cold Shortening
- ½ cup Cold Salted Butter
- 1 cup Ice-Cold Water
- 2 teaspoon Granulated White Sugar
- 1½ teaspoon Salt
For the Filling:
- 2 pounds Ground beef (lean)
- ½ cup Plain Breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoon Browning
- 4 gloves Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 2 teaspoon Ketchup
- ½ medium Yellow onion, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Allspice
- 2 stalks Escallion, green or spring onion, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 Beef Bouillon
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 cups Water
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 cups Water
- 1 teaspoon Hoisin Sauce (optional)
- 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper (optional), finely chopped
For the Egg Wash
- 1 Egg
- 1 tablespoon Water
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar, and turmeric powder until well combined.
- Cut the butter and shortening into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Use a dough cutter, fork, or your fingers to work the fat into the flour until it forms a crumbly texture with small pieces of butter and shortening still visible. Work quickly to keep the dough chilled. If it becomes warm, place it in the fridge to cool.
- Gradually stir in ice-cold water until the dough comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Do not overwork the dough.
For the Filling:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it browns. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Push the beef to the side and add onions, garlic, thyme, and escallion. Sauté until fragrant, then mix everything together.
- Pour in 2 cups of water and season with paprika, black pepper, beef bouillon, allspice, salt, and Scotch bonnet pepper. Stir in ketchup, 1 tbsp butter, browning, and hoisin sauce (optional).
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid reduces to a thick sauce.
- Stir in the breadcrumbs until fully incorporated.
- Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely before using.
For the Egg Wash
- Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl and set aside.
Bake the Dough:
- Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator.
- Roll out the chilled dough to ¼-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out 4 to 6-inch rounds using a bowl or cutter.
- Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of meat filling on one side of each dough round, leaving a ½-inch border. Fold over the other side and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
- Arrange patties on a baking sheet and brush lightly with egg wash. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 30 to 33 minutes, until golden brown.
- Let the patties to cool for about 5-7 minutes, then serve and enjoy! 🔥🥟
NOTES
- Let the filling cool before assembling to keep the butter in the dough cold, ensuring a flakier crust.
- Keep the dough chilled at all times for a tender, flaky, and buttery crust.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. Cold dough is easier to shape and keeps the butter pockets intact for that perfect flaky texture.
- Work quickly and avoid over-kneading. Too much handling warms the dough and reduces flakiness.
- Don’t over-blend the meat mixture. Overmixing can make it paste-like instead of crumbly and flavorful.
If you enjoyed this Jamaican Beef Patties Recipe, please scroll down and leave a 5-star rating and a comment! Thanks so much!
This was fun making. A taste of home away from home. So yummy 😋