Jamaican Beef Patties

About This Recipe

Jamaican beef patties are instantly recognizable by their vivid yellow, flaky pastry, colored with turmeric or curry powder worked directly into the dough rather than added only to the filling. The filling combines ground beef with onion, scallion, thyme and scotch bonnet, seasoned generously with curry powder and allspice, developing real depth as it simmers down into a thick, well-spiced mixture. Baked until the pastry turns deeply golden and shatteringly flaky, beef patties are sold from bakeries and shops across Jamaica and its global diaspora, eaten as a quick meal on their own or tucked inside coco bread.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 3 cupsall-purpose flour
• 1 tbspcurry powder(for dough)
• 1 tspsalt(for dough)
• 1 cupcold butter(cubed)
• 1/2 cupcold water(approximate, as needed)
• 500 gground beef
• 1onion(diced)
• 3scallions(chopped)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tspcurry powder(for filling)
• 1 tspground allspice
• 1scotch bonnet pepper(minced, seeded for less heat)
• 1/2 cupbreadcrumbs
• 1/2 cupbeef stock
• 1.5 tspsalt(for filling)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, curry powder and salt, then cut in cold butter until crumbly; stir in cold water until a firm dough forms. Chill 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the filling

   Cook onion until soft, add scallions, garlic, curry powder, allspice and scotch bonnet, cooking 2 minutes, then add ground beef, browning until cooked through.

3. 3

   Thicken the filling

   Stir in breadcrumbs and beef stock, simmering until the mixture is thick and holds together; season with salt and let cool.

   Cool the filling completely before assembling the patties — warm filling will melt the butter in the dough and make it difficult to seal properly.

4. 4

   Roll and cut

   Roll the chilled dough thin and cut into large rounds.

5. 5

   Fill and fold

   Place a generous spoonful of cooled filling on one half of each round, fold over, and crimp the edges tightly with a fork.

6. 6

   Bake

   Bake at 200C/400F for 20-25 minutes until deeply golden and flaky.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve warm, plain or in coco bread.

Variations

• •

  A vegetarian version fills the patties with seasoned callaloo or vegetables instead of beef.

• •

  Chicken or curry vegetable fillings are common alternative variations.

• •

  Serving inside coco bread, a soft Jamaican roll, is a beloved way to eat a beef patty as a heartier meal.

Storage

Uncooked, filled patties freeze well; bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes. Baked patties keep 3 days refrigerated and reheat well in an oven.

Frequently Asked Questions