Jamaican Beef Patty with Smoked Paprika

About This Recipe

The Jamaican beef patty is an island icon -- a flaky, turmeric-yellow pastry filled with well-spiced ground beef, sold from bakeries across Jamaica and its diaspora. This version leans into smoked paprika alongside the traditional scotch bonnet and thyme, adding a deeper, smokier note to the filling's usual bright heat. The technique that defines a proper patty is the pastry: turmeric gives it its signature yellow color, and the dough needs to stay cold and be folded with care to create the flaky layers Jamaican patties are known for, similar to a rough puff pastry. The filling should be cooked down until any excess liquid evaporates completely before it goes into the pastry, since a wet filling turns the crust soggy during baking. Served hot from the oven, ideally with a cold drink, beef patties are a beloved Jamaican fast food eaten any time of day -- breakfast, lunch, or a late-night snack.

Ingredients

Serves 3

• 3 cupsall-purpose flour
• 1 tbspturmeric
• 200 gcold butter(cubed)
• 0.75 cupcold water
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 500 gground beef
• 1onion(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspsmoked paprika
• 0.5scotch bonnet pepper(minced, or to taste)
• 2 sprigsfresh thyme
• 0.5 cupbreadcrumbs
• 0.5 cupbeef stock
• 2 tbspoil
• 1egg(beaten, for egg wash)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pastry

   Mix flour, turmeric, and salt. Rub in cold butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add cold water gradually until a firm dough forms. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Cook the filling

   Heat oil, saute onion and garlic until soft. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up, about 8 minutes.

3. 3

   Season the filling

   Stir in smoked paprika, scotch bonnet, and thyme. Add breadcrumbs and beef stock, simmer until the mixture is thick and no liquid remains, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.

4. 4

   Preheat the oven

   Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).

5. 5

   Assemble the patties

   Roll dough thin and cut into 6-inch circles. Place filling on one half, fold over, and crimp edges firmly with a fork.

6. 6

   Bake

   Brush with egg wash and bake 25-30 minutes until deeply golden and flaky.

Variations

• •

  Use ground chicken instead of beef for a lighter patty, a common variation.

• •

  Add curry powder along with the smoked paprika for extra depth.

• •

  Make cocktail-sized mini patties for a party appetizer, reducing bake time to about 18-20 minutes.

Storage

Refrigerate baked patties up to 3 days; reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 10-12 minutes to restore flakiness. Unbaked patties freeze well for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions