Jamaican Beef Patties
A Jamaican patty is a half-moon of crumbly, golden pastry wrapped around a peppery, curried beef filling, eaten hot from a paper bag or tucked inside soft coco bread. Bakery patties often use beef suet or margarine in the crust. This home version uses butter and shortening, with curry powder and turmeric giving the pastry its colour. Make a batch, bake what you need and freeze the rest unbaked.
By Mei Lin Tan
Published
- Prep Time
- 45 mins
- Cook Time
- 50 mins
- Chill
- 30 mins
- Total Time
- 2 hrs 5 mins
- Servings
- 10 patties
How do you make Jamaican Beef Patties?
For Jamaican beef patties, make a pastry with flour, curry powder, turmeric, salt, cold butter, shortening and ice water, then chill it. Cook ground beef with onion, garlic, Scotch bonnet, curry powder, thyme and allspice, simmer it with stock and thicken with breadcrumbs. Cool the filling, fold it into 15 cm pastry rounds, crimp, and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 minutes.
- Total time
- 2 hrs 5 mins
- Calories
- 490 per serving
- Protein
- 15 g
- Yield
- 10 patties
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Method
- Baking
Ingredients
Pastry
Filling
Equipment
Large mixing bowl · Pastry cutter or fork · Large skillet · Rolling pin · 15 cm (6 in) round cutter or small plate · 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper · Pastry brush
Quick Directions
Make the pastry
Rub the cold fats into the spiced flour, add ice water, shape 2 discs and chill for 30 minutes.
Brown the beef
Soften the aromatics, then cook the beef to 71°C (160°F), breaking it up finely.
Season and thicken the filling
Add the spices and stock, simmer, thicken with breadcrumbs, then cool completely.
Roll and cut the pastry
Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Fill and crimp
Fill each circle, fold into a half-moon, seal and crimp with a fork.
Bake
Bake for 25-30 minutes, swapping the trays halfway, until the pastry is flaky, deep golden on top and browned underneath.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect jamaican beef patties.
Make the pastry
Whisk the flour, curry powder, turmeric and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and shortening and cut them in with a pastry cutter or fork until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Drizzle in 160 ml of the ice water and stir with a fork until the dough starts to clump, adding the rest a spoonful at a time only if dry patches remain. Press it into 2 flat discs, wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Brown the beef
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion, green onions, garlic and Scotch bonnet for 3 minutes until soft. Add the beef and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it into fine crumbs with a spoon, until no pink remains and it reaches 71°C (160°F). Spoon off any excess fat.
Season and thicken the filling
Stir in the curry powder, thyme, allspice, paprika, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs and cook for 2-3 minutes more until the filling is thick and moist but no liquid runs when you drag a spoon through it. Spread it on a plate and let it cool completely.
Roll and cut the pastry
Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. On a floured surface, roll one disc of dough to about 3 mm thick and cut out 15 cm (6 in) circles, using a small plate as a guide. Repeat with the second disc, then gather and re-roll the scraps once, until you have 10 circles.
Fill and crimp
Spoon about 3 tbsp of the cooled filling onto one half of each circle, leaving a 1 cm border. Brush the border with water, fold the pastry over into a half-moon and press the edges together. Crimp with a fork and set the patties on the baking sheets. If the pastry has gone soft, chill the tray for 10 minutes.
Bake
Bake for 25-30 minutes, swapping the trays halfway, until the pastry is flaky, deep golden on top and browned underneath. Cool on the trays for 5 minutes before eating, because the filling stays very hot.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the fats and water cold. Little pieces of solid fat in the dough are what make the pastry flaky.
- Let the filling cool fully before you fill the pastry. Warm filling melts the fat and gives you a soggy, greasy crust.
- Don't overfill. About 3 tbsp per patty leaves enough room to seal the edges so they don't burst in the oven.
- Jamaican curry powder is heavier on turmeric and allspice than many blends. Any mild curry powder works, and a pinch of extra allspice gets you closer.
Variations
- Chicken patties: use 500 g ground chicken and cook it until it reaches 74°C (165°F) before adding the stock.
- Cheese patties: lay a small slice of cheddar on the filling before folding.
- Shortcut: use 2 sheets of store-bought shortcrust or puff pastry, cut into 15 cm circles. The crust won't be yellow or as crumbly, but the patties are still very good.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 490 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 15 g |
| Carbs | 38 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Saturated fat | 12 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
| Sugar | 1.5 g |
| Sodium | 540 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Refrigerate baked patties in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze unbaked patties on a tray until firm, then bag them for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 200°C (400°F) for 35-40 minutes. Baked patties also freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat
- Reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 10-15 minutes, or 20 minutes from frozen, until hot in the centre. The microwave works but softens the pastry.
Jamaican Beef Patties FAQs
What makes Jamaican patty pastry yellow?
The yellow colour comes from turmeric and curry powder mixed into the flour. Some bakeries also use annatto or egg yolk. The turmeric adds colour more than flavour, so the pastry doesn't taste strongly of curry.
Can I freeze Jamaican beef patties?
Yes. Freeze them unbaked on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at 200°C (400°F) for 35-40 minutes, until golden and hot in the centre.
Are Jamaican beef patties spicy?
They have a gentle kick from the Scotch bonnet and black pepper. Half a seeded Scotch bonnet gives a mild heat. Use a whole one for a hotter, bakery-style patty, or leave it out for children.
Why do you put breadcrumbs in the patty filling?
The breadcrumbs soak up the stock and hold the filling together, so it stays moist without leaking. Without them the filling either dries out or makes the bottom crust soggy.
What is a patty and coco bread?
Coco bread is a soft, slightly sweet folded roll made with coconut milk. In Jamaica a hot beef patty is often slipped inside one to make a filling sandwich.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
