Jamaican Beef Patty – Spicy, flavorful beef stuffed in an amazing, super easy buttery dough. They come together quickly and fly off the table even faster. Simply delicious comfort food!
Making your own pastry can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Trust me, it’s a breeze if you have a food processor. And even if you don’t, you only have to sacrifice a few more minutes.
What’s not to love about Jamaican meat patties? They’re the real MVP of all pies because they’re super snackable anytime. Besides, saying no to these goodies is impossible, especially with a flaky, buttery crust and a tasty meaty filling. Just talking about it makes me drool. Yum!
Spoiler alert: It’s spicy, mouthwatering, and highly addicting! 😋
Spicy Jamaican Beef Patties
Jamaican meat patties are distinctive from others, like this African meat pie, because they boast a yellowish color from tasty turmeric and creamy butter. The beef filling is heavily spiced with cumin, garlic, onions, hot pepper, allspice, thyme, paprika, and curry, differentiating itself from the rest.
The beef filling is Immaculately spiced. If you can tolerate the heat, then by all means, add some to the filling. I added ½ a teaspoon of chili pepper to make it spicy but not overly hot.
Also, you can replace the shortening in the crust and use butter only for a more flavorful dough. However, vegetable shortening is easier to work with.
Recipe Ingredients
Pie Crust
- Flour – All-purpose flour is the key element for the crust.
- Flavoring – Salt, sugar, and turmeric (with its almost gingery taste) enhance the flavor and give your patties a gorgeous yellow color.
- Fat – Super cold shortening and butter (frozen is even better) creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Liquids – Ice-cold water and vinegar keeps the dough tender for an airy texture, moist crumb, and incredible flavor.
Beef Filling
- Ground Beef – The star ingredient for the meat pie filling. But you can use ground pork or chicken for a switch out.
- Seasonings – Curry, onion, garlic, paprika, allspice, dried thyme, white pepper, chili powder, parsley, and green onion spice the meat up. Scotch bonnet pepper is optional for that beautiful heat.
- Chicken Bouillon Powder – For additional meat essence and rich umami flavor.
- Bread Crumbs – This ingredient acts as a binder and keeps the meat from packing together in a hard lump. Yes, you can use gluten-free bread crumbs if you prefer.
How to Make Jamaican Beef Patties
Make the Crust
- Combine – Mix flour, salt, sugar, and turmeric in a food processor or by hand, and blend well. Add the butter, and shortening, followed by vinegar and water in small amounts, pulse until combined, and the dough holds together in a ball. (Photos 1-4)
- Roll – Place the dough on a well-floured surface. Divide it evenly into two parts and roll them out. (Photos 5-6)
- Shape – Using a large-mouth glass or bowl, about 4-5″, cut out circles by gently pressing the dough and releasing it, shaping the meat patty dough. Continue cutting out circles until they’ve all been cut. (Photos 7-8)
- Chill – Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to use.
Make the Filling
- Saute – Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a saucepan, followed by onions, garlic, paprika, thyme curry, chili powder, white pepper, allspice, and chicken bouillon. Saute it for about 2 minutes.(Photos 9-11)
- Add Meat and Breadcrumbs and continue cooking for 10 or more minutes, frequently stirring, to prevent burning. Then add about ½ cup of water. (Photo 12)
- Adjust Flavor – Finally, add green onions and parsley and adjust for salt and pepper seasoning. (Photos 13-14)
- Cool – Remove from the heat and let it cool.
Assemble
- Fill – Scoop a heaping tablespoon of filling into each circle, and brush with egg white around half of the circle. Fold over and twist with fingers gently to seal the edges of the meat pie. (Another way of sealing is by pressing the tines of a fork along the edges of the dough.) (Photos 15-16)
- Bake – Carefully arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes.
- Serve warm, and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Tomato Sauce – Add a sweet and tangy flavor base to the meat filling.
- Add Veggies – You can’t go wrong with diced bell pepper, carrots, potatoes, green beans, and corn.
- Meaty Swap – You can also use any ground meat you prefer, such as ground chicken or pork, for a savory patty with a lighter flavor. If you want a healthier option, try an all-veggie filling with carrots, peas, potatoes, and more.
- Cheesy Beef Patties – Enjoy an enticing cheese pull by adding your favorite cheeses, such as cheddar, mozzarella, or Gruyere, to your filling.
Tips and Tricks
- Keep your dough as cold as possible for easy shaping and a tender-flaky-buttery dough.
- Avoid overworking the dough, so the butter won’t completely blend into the dough.
- Freeze any leftover meat mixture to use for another time.
Make-Ahead Instructions
These addictive pastries are great for any celebration because you can make them ahead of time and freeze them until the day of the event. Place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, freeze for about an hour, then remove and place them in a freezer ziplock bag or container. And you can take them straight from the freezer to the oven.
Serving and Storage Instructions
If you have leftover meat patties (highly doubtful), you can refrigerate them for 3 days in an airtight container. You can also wrap it with plastic or aluminum foil and freeze them for up to 2 months.
Reheat meat patties in a 350℉/177℃ oven, air fryer, or toaster oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through. The microwave works, but the crust won’t crisp up.
FAQs
A Jamaican beef patty and an empanada have different cooking processes, filling, and crusts. Empanadas are usually fried, while Jamaican beef patties are baked and is more yellow because of turmeric.
Yes, you can! Preheat your oven to 375℉/190℃ and bake them for about 30 minutes. Another reason to make them ahead.😉
Turmeric gives the golden color to these meat pies, and it gives off a mild fragrance slightly suggestive of orange and ginger and is a key player in curry powder. So if you do not have turmeric, you may replace it with mild curry powder. Or leave it out altogether—no big deal.
What to Serve With Jamaican Beef Patties
Enjoy them on their own for snacks, or turn them into meals by adding simple yet delightful side dishes such as those below.
More Savory Pie Recipes to Try
Conclusion
Making your own pastry can be super easy, and the beef filling is spicy and satisfying. Have you tried this deliciousness yet? Please comment below on how it went.
Watch How to Make It
This blog post was originally published in August 2016 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Jamaican Beef Patty
Ingredients
Patty Crust
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ½-2 teaspoon turmeric
- 5 ounces shortening
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 cup ice water
- 5 ounces unsalted butter
Beef Filling
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoon parsley, chopped (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt, or more
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- ½ scotch bonnet pepper, chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, optional replace with salt
Instructions
Make the Patty Crust
- Mix flour, salt, sugar, and turmeric in a food processor or by hand, and blend well. Add the butter, and shortening, followed by vinegar and water in small amounts, pulse until combined, and the dough holds together in a ball.
- Place the dough on a well-floured surface. Divide it evenly into two parts and roll them out.
- Using a large-mouth glass or bowl, about 4-5", cut out circles by gently pressing the dough and releasing it, shaping the meat patty dough. Continue cutting out circles until they've all been cut.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to use.
Make the Meat Pie Filling
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a saucepan, followed by onions, garlic, paprika, thyme curry, chili powder, white pepper, allspice, and chicken bouillon. Let it saute for about 2 minutes.
- Add meat and breadcrumbs and continue cooking for 10 or more minutes, frequently stirring, to prevent burning. Then add about ½ cup of water.
- Finally, add green onions and parsley and adjust for salt and pepper seasoning.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool.
Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 375℉/190℃.
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon of filling into each circle, and brush with egg white around half of the circle. Fold over and twist with fingers gently to seal the edges of the meat pie. (Another way of sealing is by pressing the tines of a fork along the edges of the dough.)
- Carefully arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes.
- Serve warm, and enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- You can freeze the assembled beef patties and bake them later.
- Keep your dough as cold as possible for easy shaping and a tender-flaky-buttery dough.
- Avoid overworking the dough, so the butter won’t completely blend into the dough.
- Freeze any leftover meat mixture to use for another time.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Sandee says
Hi Imma, Can you use a Kitchenaid stand mixer paddle and dough hook in lieu of food processor?
Imma says
That should work just fine. Please let me know how it goes.
Brian says
I love these. They really bring me back to the island and it’s cooking, and have received many compliments.
One thing I do add is at least a tsp of cumin per pound of beef. Although it says cumin is heavily used in the intro there isn’t any listed in the recipe.
Imma says
Thank you for catching that. And a special thanks for sharing your experience. ❤️
Stacey says
Going to make these tonight. Any suggestions as to what to make with them?
Imma says
They go great with Jamaican pigeon peas and rice and Caribbean coleslaw. Please let me know how it went. Thanks:)
Bruce Alan says
Was sure whether to use the whole green onion. I ended up using both, cooking the white part with the rest of the onion and added the green part in at the end with the parsley.
Used the whole habanero the second batch because I could barely taste the pepper.
Drained off some of the access fat from the beef because it hurts my stomach if I eat too many pies.
I think I have missed adding the 1/2 cup of water before because it wasnt listed on the ingredients. Only just now seeing you brush them with egg whites, I will have to try the next batch I make, though I might try the chicken ones next because I think I have already made 5-6 batches of these since I love them so much.
P.S. –
These also taste great with a dash of soy sauce, some msg and a sprinkling of dried fenugreek leaves to enhance the curry powder!
Amina says
Thank you. I’m so glad you love them. Sorry, the water isn’t in the ingredients because it’s more of an add-it-as-you need-it ingredient. Draining the oil is a great idea, and if you want more heat, you can definitely add all the peppers you want And thanks for the suggestions for more flavor, that sounds delish.
Judy says
Are you talking about like a seasoning or actual allspice powder that you bake with?
Amina says
Thank you for catching that, the spelling has been corrected. Sorry about that, spelling is not my forte. It is indeed allspice powder, not all spices.
Tracey says
These are the BOMB.COM!!! Way better than what I would buy here in Maryland from Negril!
Amina says
Thank you so much. I’m glad you loved them.
Ras Bigga says
This will be my fourth time making them and I got 20 patties plus two pounds ground beef.
ImmaculateBites says
Good to know. Thanks for the feedback.
Melody says
Hi Imma, How many patties does this recipe yield? Thanks!
imma africanbites says
Hi, Melody. This would yield around 12-16 patties, depending on how big your cutter is.
Melody says
Thank you! By the way I made the filling multiple times now and it’s delicious!
Imma says
Great to hear that. Thank you for sharing your words, Much Love. Stay tuned for more amazing recipes.
Todd Ellner says
I had never tried beef patty before. This recipe was delicious and easy to make.
Adrian says
You and your website are wonderful, Imma. I made the Jamaican Beef Patties over the weekend and they were so-o-o delicious. The filling was purr-fect. You are a born instructor. Your step-by-step directions were so easy to follow and the recipe was perfect. This was one recipe on my “bucket list” and “I think I’ve got it!”. Your website is beautiful. The pictures and videos are a real art form. Thank you for all your hard work for your fans. You are “the best from the nest” (an old but true saying). ONE REQUEST – Would you show or tell us how to master that beautiful twist braid on the edge of your patties, That pattern would look really good and professional when I want to bake some off for friends. Thanks again and bless your talented hands and creativity. Keep your great recipes and how-to instructions coming to your fans. We love you – yeah, yeah, yeah. 🙂
imma africanbites says
Awwww. Thank you for the kind words, Adrian. You had me tearing up a little bit. 🙂 I’ll definitely add that request to my list if we’re to update this blog post. Thanks, again.
Val Cobbins says
Where is the recy
imma africanbites says
Hi, Val. The recipe card is just right under the video.
Toni says
How do I make the pastry without a food processor?
ImmaculateBites says
You can use a blender instead of a food processor 🙂
LPO says
How thin should the dough be rolled out?
ImmaculateBites says
It can be 1/8″ thick and 1″ wider than the pie plate. 🙂
Pete J Milazzo says
I made these before but do not remember how thin to roll out dough.
Trish Hogue says
I am going to make these for an upcoming holiday party. I’m curious about the amount this makes. When you say 10 – 12 portions, does this mean 10 – 12 patties in total? I was hoping to make them finger food size and was hoping to get 2 – 3 dozen. Would you suggest double the recipe?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Trish, this recipe ideally serves 10-12 persons. 🙂
Brenda says
Use smaller biscuit cutter 2 – 3 inch sizes maybe 1 teaspoon filling