Jamaican Beef Patty  – Spicy flavorful beef stuffed in an amazing super easy buttery dough. Comes together quickly and flies off the table. Simply delicious!
Making your own pastry can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Trust me, if you have a food processor it is a breeze and without one, you only have to sacrifice a few more minutes.
Now who doesn’t love Jamaican pies? A spicy beef filling encased in a flaky spicy pastry dough. Hello! Spicy taste-bud overload.
Jamaican meat pies are very distinctive from the other meat pies like this African meat pie or the well-loved empanadas. It is yellowish due to the addition of turmeric. Turmeric is a spice that is mostly used for flavoring and also acts as a coloring agent.
It gives off a mild fragrance slightly suggestive of orange and ginger. It is used to make other spices especially curry powder. So if you do not have turmeric, you may replace it with mild curry powder. Or leave it out completely. No big deal.
In this recipe, the beef filling is heavily spiced with cumin, garlic, onions, hot pepper, allspice, thyme, paprika and curry, differentiating itself from the rest. Some Jamaican beef patties are spicy hot with the inclusion of scotch bonnet pepper.
If you can tolerate the heat then by all means add some in the filling. Here, I added ½ a teaspoon of chili pepper to make it spicy but not overly hot.
For the crust, you may use butter only. The reason why vegetable shortening is included in most pastries is because it is easier to work with . However, butter is more flavorful than shortening.
These addictive pastries would be great for any celebration because they can be made ahead of time and you can freeze them till the day of event. Place them on a cookie sheet – single layer, freeze for about an hour then remove and place in zip lock bag or storage container.
Enjoy!!!!
Watch How to Make It
Jamaican Meat Pie
Ingredients
PIE 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
JAMAICAN BEEf FILLING
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon curry
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 3 green onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt, or more
- ½ teaspoon 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 Pie Crust
- In a food processor or by hand, mix together, flour, salt, sugar, turmeric blend well Add the butter, shortening, followed by vinegar and water in small amounts, pulse until combined and dough holds together in a ball.
- Place the dough on a well -floured surface. Divide it into 2 and roll it out. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes until ready to use
- Using a large-mouth glass or bowl about 4-5" cut out circles by gently pressing on the dough and releasing it, shaping the meat pie dough. Continue cutting out the dough until it all has 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 simmer for about 2 minutes.
- Then add ground meat and breadcrumbs and continue cooking for about 10 or more minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add about ½ cup of water.
- Finally, add green onions and parsley and adjust for salt and pepper seasoning.
- Remove from stovetop and let it cool.
Assemble the Jamaican Meat Pies
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon of filling into each circle, and brush with egg white or white around half of the circle. Fold over 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.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Carefully place each pie on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes .
- You may freeze them to bake later.
- Best served warm.
Tips & Notes:
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
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.
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