Jamaican Beef Patties

Jamaican Beef Patties are filled with spicy beef, seasoned with paprika and allspice and wrapped in a buttery, yellow crust flavored with turmeric.

Jamaican Beef Patties have a unique flavor that you won’t find in any other cuisine in the world with turmeric to give it that Caribbean color. I used to buy beef patties in a little Jamaican spot when I was a college student on a budget. They reminded me of empanadas, only a lot spicier! When I went to Jamaica, I made it a point to try them every chance I could.

This authentic Jamaican beef patty recipe is modified from the Original Flava cookbook (affil link). When I got my hands on this cookbook, everything looked SO good that I didn’t know where to start. It has the classics like ackee ‘n’ saltfish and curry goat and Caribbean favorites such as garlic butter lobster and trini doubles. But for some reason, I found myself coming back to these beef patties, and I am so glad I did!

Even though beef patties are baked and not fried, the original recipe was not exactly light. So, I made a few minor tweaks, taking out the lard or shortening completely and using leaner ground beef. I also made them slightly smaller, so I got 12 from the recipe instead of 10. They turned out great!

Tips

Wear gloves when handling the peppers – they are very spicy. Avoid touching your eyes or mouth after touching the peppers.
Wear gloves when working with the turmeric as the yellow color will stain your hands.
Chilled butter is the secret to a flaky crust.

Variations:

Beef is the most popular patty filling in Jamaica, but you can definitely switch it up. Season any of these options with the same spices:

Spicy chicken
Spicy shrimp
Spicy veggies (e.g., spinach, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots)

Freezer Friendly: Make the patties and freeze them uncooked up to three months. You can bake them frozen – just add a little more time.

More Jamaican Recipes You’ll Love:

Jamaican Beef Patties

Prep Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 2 hrs

Jamaican Beef Patties are filled with spicy beef and scotch bonnet peppers, seasoned with paprika and allspice and wrapped in a buttery, yellow crust flavored with turmeric.

For the pastry:

450 grams self-rising flour, plus more for dusting, about 3 cups plus 2 tbsp
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp chilled butter, diced small
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice water
milk or water, for brushing

For the filling:

1 pound 93% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, minced
1 scotch bonnet pepper, de-seeded and diced (wear gloves)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 2.32 oz beef stock cube , such as Maggi
2/3 cup boiling water
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp breadcrumbs or flour
2 tbsp dark soy sauce, Worchestershire sauce or browning

For the pastry:

Sift the flour into a bowl then stir in the sugar, salt and turmeric. Add the butter and rub them into the dry ingredients until you have a crumbly texture.
Gradually add ice water to create a dough. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in cling wrap and chill in the fridge 1 hour.

For the filling:

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the meat and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.
Add the onion and scotch bonnet and cook 3 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
Dissolve beef cube in boiling water and add to the skillet with the paprika, allspice, breadcrumb or flour and the soy sauce or other sauce. Stir and simmer 20 minutes, then set aside to cool completely.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350F.
Take the chilled dough out of the fridge. Dust work surface and rolling pin with flour so the dough doesn’t stick.
Roll out the dough, when flat fold it into a square then roll again. Repeat 2 to 3 times to create a traditional patty crust.
Roll the dough out to about 1/16th thickness.
Place an upturned bowl or lid about 6 inches in diameter on top and carefully cut around it with a sharp knife. You should get 12 total, with a 6-inch size.
Divide the meat mixture between each, about 3 tablespoons each and spoon it onto one side of the circle.
Brush a little milk (or water) around the edge of the dough and carefully fold the patty over so the edges meet. Use your fingers to press and seal them, then use a fork and press around the edges.
Poke a few holes on top with the fork to make steam holes and place on a baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes, until golden.

Air Fryer Directions:

Serving: 1patty, Calories: 191kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 11.5g, Fat: 4.5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 412mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g