Jamaican Beef Patties. Spicy, flavorful beef stuffed in an amazing, 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 doesnโt have to be. Trust me, itโs a breeze if you have a food processor. And even if you donโt, you only have to sacrifice a few more minutes.
Whatโs not to love about Jamaican meat patties? Theyโre the real MVP of all meat pies because theyโre 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.
Spoiler alert: Itโs spicy, mouthwatering, and highly addicting! ๐
Contentโฆ Spicy Jamaican Beef Patty Recipe |
Spicy Jamaican Beef Patty Recipe
Jamaican meat patties are a beautiful yellow color from turmeric and creamy butter. The spicy beef filling enjoys curry powder, cumin, garlic, onions, hot pepper, allspice, thyme, paprika, and curry. If youโre a heat lover, add diced scotch bonnet pepper to the filling.
How to Make Jamaican Beef Patties
Make the 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. (Photos 1-4)
- Roll โ Place the dough on a well-floured surface. Divide it evenly into two parts and roll them out. (Photos 5-6)
- Shape โ Using a 4-5โณ large-mouth glass or bowl, cut out circles by gently pressing the dough and releasing it, shaping the meat patty dough. Continue cutting out circles until theyโve all been cut. (Photos 7-8)
- Chill โ Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to use.
Make the Filling
- Saute โ 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)
- Ground Beef โ Add Meat and Breadcrumbs and continue cooking for 10 or more minutes, frequently stirring, to prevent burning. Then add about ยฝ cup of water. (Photo 12)
- Adjust Flavor โ Finally, add green onions and parsley and adjust for salt and pepper seasoning. (Photos 13-14)
- Cool โ Remove from the heat and let it cool.
Assemble
- Fill โ 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 and brushing with an egg wash.) (Photos 15-16)
- Bake โ Carefully arrange the patties on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve hot or at room temperature, and enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Tomato Sauce โ Add a sweet and tangy flavor base to the meat filling.
- Add Veggies โ You canโt go wrong with diced bell pepper, carrots, potatoes, green beans, and corn.
- Meaty Swap โ 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 โ Enjoy an enticing cheese pull by adding your favorite cheeses, such as cheddar, mozzarella, or Gruyere, to your filling.
Tips and Notes
- Keep your dough as cold as possible for easy shaping and a tender-flaky-buttery dough.
- Avoid overworking the dough so the butter wonโt completely blend into the dough.
- Freeze any leftover meat mixture to use for another time.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Frozen Jamaican beef patties make a quick and easy snack; assemble them and freeze them on a baking sheet in a single layer. After they freeze for about an hour, store them in a freezer ziplock bag until the craving hits. Bake the patties directly from frozen in a 375โ/190โ oven for about 30 minutes. Another reason to make them ahead.๐
If you have leftover meat patties (highly doubtful), you can refrigerate them for 3 days in an airtight container. You can also wrap them with plastic or aluminum foil and freeze them for up to 2 months.
Reheat meat patties in a 350โ/177โ oven, air fryer, or toaster oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through. The microwave works, but the crust wonโt crisp up.
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. Plantain chips and coleslaw are classics.
More Savory Pie Recipes to Try
- Tomato Pie
- Shepherds Pie
- Aloo (Potato) Pie
- Meat Pie (Tourtiere)
- Vegan Pot Pies
- Ground Beef and Potato Casserole
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=โRbin77mlโ upload-date=โMon Aug 06 2018 19:57:54 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)โ name=โJamaican Meat Pie (Jamaican Beef Patty)โ description=โJamaican Beef Patty โ Spicy flavorful beef stuffed in an amazing super easy buttery dough.Comes together quickly and flies off the table. Simply Delicious!!!โ]
This blog post was originally published in August 2016 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Tina says
Have followed this recipe several times now and always delicious. I add a little jerk marinade in mine also. Only problem, we eat far too many!!
Imma says
Hahaha. Same problem in my household! Thank you for the feedback, Tina!
R H C says
Love it my husband is Jamaican and I always get requests to make these from his family and friends. They donโt believe I made it haha. I add a touch of honey in the meat filling to compliment the spicyness and use cold pressed coconut oil instead of shortening and itโs amazing!!
Imma says
Awesome! Thank you for the review :)!
Susan Muir says
Can you sub pie crust dough & bake?
Imma says
Hi Susan, yes you can. Take note that the texture and taste will be slightly different, but it should still work.
Alison White says
Perfect patties. Thanks for sharing. Can the dough be frozen fir later use????
Imma says
Hi Alison! Yes, you can freeze the dough for later use!
Gary S says
I made your recipe pretty much exactly, substituted the scotch bonnet for a jalapeรฑo. Itโs what I had. Great recipe!
After making a half a dozen I decided to emulsify the rest of the meat mixture. I think I prefer the emulsified texture, I also found it easier to work with when assembling the patties.
Imma says
Awesome!! Thank you for the feedback, Gary!
Beatrix says
This was really amazing!! I had some of your Jamaican curry powder on hand, wanted some kind of pie thing, and came across this. The only thing I left out was the water. When I make mince samosas I leave out any kind of liquid so I was scared. Came out perfect! Easy to make and tastes lovely!!
Imma says
Awesome! So glad it worked out for you Beatrix :)!
Nicki B says
Great! Thank you
ImmaculateBites says
Your welcome.
Doris Foster says
Everyone loved these and so did I. Just wondering why there is no ginger in the recipe. There seems to be some in every other recipe I looked at. If I wanted to add it, how much would I use.
Imma says
Iโm so glad you all love the recipe. Yes, the recipe does have ginger. But itโs hidden in the curry powder. Have you tried my Jamaican curry powder recipe?
Steph G says
These patties were super tasty and reasonably simple to prepare (I used my own method for rough puff pastry but added the turmeric, etc). Great hit at a recent โgirlsโ lunch!
Imma says
Thank you, . Stay tuned for more amazing recipes.
N says
What kind of chili powder do you use? Cayenne? or chili powder blend?
Imma says
Whatever chili powder blend you have will work fine. What is your favorite brand, or do you make your own?
N says
Ok thanks! I have been buying a blend by simply organic, but next time I think Iโll try and make my own.
Imma says
You are more than welcome. And if thereโs a recipe youโd love to see, please let me know. Thanks:)
Caroline says
I have made these many times! Theyโre much easier than I expected. I get specific requests to bring them to gatherings.
Imma says
Thank you:) Thereโs more to come, so stay tuned!
Fiona says
These and the rotie recipe are to die for!! So so delicious and easy so make. Even my 3 year old had fun making the dough together ๐
Imma says
You are so sweet, thank you! Stay tuned for more amazing recipes.