Authentic Jamaican Patty Recipe (Flaky Beef Patties)

Name: Authentic Jamaican Patty Recipe (Flaky Beef Patties)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 450 g Plain Flour; 227 g Butter (Block Butter); 1 tbsp Curry Powder; 1 tbsp Turmeric; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tbsp Baking Powder; 300 ml Milk; 1 Egg (For Egg Wash); 500 g Minced Beef (Ground Beef); 1 Onion; 3 Spring Onions; 2 Garlic Cloves; To Taste Ginger; To Taste Scotch Bonnet (Or Other Chillies ); 2 tbsp Smoked Paprika; 2 tbsp Onion Powder; 2 tbsp All Purpose Seasoning; 2 tbsp Garlic Powder (Or Granules ); 2 tbsp Black Pepper; To Taste Thyme; 2 tbsp Ketchup; 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce; 1 tbsp Browning Sauce (Optional )

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Homemade Jamaican Beef Patty Recipe

These authentic Jamaican beef patties are so easy to make, taste so good and are the perfect on the go snack. Packed full of flavour and spice; you won’t be able to resist this!

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Who doesn’t love a Jamaican beef patty? It’s a savoury Caribbean treat that’s completely irresistible.

It’s a snack I grew up eating, I would always buy it from my local Jamaican takeaway for the most delicious, authentic and original patties. They taste so good, and you can make these Jamaican beef patties at home, it’s so easy to do with this recipe!

Both the beef filling and pastry is pretty easy to make, you’ll make distinctively yellow patties that are totally irresistible.

What Is A Jamaican Patty?

If you’ve never tried a Jamaican patty before, then you’re really in for a treat! Caribbean patties are a type of fast food in Jamaica, and you can almost certainly get them in any UK Jamaican takeaway shop.

It’s a golden buttery flaky pastry that’s filled with a tasty and spicy filling.

The type of filling inside the patty varies, some popular flavours are beef, lamb, saltfish and a veggie version. With this recipe you’ll make a ground beef filling, the pastry remains the same no matter what filling you use.

Why Are Jamaican Beef Patties Yellow?

The addition of turmeric and curry powder turn the Jamaican patty pastry yellow. You don’t have to add both turmeric and curry powder, both individually provide the distinctive yellow sunshine glow.

What Pastry Is A Jamaican Patty Made Of?

The pastry used to make Jamaican patties is a shortcrust pastry.

Making pastry can be a little bit scary at times but this flaky and buttery Jamaican pastry dough is actually pretty easy to make.

If you have a food processor, then making the dough will be very simple and done in a matter of seconds. I made the dough by hand which you’ll see in the video below.

Watch How To Make It

How To Make Authentic Jamaican Patties

Below is a step-by step guide on how to make easy Jamaican beef patties. Full recipe instructions are on the recipe card at the bottom.

How To Make Pastry For Patties

To make the Jamaican patty dough you’ll simply need plain flour, curry powder, turmeric, butter, baking powder, milk and salt. If you don’t have milk, you can use water instead.

Step One:

Pour plain flour into a large mixing bowl and add a tablespoon each of curry powder, turmeric, baking powder and a teaspoon of salt. Mix until evenly distributed.

Then add cubes of butter into the mixing bowl and rub-in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Step Two:

Pour half of the milk into the mixture and mix together before pouring the remaining half bit-by-bit mixing each time.

Use your hands to bring the dough together. Then place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, you can use this time to prepare the filling.

Sprinkle more flour if necessary.

Top Tip: It’s so important to work quickly with the dough and not to handle it with your hands too much. You don’t want to melt the dough as you’ll get less of a flaky texture.

How To Make The Jamaican Patties Beef Filling

Time to make the filling! This stage involves frying the filling ingredients together.

Step Three:

Pour the minced (grounded) beef into a large mixing bowl and add a tablespoon of smoked paprika, onion powder, all purpose seasoning, garlic powder and black pepper. Mix together until evenly distributed.

Step Four:

Frying garlic, spring onions, scotch bonnet

Add oil to a pan and heat on a high heat. Fry the garlic, onions, spring onions, ginger, thyme and scotch bonnet for 2 to 3 mins.

Step Five:

Add the minced beef meat into the frying pan and stir continuously, add a tablespoon of smoked paprika, onion powder, all purpose seasoning, garlic powder and black pepper.

Continue to fry for 2 to 3 minutes before adding 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, ketchup and a tablespoon of browning sauce.

Leave to simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on, then continue to stir for 2 to 3 minutes breaking any clumps with the back of your wooden spoon.

Top Tip: Browning sauce is used to help create the traditional dark brown filling colour; you don’t have to add it in if you don’t want too.

Some Jamaican patty fillings can be quite paste-like, to create this effect simply blend the mixture for just a few seconds. Careful not to blend it for too long, you don’t want it to be a smooth paste!

How To Assemble A Patty

Step Six:

Adding beef filling in the lower centre of patty dough

Flour your work surface and roll out the pastry using a rolling pin, cut out circle shapes using a bowl (or plate). Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the beef filling to the lower centre of the pastry.

Make an egg wash by whisking an egg and use it to coat the edge of one half of the pastry.

Fold over the pastry and press the edges together with your fingers. With a fork, dip it in flour and press down to create the authentic patty crimped edges.

I used a bowl with an 18″ diameter to cut out circle shapes.

Step Seven:

Coat the pastry with an egg wash and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

What Do You Serve With Jamaican Beef Patties?

You can eat patties by themselves, but you can also make a meal out of it with these side dishes below:

Fried Plantain
Macaroni Cheese
Coleslaw
Coco Bread
Roti
Hardo Bread
Chips

How To Store And Reheat Jamaican Patties

Patties are best eaten fresh but you can keep them in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days stored in an airtight container. If you don’t plan on eating them straight away, leave them to cool down before placing in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To reheat, simply place in the microwave and heat until piping hot throughout, you can also place them in the oven for around 15 minutes at 180°C.

To reheat from frozen, leave the patties to defrost before placing in the oven or microwave. If you are heating the patties from frozen, then it’s best to heat in the oven for at least 25 minutes.

How To Make Ahead Of Time

If you want to make these Caribbean patties ahead of time, simply make the recipe up to 3 days in advance and reheat in the oven or microwave when you’re ready to eat it.

You can also make the pastry in advance and freeze it for later use. When you are ready to make this dish, defrost the pastry in the fridge overnight. Once the pastry has defrosted, follow the recipe instructions to make the filling.

My Top Tips

Careful With Turmeric: Turmeric is well known for staining! Avoid wearing white or super light colours when using turmeric as it can easily stain your clothes.

Use Cold Butter: Keep your butter cold, cold, cold! The colder the better, keep your butter in the fridge before using it so that it can be as cold as possible. This will help give the pastry a flaky texture.

Flour Your Cutter: Whatever you use to make circle shapes in your pastry, make sure you flour it before using it. This will help to prevent the pastry sticking to it.

Equipment Needed

Below is a few vital equipment needed to make these beef patties:

Baking Tray: Needed to bake the Jamaican patties in the oven.
Mixing Bowls: To make the Jamaican patty dough and mix beef mince with seasonings.
Basting Brush: To seal the patties with an egg wash before crimping it with a fork and to do the egg wash.
Food Processor: You can use a food processor to make the pastry or do it by hand. If you use a food processor, simply add all the ingredients apart from milk and blend until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Then add milk (or water) little by little until a dough has formed.
Parchment Paper: To line your baking tray and to prevent the patties from sticking to the trays.

Recipe FAQs

Are Jamaican patties gluten free?

Jamaican patties typically contain gluten due to the use of plain flour to make the pastry. To make a gluten-free alternative make sure to use gluten-free flour when making the pastry.

What is the difference between Jamaican beef patties and empanadas?

Jamaican beef patties and empanadas are similar but differ slightly in cooking method and taste. Jamaican patties are more yellow in colour and are baked in the oven whereas empanadas are a Spanish dish that is usually fried.

Can you eat Jamaican patties cold?

Yes, you can eat Jamaican patties cold but traditionally in Jamaica they’re eaten freshly baked and warm from the oven.

Is Jamaican patty fried?

No, Jamaican patties are baked in the oven and not fried.

More Easy Pastry Recipes To Try:

Bacon And Cheese Turnovers
Cheese Twists