Jamaican beef patties are flaky, golden pastries wrapped around a juicy, well-seasoned beef filling. This is the beef patty I grew up on, made from scratch at home.
You’ll find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Be sure to check out the blog post itself for extra tips and tricks!
Beef patties have been part of my life since I can remember. My mom grew up eating them straight from the bakery in Jamaica (Tastee is her favorite), and that love got passed straight down to me.
Making beef patties from scratch is a labor of love, and I mean that. The best patties come from bakeries where someone took the time to laminate that dough properly and let the filling simmer until it is thick and full of flavor.
I have broken this recipe down step by step so you can get that same result in your own kitchen. If you love this one, you will probably also love my Jamaican meatloaf, which is the same seasoned beef filling tucked into soft coco bread instead of pastry.
Happy Baking,
Tanya
Jamaican Beef Patties at a Glance
- Best for: snacks, lunch, freezer stash, parties
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 8 patties
Ingredient Notes
Ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions are on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
For the filling
- Yellow onion, green onion, and garlic are all blended into a smooth paste with the Scotch bonnet peppers. Blending instead of dicing means the aromatics melt right into the filling instead of leaving big chunks, so every bite gets the flavor.
- Scotch bonnet peppers give the filling its real Jamaican heat and fruity flavor. Remove the stem, seeds, and membrane to keep the heat manageable, or swap in habanero if you cannot find Scotch bonnet. You could also use a scotch bonnet pepper sauce instead. These patties are on the mild side, but for a spicier patty, add more peppers.
- Fresh thyme leaves are worth seeking out here over dried ones. If you only have dried thyme on hand, use about a third of the amount, since dried thyme is more concentrated.
- All-purpose seasoning is a blended seasoning salt found at most Caribbean grocers. If you cannot find it, you can make your own homemade all-purpose seasoning.
- Allspice, also called pimento in Jamaica, is one of the backbone flavors of Jamaican cooking. I prefer using ground allspice in this recipe.
- Nutmeg and granulated sugar round out the flavors in this filling.
- Beef broth carries much of the seasoning into the filling as it simmers. A low-sodium broth gives you more control over the final saltiness, since there is already salt and all-purpose seasoning going in.
- Ketchup and browning work together for color and a rounded, savory depth. Browning is a Caribbean seasoning sauce, not a cooking step, and you will find it in the international aisle or at a Caribbean grocery store. If you can't find browning, you can also make a homemade browning sauce.
- Very fine breadcrumbs bind the filling and soak up excess liquid, keeping it thick rather than runny. When mixed with water, they create a panade that gives the filling a silky, cohesive consistency.
- Lean ground beef/ground sirloin keeps the filling from turning greasy once it simmers down. I do not recommend going much fattier than lean here (93/7 or 90/10), since the filling already carries a good amount of moisture from the broth.
For the pastry
- All-purpose flour measured by scooping and leveling is roughly 500 grams for the 4 cups here. If you have a kitchen scale, weighing your flour will get you the most consistent dough from batch to batch.
- Annatto powder and turmeric are what give my dough its golden color. Traditional bakery patties often get their color from egg powder.
- Cold unsalted butter, grated, is the key to a flaky, laminated dough. Grating it keeps it cold and helps it work into the flour quickly, and keeping it cold throughout the whole lamination process is what gives you those flaky layers. Many traditional recipes use beef suet, which is beef fat and can usually be found at a local butcher. I use butter here because it is easier to find and still gives the pastry flaky layers. I like to freeze my butter first, then grate it.
- Ice cold water and egg yolk go into the dough itself, not on top as a wash. The egg yolk adds richness and a touch more color, and keeping the water ice-cold helps keep the butter from softening too soon while you bring the dough together.
How to make Jamaican Beef Patties
I like to break this recipe down into 2 sections: the filling and the pastry. Full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Make the filling
Blend the Aromatics and combine with the beef
Blend the yellow onion, green onion, garlic, and Scotch bonnet peppers in a mini processor until smooth.
Add that paste to a medium saucepan with the ground beef and beef broth, then break up the beef right in the liquid before you turn on the heat. Starting it cold like this, without a browning step, keeps the beef loose and fine rather than clumping. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts to simmer.
Simmer the Filling
Stir in the thyme, all-purpose seasoning, sugar, salt, allspice, nutmeg, and ketchup, then reduce the heat to medium to bring everything to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beef is fine and tender. Add the browning and stir until it incorporates into the mixture.
Thicken and Cool
Stir the breadcrumbs and water into a paste, then mix it into the filling. Simmer for another minute or two until everything is thick and silky, then let it cool completely, and refrigerate before you fill your patties.
I like to spread my filling on a small sheet pan, so it cools more quickly. Cold filling is a must here, so it does not melt your dough while you are assembling.
Make the Dough
Mix the Dry Ingredients and Butter
Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, annatto, and turmeric in a large bowl. Add 4 ounces of the grated butter and toss it through the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs. Reserve the other 4 ounces for later, keeping it in the refrigerator.
Add the Liquid
Whisk the egg yolk into your ice-cold water, then drizzle it into the flour a little at a time, stirring with a fork. You may not need all the liquid, so stop as soon as the dough comes together. Bring the dough together into a rough ball, wrap it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Laminate the Dough
On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Scatter some of the reserved grated butter over the bottom two-thirds of the dough, leaving the top third bare.
Fold the bottom of the dough over the center, then add butter to the top third, and fold the dough onto that. Use a rolling pin to flatten it out.
Finish Laminating and Chill the Dough
Scatter more reserved butter over the bottom two-thirds of the dough and repeat the same fold. Continue rolling, adding butter, and folding 1 to 2 more times, until all the reserved butter has been used.
Shape the dough into a ball or rectangle, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for another 30 minutes before rolling and filling the patties.
Assemble and Bake
Roll and Fill
Divide the chilled dough into 8 equal portions and roll each one into a ball, then roll each ball out into a 7-inch round, about ⅛ inch thick. Spoon about ¼ cup of the cooled filling onto one half of each round, leaving a clean border around the edge.
Seal and Chill
Fold the dough over into a half-moon and press the edges together, then crimp the sealed edge with a fork to lock it shut. Remove any excess dough with a paring knife or dough cutter.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place the patties on them. Refrigerate them for 30 minutes until firm. This chill keeps the shape and the layers intact in the oven.
Bake
While the patties chill, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and flaky. Let the patties cool for a few minutes before you dig in.
Tanya's Top Tips
- Keep everything cold. Cold butter, cold dough, cold filling, and even chilling the shaped patties before they go in the oven. Warm dough is soft dough, and soft dough will not hold those flaky layers.
- Taste your filling before it cools. Once it is refrigerated, it is harder to adjust the salt and heat, so taste it while it is still warm on the stove and fix it then.
- Do not overfill your patties. Leave that border around the edge so you can get a good seal. An overfilled patty is a patty that bursts open in the oven.
Variations
- Beef and cheese: Lay a slice of cheddar over the filling before folding for a patty shop classic.
- Chicken patties: swap the ground beef for ground chicken or turkey and season the same way.
- Vegetable patties: these same wrappers hold a seasoned callaloo or vegetable filling beautifully if you want a meatless version.
- Milder heat: remove the seeds and membrane from the Scotch bonnet, or leave one pepper out entirely, if you want less heat without losing the flavor.
What to Serve With Jamaican Beef Patties
The classic way to eat a beef patty is to tuck it into coco bread, the soft, slightly sweet bread that Jamaican bakeries pair with patties. Split it open, slide your patty in, and you've got yourself a real meal. Beef patties are usually served as an appetizer or snack.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
Fridge: Store baked patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: warm them in a 350°F (175°C) oven or air fryer until the filling is hot and the crust crisps back up. I would steer clear of the microwave alone, since it tends to leave the crust soft.
Freezing unbaked patties: freeze the assembled, unbaked patties in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. They will keep for 2 to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding about 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.
Freezing baked patties: cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze. Reheat from frozen in the oven or air fryer for the best texture. This will take about 25-30 minutes to reheat on 350°F (175°C).
FAQs
Yes. The filling keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, and the dough can be made a day or two in advance as well.
Habanero is the closest substitute for heat and flavor. You can also use a milder chili to reduce the spice level.
Jamaican Beef Patties Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add the onion, green onion, garlic, and scotch bonnet peppers to a blender and blend into a smooth paste.
- In a 2-quart pan, combine the ground beef, blended aromatics, and beef broth. Break up and stir the beef until it is fully loose in the liquid with no clumps, before turning on the heat. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts to simmer and turn brown.
- Stir in the thyme leaves, all-purpose seasoning, sugar, salt, allspice, nutmeg, ketchup.
- Reduce the heat to medium and allow it to gently simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the browning and stir.
- In a small bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and water into a paste. Stir the paste into the beef. Simmer for an additional 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is thick and silky.
- Let the filling cool and then refrigerate before filling the patties.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, annatto powder, and turmeric.
- Add 4 ounces of the grated butter and toss through the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Reserve the remaining 4 ounces of grated butter for laminating.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk into the ice cold water. Drizzle into the flour a little at a time, stirring with a fork, until the dough just comes together. You may not need all the liquid.
- Flatten into a rough rectangle, wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Scatter some of the reserved grated butter over the bottom two-thirds of the dough, leaving the top third bare.Fold the bottom of the dough over the center, then add butter to the top third, and fold the dough onto that. Use a rolling pin to flatten it out. Scatter more reserved butter over the bottom two-thirds of the dough and repeat the same fold. Continue rolling, adding butter, and folding 1 to 2 more times, until all the reserved butter has been used.Shape the dough into a ball or rectangle, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for another 30 minutes before rolling and filling the patties.
- Remove dough from fridge and divide into 8 equal portions and roll into balls. Roll out balls into 7-inch rounds, ⅛ inch thick.
- Spoon about ¼ cup of cooled filling onto one half of each round, leaving a border around the edge.
- Fold the dough over into a half-moon, and press the edges together. Crimp the sealed edge with a fork to lock it shut. Remove any excess dough with a pastry cutter or paring knife. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the patties on the lined baking sheets.
- Refrigerate the assembled patties for 30 minutes, until firm. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden and flaky.
- Let cool a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
- Keep the filling, dough, and assembled patties cold for the flakiest pastry.
- The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.
- Store baked patties in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer until hot and crisp.
- Freeze unbaked patties for 2 to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 5 to 10 minutes.
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