Jamaican Beef Patties

Name: Jamaican Beef Patties
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Jamaica
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 scotch bonnet pepper, minced; 2 tsp curry powder; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1/2 cup breadcrumbs; 1/2 cup beef stock; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp salt; 1 cup cold butter, cubed; 1/2 cup ice water

8 servings40 min prep30 min cookMedium Jamaica

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Jamaican Beef Patties

Story updated September 17, 2026

Jamaican beef patties, flaky pastry filled with spiced ground beef, developed through a blend of British pasty and Indian curry-spice influences during colonial-era Jamaica, with the turmeric-tinted crust becoming a distinctive local innovation. They're now an iconic Jamaican export found in diaspora communities worldwide.

Ingredients

Scale:· 8 servings

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scotch bonnet pepper, minced
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup beef stock
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 cup cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup ice water

Instructions

1For the dough, whisk flour, turmeric, and salt, then cut in cold butter until pea-sized crumbs form; mix in ice water until dough comes together, chill 30 minutes.
2For the filling, brown the ground beef with onion, garlic, and scotch bonnet pepper.
3Stir in curry powder and thyme, cooking 2 minutes, then add breadcrumbs and beef stock and simmer until thickened; cool.
4Roll out the dough and cut into 6-inch rounds.
5Spoon filling onto one half of each round, fold over, and crimp the edges with a fork.
6Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes until golden and flaky.
7Serve hot.

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