Jamaican Beef Patties

Name: Jamaican Beef Patties
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp ground turmeric (for pastry); 1 tsp salt (for pastry); 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed; 8 tbsp ice water; 1 lb ground beef (80/20); 1 yellow onion, finely diced; 4 scallions, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 Scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), seeded, minced; 1 tsp ground allspice; 1 tsp dried thyme; 2 tsp curry powder; 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs; 1/2 cup beef broth; 1/2 tsp salt (for filling); 1 egg (for egg wash), beaten with 1 tbsp water

Flaky turmeric-yellow pastry shells filled with a boldly spiced ground beef mixture fragrant with Scotch bonnet, allspice, and thyme. These iconic Caribbean hand pies bake to a golden, satisfying crisp.

90 minMediumServes 4420 cal/serving

JamaicanLunchOvenStandardAlcohol-FreeCorn-Free

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground turmeric (for pastry)
1 tsp salt (for pastry)
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
8 tbsp ice water
1 lb ground beef (80/20)
1 yellow onion, finely diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 Scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), seeded, minced
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 tsp salt (for filling)
1 egg (for egg wash), beaten with 1 tbsp water

Instructions

1

Make the pastry: whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp ground turmeric (for pastry), and 1 tsp salt (for pastry). Cut in 3/4 cup cubed cold unsalted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 8 tbsp ice water a little at a time until dough just comes together. Flatten into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2

Make the filling: in a skillet over medium-high heat, cook 1 lb ground beef (80/20) until browned, breaking it up, about 6 minutes. Drain excess fat.
3

Push the beef to one side. Add 1 finely diced yellow onion, 4 thinly sliced scallions, and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pan and cook 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 seeded, minced Scotch bonnet pepper (or habanero), 1 tsp ground allspice, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 2 tsp curry powder.
4

Pour in 1/2 cup beef broth, add 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs and 1/2 tsp salt (for filling). Stir and simmer until the mixture is moist but not wet, about 4 minutes. Cool completely.
5

Preheat oven to 400F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 5-inch circles (about 8 circles for the standard batch).
6

Place a heaping spoonful of filling on one half of each circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon. Press edges firmly and crimp with a fork.
7

Brush the patties with 1 beaten with 1 tbsp water egg (for egg wash). Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
8

Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.

Questions

Can I make Jamaican Beef Patties dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Jamaican Beef Patties gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works); the bread or crumbs for a gluten-free loaf or gluten-free panko. Everything else proceeds as written.

Can I make Jamaican Beef Patties ahead?

Yes, it takes well to being made ahead. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat covered in a 300 F oven until warmed through.

Can I halve or double Jamaican Beef Patties?

Yes. As written it serves 4. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

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