Get ready to transport your taste buds to the vibrant Caribbean streets of Jamaica with these authentic Jamaican Beef Patties with Cheese! A flaky golden crust, spiced beef filling, and melty cheese combine to make these patties irresistible. Perfect for a snack, appetizer, or main dish, they’re a taste of Jamaica in every bite.
This recipe was inspired by our visit to Juici Patties in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on a food and culture tour. Our guide, Duane, took us to his favorite Jamaican beef patty spot, a beloved fast-food chain with fond childhood memories. He shared that a trip to Juici Patties was his reward after a dreaded doctor’s visit.
Traveling with Mark and the boys, my mom, and my brother’s family—nine of us in total—we all fell in love with the Jamaican beef patty.
Top Tip
For the flakiest crust, keep your butter and water ice-cold throughout the dough-making process. The perfect balance of spice is achieved by adjusting the amount of habanero chili to your taste, or use Scotch bonnet peppers for authentic Jamaican style beef patties.
Jump to:
Ingredients you'll need
To re-create the signature flaky golden pastry, I added turmeric to a buttery pie dough made in a food processor. Sour cream and egg provide richness and tenderness, ensuring the dough won’t crack during rolling.
For the Crust
- wet ingredients: Chilled sour cream and unsalted butter, egg, ice cold water - it is very important that we keep these ingredients at a chilled temperature as this will help us achieve a tender and flaky crust.
- dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, sugar, ground turmeric. The turmeric gives the dough its iconic golden color.
- shortening: beef suet (optional, grated using a box grater) substitute with vegetable shortening if unavailable - yep good ole Crisco!
Jamaican beef patties filling ingredients
For the filling, I seasoned the beef with an aromatic blend of scallions, garlic, thyme, curry powder, allspice, and habanero chile. While authentic Jamaican beef patties traditionally use Scotch bonnet peppers for their distinct flavor and heat, these can be hard to find. As a substitute, I use a habanero chili, which offers a similar fiery kick and vibrant spice profile.
- ground beef (85% lean): The star of the dish, 85/15 ground beef has more fat, which gives it a richer flavor and makes it more juicy without being overly greasy.
- baking soda: Tenderizes the beef.
- herbs and spices: scallions, garlic, thyme, curry powder, all spice and paprika
- habanero chili: Provides heat; While authentic Jamaican beef patties use Scotch bonnet peppers, I cannot readily find them in Minnesota. So, I opt for a habanero chili pepper.
Ingredients for curry gravy and cheese
To elevate the flavors, I steamed the beef in a curry gravy consisting of curry, beef bouillon, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, enhancing the filling’s richness. The addition of white bread softened in the mixture helps the velvety gravy cling to the beef, making each bite tender, moist and unforgettable. Adding a slice of cheese brought a melty, indulgent twist to the classic Jamaican style beef patties.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds depth with its complex umami flavor, balancing the savory and spiced notes of the filling. Soy sauce, preferably dark can be used as a substitute. Dark soy sauce is likely to be sweeter, thanks to the additions of agents like palm sugar molasses and dark brown sugar.
- beef bouillon base: Enhances the beefy flavor, I opt for Better than Bullion beef base
- hearty white bread: Thickens the filling for a cohesive texture.
- pepper jack, cheddar or American deli cheese: Totally optional but I love how the cheese melts into the filling for extra indulgence.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Jamaican Beef Patties Recipe
While we’re at it, let’s prep for another meal! Make all 8 hand-sized Jamaican beef patties or 16 mini-Jamaican beef patties in one go. I know, I know this is a cooking blog for TWO, but whenever I can prep ahead, I am all for it. After assembling the patties, pop them onto a tray and freeze them until solid. Frozen Jamaican beef patties, can be stored in an airtight container for a convenient weeknight meal. When baking from frozen, simply add 15-20 minutes to the bake time.
1. Prepare the Dough:
Whisk sour cream and egg together in small bowl. Pop it in the refrigerator to keep these ingredients at their coldest. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and turmeric. Pulse to mix for about 3 seconds.
Add butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form.
Gradually, add sour cream mixture and ½ cup ice-cold water, pulsing until the dough just comes together.
TIP: If the dough isn’t coming together, add more water by the tablespoon, as necessary.
Turn out dough onto sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a square, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
Make ahead tip: You can refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days.
2. Make the Filling
Meanwhile, combine beef with baking soda, salt and water. Roll up your sleeves and get in there with your hands to mix thoroughly. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Not only does baking soda make the beef more tender it helps it hold its moisture.
Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add beef mixture and cook, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon, until it begins to brown – we want some pink.
Add scallions, garlic, habanero, thyme, curry powder, allspice, paprika, and Worcestershire, cook until scallions are softened. This will go pretty quickly, about 3 minutes.
Stir in bread, beef bouillon and 1 cup water simmering (turn down that heat to low) until thickened and the sauce coats the beef.
Off the heat, grab your potato masher and mash the beef mixture until fine-textured and the bread is fully incorporated. Transfer to a clean bowl and let the filling cool completely.
Make ahead tip: Filling can be covered with plastic and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
3. Assemble the Patties
On a lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12-inch square. Helpful hint: Tumeric will stain a porous work surface, so roll between parchment paper if needed. Fold dough in half to form a rectangle, then fold again the other way to form a square. Roll again into a 12-inch square. Repeat this process 3 more times, letting dough rest as needed if it becomes too stiff to roll.
Roll to ⅛-inch thickness, then use a bowl or pastry cutter to cut out 8 (6-inch) rounds, rerolling scraps as necessary. (Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to make cocktail or mini sized Jamaican beef patties).
Add grated cheese or a cheese slice and about 4 to 5 Tablespoons beef filling on one half (if you are making mini patties use about 2 to 3 Tablespoons). Fold over and seal edges with a fork. Prick the tops twice to allow the steam to escape.
4. Bake
Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake until patties have puffed and exteriors have lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Transfer patties to wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Make ahead tip: After assembling, transfer patties on baking sheet to freezer. Once frozen solid, patties can be transferred to zipper-lock bag and frozen for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen, extend baking time to 40 to 45 minutes, until bottoms are crisp.
Jamaican beef patties sauce
I love dipping my patties regardless of size (hand sized or cocktail sized Jamaican patties) in a spicy mayo – it’s the right combination of creamy, tangy, spicy, and faintly smoky, with lime juice and zest adding a citrus pop.
Whisk together ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 tablespoon sriracha, 1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon lime juice, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika in a small bowl
Did you make this recipe?
Share your thoughts
Let me know what you thought. Leave a star rating and review in the comments below! And don't forget to subscribe to Our Table 4 2 for even more cooking for two recipes and tips.
Variations
Spicy Jamaican Beef Patties - For a spicier filling, include the seeds and ribs of the habanero chilI. If you find Scotch bonnet chiles, you can substitute one for the habanero, making authentic Jamaican beef patties. I recommend wearing rubber gloves to protect your hands and avoid touching your face while prepping the chili.
Mini Jamaican Beef Patties - Perfect for parties, use a smaller cutter (3-4 inches) to make bite-sized versions. Adjust the filling to 1-2 tablespoons per patty and reduce baking time to 20 - 25 minutes. You should get about 16 mini or cocktail Jamaican beef patties from this recipe.
What to Serve with Jamaican Beef Patties
While these patties are great all on their own, they also go well when paired with tasty sides. Below are three tasty sides that go well with Jamaican patties.
- Fried Plantains: Fried plantains are common across the Caribbean and go well with Jamaican patties. While they are technically in the banana family, they contain more starch but are less sweet than the common bananas we’re used to in the U.S. As described in the name, fried plantains are dipped in hot oil to give a crispy exterior and a soft, sweet interior.
- Rice and Peas: One of the staple dishes in Jamaica is rice and peas. The rice is cooked with coconut milk, peas, and various seasonings such as thyme. The creamy flavor of the rice and peas paired with the bold spice of the Jamaican patty is a match made in culinary heaven.
- Callaloo: Callaloo is a traditional Jamaican dish. It is made of callaloo greens , coconut milk, and various seasonings. It is most similar to collard greens but with a bitter and earthy flavor. These different tastes and textures complement each other.
For drinks, red stripe Jamaican beer and fruity rum punch perfectly complements the flavors.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Korean Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce
- Coronation Chicken Salad Sandwich (or Wrap!)
- Traditional Cucumber Sandwiches Recipe with Dill and Cream Cheese
- Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwich with Gochujang Mayo
Jamaican Beef Patties with Cheese Recipe
Save This Recipe To Your Recipe Box
You can access your saved recipes on this device and generate a shopping list for recipes in your collections.
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- ⅔ cup Sour Cream chilled
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons table salt
- 3 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
- ½ cup beef suet minced or ground. You can substitute all-vegetable shortening like Crisco
- ½ to ⅔ cup ice cold water
Filling
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 12 scallions ,chopped fine
- 4 garlic cloves ,minced
- 1 habanero chili ,stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon curry powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce preferably dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons beef bouillon base like Better than Bouillon
- 1 slice hearty white sandwich bread ,torn into 1-inch pieces
- 8 deli cheese slices ,pepper jack or cheddar
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
- Whisk sour cream and egg together in small bowl, refrigerate until ready to use. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and turmeric. Pulse to mix, about 3 seconds. Add butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Add ½ of the sour cream mixture pulse until combined, about 5 pulses. Add remaining sour cream mixture and pulse again, about 15 pulses. Gradually add ½ cup ice cold water and pulse until the dough just comes together, adding more water by the tablespoon, as necessary.
- Turn out dough onto sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a square, wrap, and chill for 1 hour or for up to 2 days.
Make the Filling:
- Meanwhile, combine beef with baking soda, salt and water, using your hands to mix thoroughly. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add beef mixture and cook, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon, until it begins to brown. Add scallions, garlic, habanero, thyme, curry powder, allspice, paprika, and Worcestershire, cook until scallions are softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in bread, beef bouillon and 1 cup water simmering over low heat until thickened and the sauce coats the beef.
- Using a potato masher and mash the beef mixture until fine-textured and the bread is fully incorporated. Transfer to a clean bowl and let the filling cool completely.
Assemble the Patties:
- On a lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12-inch square. Fold dough in half to form a rectangle, then fold again the other way to form a square. Roll again into a 12-inch square. Repeat this process 3 more times, letting dough rest as needed if it’s too stiff to roll. Roll to ⅛-inch thickness, then use a bowl or pastry cutter to cut out 8 (6-inch) rounds, rerolling scraps as necessary. Add a cheese slice and ⅓ cup beef filling on one half. Fold over and seal edges with a fork. Prick the tops twice to allow the steam to escape.
Bake:
- Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Bake until patties have puffed and exteriors have lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Transfer patties to wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- Cooked filling can be covered with plastic and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
Your Notes, Tips and Tricks
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Cinco de Mayo
Carnitas, Enchiladas, Tacos and more
It's taco night! Find Carnitas and Taco recipes with tips and tricks to making carnitas in a slow cooker, seafood and vegan recipes when cooking for two. No need for a crowd—these perfectly portioned recipes are designed for you and your favorite sports fan. From shareable snacks to sandwiches and chilis, game day has never been so delicious!
Leave a Reply