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Jamaican Beef Patties!!! ( Recipe added )

Don't know how many people make these but for my family it's a staple.  Quite time consuming but oh, so delicous!
 
This is my base recipe to go off of.  I follow the pastry recipe,  but don't follow the filling recipe exactly.  I taste as I cook and add more ingredients as needed.
 
Pastry:
 
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp.  curry powder
1/4 cup of shortening
1/2 stick of margarine
enough water to bring it all together without being sticky and pastry should be extremely soft
 
I add flour, salt, curry powder to mixing bowl and blend together.  Then add your margarine, shortening and turn mixer on using a dough hook.  Start adding water slowly and only enough to bring it all together without any flour left on bottom of bowl.  I then form a ball and place it in plastic wrap and into the fridge for 2-24 hours.  You can make the pastry the day before if you'd like.  
 
 
Beef filling:
1 lb. of ground beef
2 medium sized white onions chopped
1-4 Scotch Bonnets chopped
1 tsp. salt
8 fresh garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp. black pepper
3 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 cups of beef stock
1 cup of bread crumbs
3 tsp. of olive oil
 
Add olive oil to a pot and bring up to heat.  Then add your onions and saute until translucent.  Then add your garlic and scotch bonnets and saute for 1-3 minutes depending on how hot your pan or pot is.  Don't burn the garlic!  Next add your ground beef and dry seasonings and cook until ground beef is done.  Add more seasoning as you'd like.  I add a lot of curry and I mean lots!  As soon as your ground beef is cooked pour into a strainer and strain off all the grease.  I let it sit for a couple minutes to make sure I can get most of it out.  Then add back into your pan along with the beef stock and bring back up to a simmer. Add breadcrumbs and bring all together.  It should be really thick and everything should stick together.  Set aside and let cool to room temp.  
 
Grab your pastry out of the fridge and roll out to about an 1/8 thickness and cut out circles however big or small you want the pattie.  Save all your scraps to roll out again.  You'll more than likely need them depending on how much beef filling you add.  Fill half of the circle and fold over and use a fork to crimp the edges together. I place on a baking sheet with tinfoil on top and spray with cooking spray.  Put in the oven at 375 F and bake until just before they start to turn a golden brown,  usually 10-15 minutes.  I like mine on the softer side so I probably undercook just a tad.  
 
I've never wrote a recipe so I'm not sure how I did.  If there is any questions please feel free to ask!  
 
 
Let's start with the pastry.

 

 
On to the beef filling.



 
Filled pastry with meat!

 
Money shot
 
The classic filling is seasoned ground beef, that's why they are called Jamaican beef patties, but they are basically empanadas so sure you could fill with anything. The pastry is yellow from Jamaican curry and tumeric. There's various recipes on the forum. I love these because of the seasonings and the flaky yet chewy layered crust. When it's perfect there are layers, but not brittle, they hold together as one and have a chew. Someone posted a recipe earlier, and was saying the shortening does that, and they tried it without it and it was not the same. 
 
Thanks everyone!!!
 
Essegi said:
Looks epic! And a thing that i want to make!
J, could you give more details about pastry, fillings and cooking? :D
 
Thanks Giancarlo!  Yes I can,  I'll update the OP with a recipe my friend!
 
fiogga said:
Recipe please!!!! Your jerk chix was food for the gods, this looks SO GOOD! You graciously sent me the jerk recipe and I ran to my favorite international mart for ingredients, they happened to have boxes of peppers labeled Kingston JA. and Dominican Republic. Quite a find, also on sale for $1.99 lb. I bought a large number. Growing out the seeds now germination was great. Made some bonnet jam, want to send you a jar, I'll p.m. for your addy, Thanks!
 
Thanks Sandra,  glad everything turned out tasty!  I'll post the recipe for everyone to try.
 
Jamison said:
Don't know how many people make these but for my family it's a staple.  Quite time consuming but oh, so delicous!
 
This is my base recipe to go off of.  I follow the pastry recipe,  but don't follow the filling recipe exactly.  I taste as I cook and add more ingredients as needed.
 
Pastry:
 
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp.  curry powder
1/4 cup of shortening
1/2 stick of margarine
enough water to bring it all together without being sticky and pastry should be extremely soft
 
I add flour, salt, curry powder to mixing bowl and blend together.  Then add your margarine, shortening and turn mixer on using a dough hook.  Start adding water slowly and only enough to bring it all together without any flour left on bottom of bowl.  I then form a ball and place it in plastic wrap and into the fridge for 2-24 hours.  You can make the pastry the day before if you'd like.  
 
 
Beef filling:
1 lb. of ground beef
2 medium sized white onions chopped
1-4 Scotch Bonnets chopped
1 tsp. salt
8 fresh garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp. black pepper
3 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 cups of beef stock
1 cup of bread crumbs
3 tsp. of olive oil
 
Add olive oil to a pot and bring up to heat.  Then add your onions and saute until translucent.  Then add your garlic and scotch bonnets and saute for 1-3 minutes depending on how hot your pan or pot is.  Don't burn the garlic!  Next add your ground beef and dry seasonings and cook until ground beef is done.  Add more seasoning as you'd like.  I add a lot of curry and I mean lots!  As soon as your ground beef is cooked pour into a strainer and strain off all the grease.  I let it sit for a couple minutes to make sure I can get most of it out.  Then add back into your pan along with the beef stock and bring back up to a simmer. Add breadcrumbs and bring all together.  It should be really thick and everything should stick together.  Set aside and let cool to room temp.  
 
Grab your pastry out of the fridge and roll out to about an 1/8 thickness and cut out circles however big or small you want the pattie.  Save all your scraps to roll out again.  You'll more than likely need them depending on how much beef filling you add.  Fill half of the circle and fold over and use a fork to crimp the edges together. I place on a baking sheet with tinfoil on top and spray with cooking spray.  Put in the oven at 375 F and bake until just before they start to turn a golden brown,  usually 10-15 minutes.  I like mine on the softer side so I probably undercook just a tad.  
 
I've never wrote a recipe so I'm not sure how I did.  If there is any questions please feel free to ask!  
 
 
Let's start with the pastry.

 
 
 

 
 
They have Publix in WI or TN? I miss that place something awful!
 
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