Jamaican Patties
Submitted by tracy_griffen
Authentic Jamaican beef patties with golden turmeric-curry pastry and spiced ground beef filling. Caribbean street food you can make at home, make-ahead friendly.
YIELD
16 pattiesPREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
2 hrsThese are the real deal Jamaican patties: hand-pie pastries with a sun-yellow crust from turmeric and curry powder, filled with intensely spiced ground beef and green onions. If you’ve ever had one from a Caribbean bakery in Brooklyn or Kingston, you know the addiction.
The yellow color comes from both turmeric and curry powder worked directly into the dough. Double the curry powder goes into the filling (a full tablespoon, plus thyme, turmeric, and cayenne), which is traditional Jamaican kitchen logic: a little spice in the crust, a lot in the filling.
The bread crumb trick in the filling is clever. A cup of water goes in to loosen the ground beef into a sauce, then breadcrumbs absorb the excess liquid so the filling stays juicy but not wet. Juicy filling with dry crust is what makes a patty collapse. Breadcrumb-bound filling keeps everything structurally sound.
The whole recipe is designed for make-ahead. Dough keeps 5 days refrigerated, 3 weeks frozen. Filling holds a day. Assembled patties hold a day before baking.
Chef Tips
- Use a stockinette-covered rolling pin if you have one. The cotton surface picks up less flour and keeps the dough tender.
- Chill the dough the full hour. Cold dough rolls without tearing and bakes up flakier.
- Prick the tops twice before baking. Steam vents keep the pastry from blowing open.
- Brush with egg wash before baking for a glossy golden top if you want a more polished look.
Variations
- Use ground chicken or lamb for a different protein profile.
- Add a tablespoon of diced Scotch bonnet pepper for authentic heat. Wear gloves.
- Make mini cocktail-size patties for parties. Adjust the filling amount per round.
Ingredients
Directions
DOUGH: In large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, curry powder, tumeric, and salt.
Cut in shortening and butter until crumbly.
Drizzle in water, stirring with fork and adding up to 2 tablespoons more water if necessary, to make a soft dough.
Form into a ball and flatten to a disc.
Wrap and chill for 1 hour.
(Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 weeks.)
FILLING: In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook onion, green onions, garlic and cayenne pepper for 3 minutes or until softened.
Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
Over high heat, sauté beef for 5 minutes or until no longer pink; drain off fat.
Return onion mixture to pan along with curry powder, thyme, tumeric, salt and pepper; cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.
Pour in water; bring to a boil. Add crumbs; simmer for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened but still juicy.
Let cool.
(Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
Divide dough into 16 pieces.
On floured pastry cloth and using stockinette-covered rolling pin, roll out each piece into 5-inch circle.
Brush edges of top half with water; place 2 heaping tablespoons of filling in the centre.
Fold in half, pressing edges togther with fork to seal.
Prick twice; place on ungreased baking sheet.
(Patties can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
Bake in 375℉ (190℃) oven for about 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
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