JAMAICAN BEEF PATTIES

Ingredients

For the filling
• 4 lb (1,814 g) ground beef
• 1 large onion, very finely chopped
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, very finely chopped
• 2 Scotch bonnet peppers, seeds removed, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Thyme leaves from 6–8 sprigs
• 1 tsp crushed pimento
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) ketchup
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) browning
• 1 cup (60 g) plain breadcrumbs
• 2½–3 cups (600–720 ml) beef stock
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil

For the crust
• 8 cups (960 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 tsp Jamaican curry powder
• 2 tsp bijol
• 2 tbsp (25 g) white sugar
• 1½ cups (287 g) very cold vegetable shortening
• ½ cup (113 g) very cold unsalted butter
• 1½ cups (360 ml) ice-cold water

Additional Notes

• The filling needed more moisture. This could be fixed by using the full amount of beef stock and reducing the breadcrumbs slightly. Pay attention to where the mixture feels lacking and adjust that specific component.
• The crust could be flakier. There’s room to improve here, and it’s achievable with better fat distribution and handling, even though the exact tweak still needs dialing in.
• I thought I might be overfilling the patties, but I actually loved how stuffed they were. Way more satisfying than store-bought patties.
• I want to make the patties flatter so they fit better inside cocobread when eating.
• There are improvements to be made, but for a first attempt these were incredible. They freeze perfectly and reheat without any noticeable loss in quality.
• Patience is key. Dough may feel fragile, but it can take more handling than you think—work it with confidence.

Method

Filling

  1. Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.

  2. Add onion, scallions, bell pepper, and Scotch bonnet. Cook until softened.

  3. Add garlic, thyme, pimento, and ginger. Stir briefly until fragrant.

  4. Add ground beef and break it up very finely.

  5. Add salt, black pepper, ketchup, soy sauce, and browning.

  6. Pour in 2½ cups (600 ml) beef stock.

  7. Simmer uncovered, stirring often, until the liquid reduces.

  8. Stir in breadcrumbs.

  9. Add remaining beef stock only if needed.

  10. Cook until thick and jammy.

  11. Taste, adjust salt if needed, and cool completely.

Crust

  1. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, curry powder, bijol, and sugar.

  2. Cut in shortening and butter until pea-size pieces remain.

  3. Add ice-cold water gradually until the dough just comes together.

  4. Do not overwork the dough.

  5. Divide dough, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Assembly

  1. Roll dough to about ⅛-inch thickness.

  2. Cut 7-inch circles.

  3. Add ¼–⅓ cup filling to one side, leaving a clear edge.

  4. Fold over, seal firmly, and crimp edges.

  5. Chill assembled patties for 15–20 minutes.

Baking

  1. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 25–30 minutes, rotating trays halfway through.

  2. Brush with melted butter immediately after baking.

Yield
• 7-inch patties
• ¼–⅓ cup filling per patty
• Total yield: about 20 patties