In demand globally, Jamaican Patties are delicious! A genuine Jamaican hamburger is made from ground beef, usually seasoned with onion, capsicum (allspice), thyme, and the heat of Scotch Bonnet peppers, and then wrapped in a distinctive yellow-orange flaky pastry, which comes from from various sources. such as annatto seed, turmeric, or food coloring. They are about 8″ long rectangles shaped like a crescent, and there is a distinctive horizontal grain running through the crust. Appetizer (or “cocktail”) sized empanadas are also great party food!
Empanadas are some of the most popular snack foods in Jamaica, equaling the popularity of hot dogs and tacos for Americans. And while meat patties are the most popular, you’ll also find patties with chicken, fish, lobster, shrimp, cheese, vegetables, ackee, and even tofu. Empanadas can be baked (prevalent in the English-speaking Caribbean islands) or fried (prevalent in the Spanish-speaking islands and Latin America). And, while the idea of veggie patties seems like just a health food fad, these too are authentically Jamaican due to Rastafarian dietary laws.
Based on the historical British influences in Jamaica, some think that the patties could have been derived from British meat. pasty (with the ‘a’ pronounced as in “cat”). Cornish miners carrying pies for lunch deep in the tin mines of Cornwall, UK. The traditional empanada was made of diced steak, onion and potato, all wrapped in a dense, folded crust. Covered in dirt and mine debris, the patty was an easy thing for miners to hold and eat – the perfect on-the-go meal. They could eat a little for breakfast and save the rest for lunch. And, when baked, empanadas can stay warm for long periods of time. If held close to the body, they could help the miner stay warm. The pies were apparently quite popular with miners elsewhere as well, particularly in Montana.
Whatever its origins, the Jamaican burger has relatives all over the world! It is quite similar to the Spanish, South American and Latin American. empanadasThe Italian CalzoneArabic, North African and Turkish sambousaEastern Europe and Yiddish knishand even the well-known American microwave hot pocket, produced by Nestle. The burger is truly an international food design!
Jamaicans eat empanadas from early in the morning until late at night. Many prefer a hamburger wrapped in coconut bread, so called because it is a large, soft and sweet bun that you have to open like a coconut (it does not contain coconut). They claim that the coconut bun helps absorb the juice and spiciness of the burger.
The two biggest hamburger competitors in Jamaica are tasty empanadas (born in the 1960s) and juicy empanadas (born in the 1980s), both with outlets all over Jamaica, and great debates ensue as to which product is better. Information about both can be found on the internet along with the menus. Today, empanadas made by various companies are widely distributed, including internationally. Many American markets sell frozen empanadas (mainly Florida and New York), and they are widely available in the UK, Canada, and the Philippines. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Brooklyn, New York, look for them in the restaurants, too.
Never let a delicious, authentic Jamaican burger cross your path without trying it!