In demand globally, Jamaican patties are delicious! A genuine Jamaican burger is made from ground beef, usually seasoned with onions, allspice, thyme, and the heat of Scotch Bonnet peppers, and then wrapped in a puff pastry with a distinctive yellow-orange color, which comes from from various sources. such as annatto seed, turmeric, or food coloring. They are approximately 8″ long crescent shaped rectangles, and there is a distinctive horizontal grain running through the crust. You can also find appetizer (or “cocktail”) sized empanadas, they make great party food!
Empanadas are some of the most popular snacks in Jamaica, equaling the popularity of hot dogs and tacos for Americans. And while beef patties are the most popular, you’ll also find chicken, fish, lobster, shrimp, cheese, vegetable, ackee, and even tofu patties. Empanadas can be baked (predominantly in the English-speaking Caribbean islands) or fried (predominantly 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 debris from the mine, the empanada was an easy thing for miners to hold and eat – the perfect meal on the go. They could eat a little for breakfast and save the rest for lunch. And, when baked, empanadas can stay hot for long periods of time. If kept close to the body, they could help the miner stay warm. Apparently the empanadas were also quite popular with miners elsewhere, particularly in Montana.
Whatever its origins, the Jamaican burger has relatives all over the world! It is quite similar to Spanish, South American and Latin American. empanadasThe Italian Calzonethe Arab, North African and Turkish sambousaEastern Europe and Yiddish knishand even the well-known American microwave hot pocket, produced by Nestle. The hamburger 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 must open like a coconut (it does not contain coconut). They claim that the coconut bread helps absorb the juice and spiciness of the burger.
The two biggest hamburger competitors in Jamaica are tasty patties (born in the 1960s) and juicy patties (born in the 1980s), both with outlets throughout Jamaica, and great debates ensue over which product is better. Information on both can be found on the Internet along with the menus. Today, empanadas made by various companies are widely distributed, including internationally. Frozen empanadas are sold by many American markets (mainly Florida and New York), and they are widely available in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Philippines. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Brooklyn, New York, look for them in restaurants as well.
Never let a delicious and authentic Jamaican burger come your way without trying it!