A Jamaican patty is a semicircular pastry that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture or turmeric.

[10] Jamaicans brought recipes for the patties northward in the 1960s and 1970s when many immigrated to the United States as hospital orderlies, home health aides and nurses.

The patties are equally popular in British cities with large West Indian populations, such as Birmingham,[11] Manchester and London.

In recent years, the Jamaican meat patty has been pre-made and frozen for mass selling in Britain,[12] Canada, and the United States.

In many areas in the United States and Canada, Jamaican beef patties are now typically available at pizza and convenience food restaurants, as well as supermarkets.

The patties are now often made in large numbers by industrial machinery and sold under brand names in supermarkets and in chain restaurants.