How to Make Jamaican Tin Beef (Corned Beef) Fry-Up + Boiled Dumplings

 

Jamaican bully beef and boiled dumplings

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Backstory

Growing up in Jamaica, tin beef or what many of us call bully beef was one of those meals you always knew about, but not every household could afford it as often as people think. My parents could afford it because both of them had working, middle-income jobs, but trust me, plenty households still couldn’t buy it regularly. And even if they could scrape up enough to buy one tin, that still wasn’t enough when the family big, because realistically one tin can only share for about three people the most.

Back then, tin beef was cheaper, but the problem was never just the price it was the amount of people living in one home. And you would be surprised how many families in Jamaica couldn’t buy as freely as others assumed. Plus, the choices we have today never existed back then. Today you see all sorts of brands and different tin sizes small, medium, large, reduced salt, imported brands but when we were growing up, there was only Grace Kennedy, and Grace only had the big tin beef. No variety, no size options, nothing fancy.

Still, even with the limitations, bully beef was a lifesaver in many Jamaican homes. Some people ate it straight from the tin, others stretched it with cabbage, and some used tomato to make it “look more.” And of course, once you sauté that onion, sweet pepper, hot pepper, and garlic, the whole house smells like proper Jamaican cooking.

Even today, with rising prices after Hurricane Melissa and so much uncertainty in the food markets, plenty people turn back to tin beef because it’s easy, quick, flavorful, and can stretch a meal when you need it the most. Whether you search for it as tin beef, corned beef, or bully beef, it’s still one of Jamaica’s most nostalgic, comforting pantry staples.

This recipe is my version, simple, flavourful, and very Jamaican.


Ingredients

  • Half of one large onion, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 slices sweet pepper, diced
  • A few slices hot pepper, diced
  • Tomato is optional — I don’t want tomato in mine
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or oil of your choice)
  • 1 tin corned beef / tin beef / bully beef
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ketchup (optional)

Instructions

Step 1 – Prepare the seasoning

Slice the onion, mince the garlic, and dice the sweet pepper and hot pepper.

Step 2 – Sauté

Put a skillet on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or the oil of your choice. Sauté the onion, hot and sweet peppers, and garlic until they become somewhat soft.

Step 3 – Add the bully beef

Remove the bully beef from the tin and add it to the skillet. Use a spoon to break it up. Sprinkle on black pepper and add the ketchup if you're using it.

Step 4 – Simmer

Cover and let it simmer for about one minute.

Step 5 – Serve

Serve with plain rice (cooked white rice) or white flour dumplings (cooked dumplings).

Preparation Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Nutrition Information (Approximate per serving)

  • Calories: 250–300
  • Protein: 15–18g
  • Fat: 18–22g
  • Carbohydrates: 3–5g
  • Sodium: 800–1100mg
  • Fiber: 0–1g

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Quick & tasty Jamaican tin beef (corned beef / bully beef) fry-up with onion, peppers & garlic — easy breakfast or dinner!

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