13 Jamaican Mutton Recipes: From Curry to Stew

Greetings, food lovers! Today I’m dragging you kicking and screaming (well, maybe just drooling) into the vibrant world of Jamaican cuisine. We’re talking 13 mutton recipes that’ll have your taste buds doing the reggae two-step straight to the Caribbean.

I wasn’t just looking for any old recipes; I wanted the real deal—dishes that scream Jamaica, with a mix of old-school classics and some fresh twists. I sniffed out the ones with soul, authenticity, and a good story, all while keeping it fun and doable. Trust me, I had a blast picking these 13 recipes.

1. Jamaican Curry Mutton

A slow-cooked Jamaican classic, rich with bold spices and tender mutton.

Ingredients:

• 500g mutton
• 10ml vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 150ml water
• 2 tablespoons Myristica’s Curry Mutton Powder
• 125g waxy potatoes, diced

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, marinate the mutton with curry powder for at least 2 hours.
2. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat and brown the mutton on all sides.
3. Add onion, garlic, thyme, and spring onion; sauté until fragrant.
4. Pour in water, cover, and simmer on low heat for 3-3.5 hours.
5. Add potatoes during the last 30 minutes and cook until tender.
6. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Preparation Time: 2 hours (marinating)
Cooking Time: 3-3.5 hours

Try adding coconut milk for creaminess or swap potatoes for carrots; the slow simmer and warm spices echo Jamaica’s cozy, family-style cooking.

2. Mutton Soup

A hearty Jamaican soup brimming with mutton and root veggies for a soul-warming meal.

Ingredients:

• 2-2½ lbs mutton
• 7 cups water
• 2 tablespoons red meat seasoning
• 1 lb yam, peeled and diced
• 1 cho cho (chayote), peeled and diced
• 1 potato, diced
• 1-2 carrots, sliced
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 sprigs thyme
• 8 pimento berries
• 5 cups mutton stock
• 3 tablespoons pumpkin soup mix
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper
• Salt, garlic powder, black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, season mutton with red meat seasoning, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.
2. Pressure cook mutton in water for 20 minutes until tender.
3. Transfer to a pot, add yam, cho cho, potato, carrots, scallions, onion, thyme, pimento berries, and scotch bonnet.
4. Pour in mutton stock and pumpkin soup mix, then simmer for 1 hour.
5. Remove scotch bonnet (if whole) and serve hot with crusty bread or rice.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Add dumplings for extra heft or use sweet potato instead of yam; this dish radiates Jamaican Sunday traditions and comfort.

3. Brown Stew Mutton

A savory Jamaican stew with mutton in a rich, dark sauce, ideal with rice and peas.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs mutton
• 2 tablespoons browning or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon meat seasoning
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 10 pimento berries
• 1/2 oz oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 potato, diced
• 1 carrot, sliced

Instructions:

1. Marinate mutton with browning sauce, meat seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper for 15 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat and brown the mutton.
3. Add onion, scallion, thyme, and pimento berries; sauté until softened.
4. Pour in enough water to cover, then simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes.
5. Add potato and carrot, cooking until the sauce thickens, then serve with rice and peas.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Spike it with hot sauce for heat or use a pressure cooker for speed; this stew’s deep flavors scream Jamaican family gatherings.

4. Caribbean Mutton Curry

A fiery blend of Caribbean and Indian spices, slow-cooked for succulent mutton.

Ingredients:

• 1.2kg mutton
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4-5 tablespoons oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
• 4cm turmeric, grated
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• Juice of 1 lime

Instructions:

1. Season mutton with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat and sear the mutton until browned.
3. Add onions, ginger, turmeric, scotch bonnet, garlic, cinnamon, coriander, fenugreek, and cumin; sauté until aromatic.
4. Pour in water to cover, then simmer for 2-3 hours on low heat.
5. Stir in lime juice just before serving with rice or roti.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Pair with mango chutney or dial down the scotch bonnet for less heat; this curry fuses Jamaica’s spice love with island flair.

5. Curry Goat (Adapted to Mutton)

A Jamaican party staple, this mutton curry is spicy, rich, and celebration-ready.

Ingredients:

• 2½ lb mutton
• 2½ tablespoons curry powder
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, chopped
• 6 pimento berries
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
• 1 potato, diced
• Oil, water, lime, vinegar for washing

Instructions:

1. Wash mutton with lime and vinegar, then marinate with curry powder, all-purpose seasoning, salt, scotch bonnet, pimento, onion, scallions, garlic, thyme, and ginger overnight.
2. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat and sear the mutton.
3. Add water to cover, then simmer for 2 hours on low heat.
4. Add potato and cook until the sauce thickens, about 20-30 minutes.
5. Serve with coconut rice or roti.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes (plus overnight marinating)
Cooking Time: 2 hours

Use Jamaican curry powder for authenticity or marinate longer for depth; it’s a festive dish that embodies Jamaican joy.

6. Jamaican Mutton Patties

Flaky pastries stuffed with spiced mutton, a grab-and-go Jamaican treat.

Ingredients:

• 3½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 tablespoons turmeric
• 1 cup butter, cold and cubed
• 1 cup water
• 1 lb mutton, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, minced
• 2 scallions, chopped
• ½ cup stock
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

1. Mix flour, salt, sugar, curry powder, turmeric, and butter until crumbly; add water, knead, and chill dough for 1 hour.
2. Cook mutton with onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, allspice, scotch bonnet, and scallions; add stock and breadcrumbs to thicken, then cool.
3. Roll out dough, cut into circles, and fill with mutton mixture.
4. Fold and seal patties, then bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.
5. Serve warm with chutney or hot sauce.

Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Add cheese to the filling or try gluten-free flour; these patties bring Jamaican street food vibes to your kitchen.

7. Jamaican Jerk Mutton

Grilled mutton with smoky, spicy jerk seasoning, straight from Jamaica’s grill pits.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs mutton
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 2 scotch bonnet peppers, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon allspice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
• ½ teaspoon cloves

Instructions:

1. In a blender, mix onion, scallions, scotch bonnet, garlic, allspice, soy sauce, oil, brown sugar, five-spice, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves into a marinade.
2. Coat mutton with marinade and let sit overnight in the fridge.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
4. Grill mutton for 35-40 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through.
5. Serve with festival or rice and peas.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes (plus overnight marinating)
Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes

Tweak the heat with fewer peppers or use different mutton cuts; jerk’s smoky spice is pure Jamaican heritage.

8. Grilled Mutton with Jamaican Spices

Quick-grilled mutton chops bursting with jerk-inspired flavors.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs mutton chops
• 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ginger, grated
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix jerk seasoning, olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, and cayenne into a paste.
2. Rub paste onto mutton chops and marinate for at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat grill to high heat.
4. Grill chops for 4-5 minutes per side, or until desired doneness.
5. Serve with grilled veggies or a fresh salad.

Preparation Time: 2 hours (marinating)
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Baste with a rum glaze or add thyme for freshness; this dish channels Jamaica’s beach BBQ spirit.

9. Jamaican Mutton and Rice One-Pot Meal

A simple, hearty one-pot dish with mutton, rice, and veggies.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb mutton, cubed
• 1 cup rice
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• ½ cup carrots, diced
• ½ cup bell peppers, diced

Instructions:

1. In a pot, heat oil over medium heat and brown the mutton.
2. Add onion, garlic, scotch bonnet, thyme, allspice, salt, and pepper; sauté until fragrant.
3. Stir in rice, broth, coconut milk, tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers.
4. Cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes until rice is cooked.
5. Serve hot with fried plantains.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Toss in peas or swap peppers for corn; this one-pot reflects Jamaica’s love for easy, communal meals.

10. Jamaican Mutton Coconut Curry

A creamy, spiced curry merging Jamaican and Indian culinary vibes.

Ingredients:

• 1.2kg mutton
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup oil
• 6-8 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon allspice
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1-2 habanero peppers, chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 cans coconut milk
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 3-4 cups water
• 5 potatoes, diced

Instructions:

1. Season mutton with salt, pepper, curry powder, and allspice.
2. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat and brown the mutton.
3. Add onions, habaneros, ginger, garlic, and thyme; sauté until softened.
4. Pour in coconut milk, tomato sauce, and water; simmer for 3 hours on low.
5. Add potatoes in the last 30 minutes and serve with rice or roti.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours

Use a slow cooker or tweak the curry heat; the coconut milk ties this to Jamaica’s tropical roots.

11. Jamaican Mutton Pie

A spiced mutton filling encased in a comforting pastry crust.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup butter, cold and cubed
• ¼ cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 lb cooked mutton, shredded
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup broth

Instructions:

1. Mix flour, butter, and salt until crumbly; add water, knead, and chill dough for 30 minutes.
2. In a pan, sauté onion, garlic, curry powder, allspice, salt, and pepper; add mutton and broth, simmering until thick.
3. Roll out dough, fill with mutton mixture, and top with another dough layer.
4. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until golden.
5. Serve with a salad or steamed veggies.

Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Add bell peppers or use puff pastry; this pie blends Jamaican spices with cozy island comfort.

12. Mutton and Plantain Stew

A sweet-savory mix of tender mutton and ripe plantains in a rich stew.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb mutton, cubed
• 2 ripe plantains, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup diced tomatoes

Instructions:

1. In a pot, heat oil over medium heat and brown the mutton.
2. Add onion, garlic, scotch bonnet, thyme, allspice, salt, and pepper; sauté until fragrant.
3. Stir in broth, coconut milk, tomatoes, and plantains.
4. Simmer on low for 1 hour until mutton is tender.
5. Serve with rice or crusty bread.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour

Use green plantains for less sweetness or add cinnamon; plantains highlight Jamaica’s staple flavors.

13. Jamaican Jerk Mutton with Pineapple Salsa

Spicy jerk mutton paired with a zesty pineapple salsa for a sweet-heat combo.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs mutton
• 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 cup pineapple, diced
• ½ cup red onion, diced
• ½ cup bell pepper, diced
• ¼ cup mint, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix jerk seasoning and oil; coat mutton and marinate for 2 hours.
2. Preheat grill to high heat.
3. Grill mutton for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked.
4. In another bowl, mix pineapple, red onion, bell pepper, mint, jalapeño, lime juice, and salt for salsa.
5. Serve mutton with salsa on the side.

Preparation Time: 2 hours (marinating)
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Swap pineapple for mango or add honey to the salsa; the jerk heat and fruity salsa scream Jamaican vibrancy.

Conclusion:

In this article, we’ve explored 13 delicious Jamaican mutton recipes that capture the island’s bold flavors and rich culinary heritage. From aromatic curries to spicy jerk creations, these dishes highlight mutton’s versatility and its starring role in Jamaican cuisine. Whether you stick to tradition or add your own twist, these recipes invite you to savor Jamaica’s vibrant spirit right in your kitchen. So, grab your spices and get cooking—your taste buds are in for a treat!