Shepherd’s Pie
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This Irish classic is a rich and delicious meal all in one dish. Technically, Shepherd’s Pie is made with ground lamb, so if you’re using ground beef (like I do) that’s a Cottage Pie. Even though the ingredient list and the instructions are long, don’t let this intimidate you – it’s not too tough and it’s well worth the effort. This dish is based on recipes by Sip & Feast and Kent Rollins.
Shepherd’s Pie
Category
Other Dishes
Persons
8
Prep Time
1 hour
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients
- Potatoes
- 3.5# Russet Potatoes, peeled
- 1¼ cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano or grated Cheddar
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 stick melted butter
- Salt & pepper
- 3 large egg yolks
- Filling
- 2 pounds ground lamb (or use ground beef to make a Cottage Pie)
- 1 large onion, minced or grated
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks of celery
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1 12 oz bottle of Guinness
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (1 tsp dried)
- 1 Tbsp fresh Rosemary leaves (1 tsp dried)
- ¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil your potatoes in a large pot until fork tender, start on high and turn to medium once boiling.
- In a large skillet brown your ground meat until well browned and dry.
- Add your onion, celery, & carrots to the meat, stirring through and cooking until soft.
- Add the garlic until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and cook through until it browns a little.
- Add a little warm water if it starts to stick.
- Add the Guinness, turn the heat up to high and cook to reduce until thick.
- Keep stirring to deglaze the bottom while you are cooking.
- Add the flour and stir through.
- Add the beef stock and stir through.
- Add the peas, thyme, rosemary & Worcestershire Sauce and reduce to half. Keep warm over a low flame.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Mash the potatoes with a masher or hand mixer.
- Add one stick of melted butter and ¾ cup of heavy cream and stir through.
- Add 1 cup of the cheese and stir through.
- Salt & pepper to taste, start with 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Taste and adjust.
- Add the three egg yolks and stir through.
- Add your meat mixture to the bottom of a casserole dish, about 2/3 to ¾ full. Depending on the size of your dishes you may need to do two.
- Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top and spread out to completely cover the meat mixture. Really try to “seal” the top with the potatoes, all the way around the rim, to prevent the meat sauce from boiling up and over.
- Fluff the top of the potatoes with a fork to roughen it up so it browns better.
- Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with ¼ cup of your cheese.
- Place on a sheet pan to catch any potential spills, and cook in your oven for 20 minutes uncovered on the middle rack.
- Move to the top rack for the last 3-4 minutes but watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Serve with Soda Bread.