Shepard's Pie question

[giggler]

I'm trying to learn this dish before winter.

It seems simple.

1. Make your fave stew.

I like chunks of beef chuck roast, onions, bell, and spices, braize for an hour, then add frozen bag peas and carrots.

2. Make your fave mashed potatoes.

My Moms recipe is boil 2 Russetts, mash them with milk and sour cream.

3.

put the stew on bottom of glass dish, top with mashed potatoes, top with some cheese, pop under broiler till brown and bubbly.. good to go!

Is this it? I always thought this was some serious exotic dish!

So far my attempts here have been met with great reviews by my drunk Nascar Friends!

I think a bit of Horseraddish in the Potatoes might Kick it up a Notch.

Thanks, Eric, Austin Tx.

 

[GotGarlic]

Traditionally, shepherd's pie is made with leftovers from a Sunday beef roast, including roasted veggies and mashed potatoes. Starting with a beef stew is basically the same but you've already cut up the meat

So, yes, that's pretty much it.

 

[JMediger]

I think traditional shepard's pie is made with lamb or veal but I could be wrong. I normally just make hamburger gravy, stir in peas and carrots, top with mashed potatoes and bake. It's a great sunday night dinner and makes tasty left overs.

 

[KatyCooks]

Yep, it's traditionally made with lamb (hence "Shepherd's" pie).

The version with beef is usually called a Cottage Pie (in the UK anyway).

Both are delicious though.

If you don't have leftovers, you can make it from scratch with minced (ground) meat instead.

 

[Addie]

Yep, it's traditionally made with lamb (hence "Shepherd's" pie).

The version with beef is usually called a Cottage Pie (in the UK anyway).

Both are delicious though.

If you don't have leftovers, you can make it from scratch with minced (ground) meat instead.

Same here Katy.

I often will point out to folks, "When was the last time you heard of a shepherd tending to his herd of sheep out on the range or a cowboy taking his flock of cattle from the pasture, on a long drive to auction?" All arguments stop when you put it that way. Symantics I know, but it makes sense.

 

[Gravy Queen]

Yes that's right , Shepherds Pie is lamb . You are making Cottage Pie if using beef .

 

[KatyCooks]

Same here Katy.

I often will point out to folks, "When was the last time you heard of a shepherd tending to his herd of sheep out on the range or a cowboy taking his flock of cattle from the pasture, on a long drive to auction?" All arguments stop when you put it that way. Symantics I know, but it makes sense.

Yep, that would certainly sort the cows from the sheep Addie!

 

[GotGarlic]

Wikipedia has a slightly different take: Cottage or shepherd's pie

Cottage pie or shepherd's pie is a meat pie with a crust of mashed potato.[1][2][3][4]

The term cottage pie is known to have been in use in 1791,[2][5][6] when the potato was being introduced as an edible crop affordable for the poor (cf. "cottage" meaning a modest dwelling for rural workers).

In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat of any kind, and the pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top.[7][8]

The term "shepherd's pie" did not appear until 1877,[2] and since then it has been used synonymously with "cottage pie", regardless of whether the principal ingredient was beef or mutton.[1][4][6][7][8][9][10] More recently, the term "shepherd's pie" has been used when the meat is lamb,[11][12] the theory being that shepherds are concerned with sheep[13] and not cattle[14][15][16] (see folk etymology).

 

[Oldvine]

Serious, exotic? If you mean it's different every time, yes, it exotic at my house. It gets what ever I have available and into the oven. Usually it's some sort of cooked beef and mash potatoes as the base.
P.S. I guess ours is Cottage pie, no lamb cooked around here.

 

[Rocklobster]

you are going to find as many recipes as there are members here. I am sure everybody's is different. Sounds like you have what you want in mind. If that is what you envision on your plate, then go for it.

I grew up with ground beef and onions, layered with corn then, well buttered , mashed potatoes sprinkled with Paprika. Baked until the top layer is crusty. It was a dry type dish but we would compensate with green chow or tomato chili on the side. Some covered it wkith ketchup.

 

[KatyCooks]

Wikipedia has a slightly different take: Cottage or shepherd's pie

Either way, it is a very tasty dish. Though reading that Wiki quote about "lining the dish with mashed potato" I can't really imagine how that would work. Surely it would just dissolve while the pie cooked?

 

[Kylie1969]

Have not had a good Shepard's Pie for ages...thinking we will have to make one before Winter ends

 

[Rob Babcock]

Hamburger tater tot hot dish is really just an Americanized Shepherd's Pie, too. I like to mix ground beef with ground lamb.

 

[forty_caliber]

Here is my TNT. Family favorite... Sometimes I'll substitute half of the beef with ground pork. Works well with leftover roast beef, pulled pork, or roast pork tenderloin too.

Shepherd's Pie
Wonderful, hearty, savory. Even better the next day!

INGREDIENTS
For the potatoes
2 lbs. russet potatoes
1/2 cup milk
2 ounces butter, 1/2 stick
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the meat filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
6 ounces baby peeled carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. ground beef
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons all*purpose flour
6 ounces tomato paste, 1 small can
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon rosemary leaves, fresh or dried 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, fresh or dried
3 whole allspice berries, ground
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup fresh or frozen English peas

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. Place in a medium stock pot and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the milk and butter into stand mixer bowl. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then transfer to the mixer bowl. Using the leaf blade, mash the potatoes and then add the salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

3. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the oil into a deep saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the beef, salt and pepper and cook until browned and well done. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly until the sauce is thickened slightly.

4. Add the corn and peas to the beef mixture and spread evenly into a large oval casserole or dutch oven. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake uncovered for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving

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[Gravy Queen]

That's lovely but it's not Shepherds Pie that's your version of a Cottage Pie .

 

[GrillingFool]

Be sure to add a half teaspoon of Thyme to your Cottage or Shepherd's Pie.
It's really good, plus it's one of the traditional recipe ingredients.

I like the idea of a bit of horseradish in the taters!

 

[forty_caliber]

This thread made me hungry for Shepard's Pie. If it was made by a Shepard in a cottage can we still call it Shepard's Pie? :-D





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[Kylie1969]

Great recipe and it looks lovely

 

[KatyCooks]

This thread made me hungry for Shepard's Pie. If it was made by a Shepard in a cottage can we still call it Shepard's Pie? :-D



View attachment 18497

.40

Oh, that looks gorgeous - and I don't think it matters what you call it as long as it tastes as good as it looks!

 

[jennyema]

To the OP

If you use chunks of beef you will probably want to braise them for longer than an hour, unless they are cut very small.

Use chuck.