Shepherd’s Pie
What is Shepherd Pie
Shepherd's Pie is a classic British comfort food dish traditionally made with lamb, though it’s often made with ground beef in modern variations- like this one. It consists of a savory filling of cooked meat (usually ground or minced) mixed with vegetables like peas, carrots, and onions, all seasoned with herbs and cooked in its own gravy. The filling is then topped with a layer of creamy mashed potatoes, which is baked until golden and crispy on top. It’s a hearty, filling meal that's perfect for colder weather.
Components of a shepherd's pie
Mince Beef: The first layer of shepherd's pie is a ground beef mixture- use a ground beef that not too lean nor too fatty- 80/20 or 70/30 is perfect. The ground beef is sautéed first to help develop some browning, then onions, carrots and garlic are added in. The carrots are grated so that they almost dissolve in to the sauce. Tomato paste is added to flavour and flour clings to the beef fat to create a sort of roux that thickens the sauce.
Seasoning the beef mince: Traditionally Worcester sauce is added for even more flavour but a great substitute to replicate similar flavours is a mixture of soy sauce, ketchup and white vinegar- hence why these ingredients are added in. Water or broth are poured in to create the gravy while rosemary sprigs, thyme and allspice round up all the flavours. Frozen peas are cooked in with the sauce to add a nice texture that compliments the ground beef perfectly,
Mashed Potatoes: The second layer of a shepherd's pie is the creamy mash. Potatoes are boiled until knife tender then mashed using a potato masher or potato ricer. Melted butter and warm cream are poured over the potatoes. Pecorino Romano, dried parsley and garlic powder add flavour while egg yolks help keep the potatoes creamy and firm once baked.
Piping bag: Piping the potato on top is certainly not necessary but there's a reason I like to do it. Piping the mashed potato allows for an even and controlled distribution of potato so all sides of the pie have the same ratio of potato to beef mixture. At the same time, piping the potato helps minimize the friction of spreading the potato mash in multiple directions so the bottom mince layer receives as little disturbance as possible.
Crispy top layer: To get the signature crispy top on a shepherds pie a dual-sided approach of using a fork to create irregular edges as well as adding another layer of pecorino Romano is what turns that soft top layer into golden crispy perfection. A fun way to experiment with an even crispy-er top layer is to sub pecorino Romano with a different cheese like cheddar. Bake the same way and you'll get a beautiful crispy cheese crust on top.
Storage & Reheating
Once baked, Shepherd's pie can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The best way to reheat this is in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 350. This pie also freezes incredibly well as a make ahead meal-prep dinner. Just assemble the pie in a freezer safe/oven safe baking tray (I recommend an aluminum tray for maximum ease and clean up) and once completely cool, cover with Saran Wrap and aluminum foil. When ready to eat, no need to thaw, simply bake at the instructed temperature until warm and golden on top.
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="GLfnLb66" upload-date="2024-12-23T13:27:47.487-05:00" name="copy_1159A200-2F20-4F5A-8DA8-6B8FC1ABB09B.MOV" description="undefined" player-type="default" override-embed="default"]Shepherd’s Pie made with ground beef is a hearty twist on the classic, offering rich, savory flavors in a comforting, homestyle dish. Layered with seasoned beef, vegetables, and creamy mashed potatoes, it’s a satisfying meal perfect for any occasion.
- 2 lbs. minced beef
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 large carrot (shredded 1.5 cups)
- 3-4 large garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup (heaping)
- 1.5 tbsp white vinegar
- 2.5 cups broth (Sub water + 1.5 boullion cube)
- 3 rosemary sprigs
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- Salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 6-7 medium yellow Potatoes (2.5-3 lbs)
- 1 stick butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (warm)
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 cup Pecorino Romano (& more for top)
- 2 egg yolks
- Heat a large deep pan on medium-high for 1-2 minutes then add in the ground beef. Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and do not disturb for about 60 seconds. Start breaking up the beef into little pieces and continue to cook until the beef changes colour.
- Finely chop an onion and grate a carrot then add this in to the pan with the minced beef and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add in grated garlic and cook for 60 seconds.
- Add in tomato paste and mix evenly into the beef. Sprinkle in flour, mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. If the beef you used did not release much fat, feel free to add in 1-2 tbsp of oil at thisA step to help cook off the flour.
- Pour in soy sauce, ketchup and white vinegar and stir quickly scraping the bottom of the pan. Add in water, bouillon cubes, rosemary sprigs, thyme and allspice. Bring to a boil cover and reduce the heat to medium on a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Adjust salt & pepper to taste at this stage and add in frozen peas. Cover and cook on medium heat for 5 more minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For the mash potatoes, peel and cut up potatoes into quarters. Add cut up potatoes to a large pot of salted water cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Boil potatoes for 10-15 minutes until knife tender.
- Drain potatoes into a colander, lightly clean pot if needed then place the pot back on high-medium heat and toss the potatoes in the pot for 2-3 minutes to allow any remaining moisture to cook off.
- Take the pot off the heat and start mashing the potatoes. Once no large chunks appear, add in melted butter, warm milk, Pecorino Romano, dried parsley, garlic powder and whisked egg yolks. Quickly stir the ingredients into the mash potatoes until evenly combined and smooth.
- In an oven safe baking dish, spread the beef mince mixture into an even layer. Pipe or transfer the mash potato over the beef mince using a spatula to smooth the top.
- Dip a fork into olive oil and slide it along the mash potato to create the raised edges. Top with freshly cracked black pepper, more Pecorino Romano.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden then broil for 2-3 minutes for extra browning. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.