Shepherd’s Pie

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Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie (a.k.a. Cottage Pie) Ground Lamb and/or Ground Beef mixed with onions, carrots and peas in a gravy, topped with delicious cheesy mashed potato crust.  A St. Patrick’s Day favorite!

What is the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie? 

The simple answer is that Shepherd’s Pie uses ground lamb and Cottage Pie uses Ground Beef.

Shepherd’s Pie originated in Scotland.  It became popular in Northern England and Ireland. The Irish were the first to start using mashed potatoes instead of a pastry topping for the dish. Now Shepherd’s Pie is a St. Patrick’s Day favorite.

The French make Hachis Parmentier.  Rather than just one layer of mashed potatoes on top of the lamb mixture, the French version sandwiches the meat mixture between two layers of potatoes.

Cottage pie is made with potatoes, veggies, beef, and a beef broth.  In the past, cottage pie had a sliced potato crust topping, but recently mashed potatoes have gained favor as a topping.

My version of Shepherd’s Pie is a combination of both ground beef and ground lamb.  Feel free to use one or the other.

Ingredients that you will need to make this Finished Dish:

3-4 small to medium carrots, grated
1 medium onion, grated
1 pound 90% lean ground beef
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 pound ground lamb
1 teaspoon ground parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
6 ounces (187 ml) red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons tomato paste
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 ounces frozen peas
40 ounces cooked mashed potatoes
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle ground, crushed parsley
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

To make this Finished Dish:

NOTE:  I use baking soda to keep the meat tender.  The ground meat also browns faster and tastes better.   This is particularly important when using a lean ground beef, and for this recipe, you need at least 90% lean ground beef to keep it from becoming greasy.

Grate your carrots and onions.  (I used a mini food processor that gave me small pieces.) Set aside.

Thoroughly mix 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda with the 90% lean ground beef.  Let it sit for 15 minutes.  In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and ground lamb. Use a spatula or a meat chopper to break the meat apart into small pieces.  Season with ground parsley and thyme.

Add the minced garlic clove, grated carrots and onions, low-sodium beef broth, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce.  Mix to combine.

Stir the flour in with the tomato paste and add to the skillet.  Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Continue to mix to combine.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer until most of the juices are gone from the pan.  Stir occasionally.  Add the frozen peas and mix to combine.

Preheat your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Pour the meat mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Spread the meat mixture out into an even layer.

Spoon the cooked mashed potatoes on top of the meat. Carefully spread the mashed potatoes into an even layer. Use a fork to create a pattern on top.

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top of the mashed potatoes.  Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese across the top of the mashed potatoes.  I also sprinkled a little dried, crushed parsley on top.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit uncovered for 40-50 minutes.  Check at 35 minutes.  The mashed potatoes should be crispy on top and the cheese melted.

If you like my Shepherd’s Pie recipe, please comment below.  If you made it, post your wonderful images on Instagram and tag me. Don’t forget to go back to the The Finished Dish’s Home Page, scroll down on the right side and subscribe.  You will be emailed each time I post a new recipe.

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