A warming dish that is great for these chilly nights. It is even a good meal for a busy weeknight. I made the meat mixture ahead of time, then before dinner I just whipped up the potatoes and put it in the oven. It is a new favorite for my fiancé Ryan. He hates left overs, but he even ate it for lunch the next day!
Shepherds Pie
For the Meat Mixture
- 1 pound of ground beef, (ground chicken, turkey or lamb, if preferred)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 oz of crimini mushrooms stemmed and sliced
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup of dark beer (Ryan brews his own and I used his Oktoberfest. It gave it a great fall flavor!)
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 of a bag of frozen mixed veggies, thawed (I used carrots, green beans, corn, and peas. You can use whatever you like)
- 1/2 cup beef stock
For the Potatoes
- 1 pound 0f baking potatoes, about 5-6 potatoes
- salt
- pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup to 1 cup of buttermilk
- chives, minced
For the Topping
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°
Cut the potatoes in half for faster cooking. I don't peel them because I like the skins in my mash, but feel free to peel them if you'd like! Place in a pot, fill with enough water to cover the potatoes completely, about 2 inches above, and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, when a fork goes in rather smoothly and easily. About 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the potato.
Once the potatoes are soft, drain. Put them back in the pot, add the salt, pepper, butter, and 3/4 cup milk and mash together. Add more milk if needed until the potatoes are smooth and creamy, or desired consistency is reached. Mince the chives, add it to the potatoes and mash once more.
Heat a large dutch oven, or pot, over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and brown, constantly breaking down the meat with a spoon. Once the beef is browned, add the chopped onion, mushrooms, and garlic to the pot. Cook until they are soft.
Add the thyme leaves, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir once again to mix evenly and continue to cook for a few minutes. Throw in the tomato paste and break it down into the meat and veggies. Sprinkle the mixture with the flower and allow it to cook for another minute.
Pour in the beer and scrape down the bottom of the pan, loosening the pan drippings. Add the worcestershire sauce, and beef stock. Cook until the sauce has thickened and somewhat reduced. Add more beer or stock if needed Lastly, throw in the mixed veggies and mix well.
Pour the meat filling into a 9×13 baking dish. Spread out the mixture evenly. Grab the mashed potatoes from earlier and scoop it onto the top of the beef. Evenly spread out the potatoes, completely covering the beef. Place in the oven and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and crispy. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the shredded cheese, evenly on top of the potatoes. Place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese has melted and browned. Watch it carefully as the broiler can burn things rather quickly.
PS - while writing this post, I started getting hungry and finished off the last of it!
