WTF Shepherd's Pie
The best Shepherd's pie I ever put in my mouth supposedly a knock off of a certain cursing chef I don't know if that is true or not but it is delicious
The best Shepherd's pie I ever put in my mouth supposedly a knock off of a certain cursing chef I don't know if that is true or not but it is delicious
- sea salt to taste
- for the potatoes:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 cup red wine
- water
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- â½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large carrot grated
- for the pie:
- 2 pounds lamb or very lean ground beef
- 1 large onion grated
- 1 â½ tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
- 2 tsp salt or to taste
- 3 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese for mashed potato
- 1 â½ pounds yukon gold potatoes peeled and quartered
- â¼ cup heavy cream or half & half
- Carbohydrate 38.1846150238097 g
- Cholesterol 981.006250026162 mg
- Fat 214.785557512764 g
- Fiber 3.05620005989075 g
- Protein 231.380412500382 g
- Saturated Fat 68.4800843399837 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (2881g)
- Sodium 6190.30416742873 mg
- Sugar 35.1284149639189 g
- Trans Fat 17.5742328341026 g
- Calories 3411 calories
Step-by-step
- Prepare the mashed potatoes. Add 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Cover, set aside, keep warm while preparing beef.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil, stir fry beef until no longer pink. Drain off excess grease.
- Add onion, garlic, and carrot and stir fry for 3 minutes.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme and rosemary, cook for 1 minute.
- Add wine and simmer until wine has almost evaporated.
- Add the broth and simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Transfer beef to a deep dish.
- Spoon mashed potato on top of beef.
- Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese.
- Fluff with a fork to create peaks.
- Bake in a 400° F oven for 20 minutes or broil until top is golden brown.
While cottage pie relies strictly on beef, traditional shepherd's pie requires ground lamb. Building a rich base demands careful reduction of liquids. Red wine provides foundational acidity that cuts through the high fat content of the meat, while tomato paste contributes umami through Maillard reactions during the initial high-heat sauté. Simmering the wine until it nearly vanishes concentrates the fruit notes without introducing excess moisture that would otherwise water down the sauce.
Judging Doneness Visually
Rearing a sturdy potato crust depends on moisture management. Yukon Gold potatoes offer a naturally buttery texture, absorbing heavy cream more evenly than russets without turning gluey. Fluff the piped or spooned potatoes with a tined fork to create multiple raised points across the surface. Baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes allows the exposed peaks to catch direct heat and brown. Alternatively, place the dish under a high broiler for three to four minutes, watching closely to prevent burning the Parmesan cheese topping.
- Excess liquid remaining in the skillet: Simmer the broth mixture for an additional two to three minutes until reduced by half.
- Mashed potatoes sliding off the filling: Let the cooked meat mixture cool for 10 minutes before layering the starches on top.
- Pale potato crust: Brush the peaks lightly with melted butter before the final browning step.
