does shepherds pie contain lamb

While Shepherd’s Pie is traditionally made with lamb, beef is just as tasty in this recipe. This is a timeless classic – make this once and you’ll make it over and over again!

Homemade Shepherd’s Pie (or Cottage Pie)

Shepherds pie with meat, vegetables, and fluffy potatoes.

• Meat Mixture:
  • 1 pound of 85/15 ground beef or ground lamb
  • 1/2 a large sweet onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of peas (frozen or fresh)
  • 1/2 cup of corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
  • 1/2 cup of sliced carrots (frozen or fresh)
  • 2 Garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tablespoon loosely packed diced fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable or canola oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of flour
  • 1/2 cup of chicken or beef broth
• Potatoes:
  • 1.5 pounds of russet potatoes (roughly 3 large potatoes)
  • 1/2 cup of milk
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream
  • 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon and 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt

• Large pan
• Cutting board
• Large pot
• Potato peeler
• Potato ricer or masher
• Rubber spatula / wooden spoon spatula
• Colander
• 2.5 Quart baking dish
• Cup and teaspoon measurements

• Chop and prep all of the vegetables. Chop half an onion into even pieces and get the 1/2 cup each of peas, carrots, and corn ready. For the peas and corn, frozen are fine and work very well. For the carrots, I personally prefer to use fresh ones because they look nicer and taste sweeter, but frozen will work as well if you don’t feel like peeling and cutting. I like to crush the garlic using a garlic press, but finely chopped garlic work as well.
• Fill a large pot with water and set it on the stove.
• Peel and cut three good-sized russet potatoes into quarters or sixth and drop them in the water. It’s important that the potatoes go into the water before it’s hot or boiling!
• Bring the pot with the potatoes in it up to a medium boil and then add in the 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Let them boil for roughly 20 minutes until they’re fork-tender.
• While the potatoes cook, set a large pan on the stove, set the heat to medium, and add a tablespoon of oil to the pan. Once the pan starts to get hot, add the ground meat and brown it in the pan until most of the moisture has evaporated. Note: If you find that your ground meat has browned (or become grayish) and it’s still swimming in liquid your pan may not have initially been hot enough, so just drain off some of the liquid to prevent the meat from steaming.
• Next, add in the onions and saute them with the meat until they start to get just a little softer before adding the rest of the vegetables. Mix and incorporate the ingredients together. Note: At this stage, if you want to make something a little different, you can add some other spices to the meat, like curry powder or herbs to give the whole dish some new life!
• When all of the vegetables have softened, but aren’t mushy, sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the mixture along with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Mix everything very well. The flour will help thicken the mixture for the next step.
• Add a 1/2 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the pan that will create a little bit of moisture and gravy for the dish.
• When the meat and broth have all mixed well and the broth is hot, transfer the meat mixture to a 2.5 quart baking dish and let it cool a bit.
• While the meat cools, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F and work on the potatoes. When they’re fork-tender, drain the potatoes in a colander and return them to the pot they were in.
• Use a potato ricer (recommended for fluffy potatoes) or a potato masher (recommended for thicker potatoes) and press or mash the potatoes until they are just all broken down. Don’t overdo it because if you mash them too much, they’ll become pasty.
• Cut up 4 tablespoons (half a stick of butter) into small cubes and toss them into the potatoes. Fold (don’t mash!) the potatoes so that the butter starts to melt from the heat of the potatoes. A rubber spatula works very well for folding potatoes. Note: Another way to change up the usual Shepherd’s Pie is to infuse the potatoes with some new flavors like cheese, diced scallion/chives, or curry powder. Experimentation can keep this often overlooked dish, fun and creative!
• Next add in a 1/2 cup of whole milk, a 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Fold the potatoes until everything is well incorporated. Try not to mash the potatoes or stir them too much. They should end up fluffy and soft. They might seem too soft at first, but once they’re baked, they’ll stiffen up a bit more.
• Scoop out enough of the potatoes to spread them evenly over the meat mixture. Be careful not to mix them in with the meat because you want two layers, not one big mixture.
• Place the baking dish into the 400 degree F oven for 20 minutes on the middle rack. Then turn the broiler to high and place the baking dish under it for roughly 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the top. The goal is just to get some nice golden brown notes.
• Let the Shepherd’s Pie sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving and then enjoy!

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FAQ

Is shepherds pie made of lamb?

What meat is shepherd’s pie made from?

What is original shepherd’s pie made of?

Is shepherds pie lamb or beef reddit?

Should you eat lamb or beef in a shepherd’s pie?

First, though, we have to decide on our meat. Technically, there’s not much to think about—it’s called “shepherd’s pie,” and, last I checked, shepherds don’t herd cows. Lamb, therefore, is the traditional choice. But beef is still often used in its place, especially by those who don’t love lamb’s gamier flavor.

What is Shepherd’s pie made of?

Shepherd’s Pie is traditionally made with ground lamb and creamy mashed potatoes. Here’s a classic recipe with a refreshing twist. As we mentioned in our other Shepherd’s Pie recipe, true shepherd’s pie is made with lamb, not beef. We’ve given you a version of Beef Shepherd’s Pie and so now we’re going to give you the truly traditional version.

What is Shepherd’s pie?

What is Shepherd’s Pie? It’s an Irish casserole dish traditionally made with minced lamb that is topped with mashed potatoes and then baked in the oven. In the US, the shepherd’s pie you get in a restaurant is usually made with beef.

How do you make a shepherd’s pie with spring lamb?

Lamb shepherd’s pie with peas and carrots and a chive mashed potato topping is the perfect recipe to make with spring lamb. Preheat oven to 425F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add ½ teaspoon salt and potatoes. Cook for 12-15 minutes until softened. Drain, and mash with milk, butter, remaining ½ teaspoon salt and chives. Set aside.