I’m about as waspy as they come. In case you don’t know, a wasp is a white Anglo-Saxon protestant. I’ve researched my heritage for many years and I’ve traced multiple branches of my family tree back to the 1500s. The ancestors of most of my friends hail from multiple countries, but not in my family. Every ancestor that I’ve found going back several hundred years has roots in the United Kingdom. In other words, I’m as pure an Anglo as a guy can be!
Ironically, I’ve never traveled to the U.K. I know…most world travelers have been to London at least one or more times. I’ve traveled quite a bit in my day and I’m not quite sure why I haven’t made a visit to the homeland of my ancestors more of a priority. I need to plan a British itinerary soon.
The Brits have never been known for their cuisine although I understand that’s changed in recent years. Shepherd’s Pie and Fish and Chips are the two dishes that come to mind when I think of British food. Shepherd’s pie, also known as cottage pie, is simply a meat pie with a crust of mashed potatoes. This dish dates back to the late 1700s when potatoes were becoming more ubiquitous among common people. The pie can be made with beef or lamb. One of my British readers informed me that shepherd’s pie is made with lamb and cottage pie is made with beef, so technically this recipe is cottage pie.
Many recipes for for this dish are made with ground beef. For this version I chose to use chuck roast to make what is essentially a beef stew recipe. Yukon gold potatoes are a must for the crust. This hearty dish makes another fine cool weather meal.
Ingredients
2 pound beef chuck roast
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 ribs celery, sliced
6 carrots, sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup high-quality red wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
Salt and pepper
2 pounds gold Yukon potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup half and half
Chopped chives (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Cut chuck roast into 3/4 inch cubes and place in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the flour and toss to coat each piece.
2. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick or iron skillet. Brown meat in batches. Do not overcrowd skillet and add oil as needed. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic to skillet and saute for six or seven minutes. Add three tablespoons of flour, mix well, and cook for two to three more minutes. Deglaze skillet with wine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, bay leaves, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Return beef to skillet and stir to combine.
4. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover skillet, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until vegetables and meat are tender. Add frozen peas and mix to combine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
5. While stew is cooking, place potatoes in a medium large pot and cover with cold water. Add two tablespoons salt to water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until a knife pierces potato with no resistance.
6. Drain potatoes in a colander. Mash potatoes with a potato masher or push them through a ricer. Add butter, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir until butter is melted. Add half and half and stir to combine.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
8. Transfer beef filling to a casserole dish or finish the pie in the skillet as long as it is oven safe. For a rustic look, spread potatoes evenly over beef mixture with a icing spatula or large knife. If you want a more refined look, pipe the potatoes with a pastry bag.
9. Bake the pie for 30 to 40 minutes until bubbling and potato topping is slightly browning. Garnish with chives and serve immediately.
https://southernboydishes.com/2013/10/31/shepherds-pie/
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My mother used to make Shepherd’s Pie when I was growing up. She was 100% French Canadian but grew up in Portland, Maine. She cooked typical New England “meat and potatoes” dishes, roast chicken, pot roast, corned beef and cabbage…stick to your ribs simple but savory dishes (lots of thyme and bay leaf). I love Shepherd’s Pie. It is the perfect winter dish. It is very cold in Atlanta today, so guess what I made? It’s in the oven right now. I actually had to feed my cat her dinner early because the minute she got a whiff of the Shephetd’s Pie, she started meowing and head bunting my legs. Tia is a champion beggar and thinks she deserves a snack whenever someone turns on the kitchen light or opens the fridge… I can’t wait to try your S.P as very similar to my mother’s recipe. I have subscribed to your website today and look forward to trying your other recipes. Thank you!🤗
Thanks so much for stopping by, Denise. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Absolutely love this recipe for Shepard’s Pie, had to share it with friends on facebook. Thanks for warming up our very cold, winter’s night here in New England.
I’m so glad you like the recipe, Coleen! Thanks so much for your comment and the feedback!
I had to come back… I put some of the recipe in little corningware bowls and packed in the freezer thinking i would dip into that way later. BUT, we got over a foot of snow and after shoveling, i was CRAVING this recipe. needless to say, i’m thawing two mini’s out now and have the oven pre-heating. YUM! This recipe is definitely a keeper. i will be restocking my freezer soon! 🙂 Thank you!
Thank you, Jay. So glad you enjoyed the recipe! I hope you’ll keep coming back to SBD!
Yum! I think I need to swap out the ground beef I use in my cottage pie and try it with the roast. That sounds delicious!
I just discovered your blog today and am having so much fun going through it. I came to the comments just to see if anyone else mentioned the shepherd=lamb vs cottage=beef. 🙂
Your Shephard’s Pie looks amazing! I’m sure it tastes fabulous no matter what, but the way you presented it, with the piped potatoes and the garnish of chives, elevates it to a whole new level. Very well done 🙂
I hate to be the stickler here, but as a Brit I can tell you that shepherds pie never contains beef. That is cottage pie, not otherwise known as the other. They are two different dishes here. If in doubt the clue is the title…beef doesn’t come from a sheep 😉
I hope my Brit ancestors aren’t rolling in their grave out of embarrassment! 🙂 Thanks for your feedback and I’m glad to know the difference. I guess the “Shepherd” part should have been a clue! Anyway, I can’t change the title or the URL because it’s already published, but I will update the post to point out that my version is really a cottage pie. Thanks again for the education! 🙂
I’m sure they’d understand! It seems to be a common mistake, but it does look delicious for a cottage pie, I may be tempted to swap my minced beef and give yours a whirl 🙂
I haven’t made Shepherd’s Pie in years! And it’s such a great dish. You really do need to visit London at some point – one of the world’s best cities. And the food scene is good. If you like Indian cuisine, IMO they have some of the best (except for India, of course!).
Aaaaah…. comfort food at it’s finest, Bill! I always put worcestershire sauce into my shepherds pie too, but the balsamic vinegar has never occurred to me and I’m addicted to the stuff. You’re a veritable fount of new ideas 😉
Now that’s a gorgeous Shepherd’s pie! Love that you used chunks of beef as opposed to ground beef and of course, the piping if incredible. Sure sign of a perfection. 🙂
Love the piped potato…gonna steal that one from you!