Classic Shepherd’s Pie

Classic Shepherd’s Pie is a comforting casserole that consists of ground lamb, carrots, and peas simmered with Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, and herbs and topped with a cheesy mashed potato layer that’s baked until golden and crisp. Shepherd’s Pie is wonderful any time of year but is especially great for St. Paddy’s day.

Our family waits all year long for St. Paddy’s Day so Jim can make his classic shepherd’s pie.  

The combination of the lamb and veggies simmering with the herbs, Guinness, and Worcestershire sauce creates this outrageous aroma that’s rivaled only by its taste.

The creamy mashed potatoes with their crispy top make the perfect “crust” to this pie and while he makes a lot of it, there are usually no leftovers.

And I’m always left wondering why we don’t make this more often!

For our St. Paddy’s day celebration, we typically serve our shepherd’s pie with our homemade Irish soda bread and corned beef and cabbage, but the pie is substantial enough to serve on its own any time of the year.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family does!

How to make shepherd’s pie

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

First, start the mashed potatoes process

1. Peel and halve 3 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes.  Place the potatoes in a stockpot and fill it with enough cold water to cover them.  Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until fork tender, roughly 25-30 minutes.
2. Rice the potatoes in a large bowl.  Note: You can certainly make mashed potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer, but a ricer will yield better results.

3. Add 3/4 cup of heavy cream, 8 tablespoons of butter that’s been melted, and 1 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.  Mix together and taste test making any adjustments needed to salt and pepper before you add the egg yolks below.
4. Add the yolks of 3 large eggs and mix until combined.

Meanwhile, begin browning the lamb and making the filling

1. Dice one large onion, 3 celery ribs, and 3 medium carrots.  Mince 5 cloves of garlic, chop 1 tablespoon of rosemary leaves and remove 1 tablespoon’s worth of thyme leaves from their stems.  Preheat the oven to 400f and set one rack in the middle and the other toward the top third. Heat a large heavy pan or pot to medium-high and add 2 pounds of ground lamb.  Cook the lamb for 7-10 minutes until well browned.  Once it gets nice and brown, break up the lamb with a meat masher or wooden spoon.  
2. Add the carrots, onions, and celery along with a pinch of salt.  Saute the mixture until the veggies have softened, about 5-7 minutes.  

3. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, then add 3 ounces of tomato paste and stir to incorporate.  Allow the paste to cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add 12 ounces of Guinness and turn the heat up to high.  With a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot to remove all of the brown bits. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.
5. Turn the heat down to medium, add 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, and cook for 1-2 minutes until there is no white flour remaining in the pan.  
6. Add 2 cups of low-sodium beef stock, 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce, the thyme and rosemary, and 1 1/2 cups of frozen green peas, and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced by half.

7. Taste test the filling and make any adjustments to salt, pepper, thyme, or rosemary if needed.  You want it to taste really good!  So season well.
8. Add the filling to a 9×13″ baking dish and spread with a spatula to ensure an even layer.  Note: I am using two smaller baking dishes in these pics, but all of the ingredients will fit a 9×13″ baking dish perfectly.
9. Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, begin to add the mashed potatoes on top of the lamb filling.  
10. Spread the potatoes to create an even layer and use a spoon or a fork to make to fluff the potatoes to make mounds or points.  

11. Sprinkle a 1/4 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano on top and place the casserole dish (or dishes) on a baking sheet to help prevent spillage.
12. Bake for 20 minutes in the center of the oven.  Then, move the pan to the top rack and broil for 1-3 minutes or until browned, but not burnt.  Be sure to watch carefully!  Let the shepherd’s pie sit and settle for 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Top tips for classic shepherd’s pie

• Potatoes. Similar to our potato gnocchi, we recommend using russets as their dryer and hold less water.  They will help create an airy mashed potato which will help to make a crispier crust.  A ricer works great for making mashed potatoes.
• Lamb.  Classic shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with ground lamb.  If you don’t like lamb and prefer to use ground beef, you can certainly do so.  Making this substitution would result in cottage pie, rather than shepherd’s pie.  
• Guinness.  Guinness gives a great depth of flavor to Shepherd’s pie.  If you can’t find Guinness any dark ale, porter, or stout will do.  Red wine can also be used.  If you can’t have alcohol, simply replace the Guinness with beef stock.
• Taste test! Be sure to taste test your mashed potatoes before you add the egg yolks.  Also, taste test the lamb filling before adding it to the casserole dish.  You really want to ensure both layers are seasoned very well so you have the best possible shepherd’s pie!

More comforting recipes you’ll love

• Meatloaf with brown gravy – classic meatloaf with ground beef and brown mushroom gravy.
• Italian beef stew – tender chunks of beef with carrots, celery, and mushrooms.
• Classic chili – ancho and chipotle chiles with beef, beans, and just a touch of cinnamon and dark chocolate.

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