Shepherd's Pie

This recipe has been a favorite of ours for a while. Last year I was searching for a way to use up some leftover mashed potatoes. I came across this recipe for Shepherd’s Pie on the food blog Sweet Surrender. It’s been a regular on our menu ever since! We usually make a crustless version because it’s easier. Sometimes I’ll even make extra mashed potatoes just so that I can make this the next day.

Shepherd’s Pie
Source: Adapted from: Sweet Surrender Blog

1 pre-made pie crust (I omit this)
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, cut into coins (par-boiled for 5 minutes)
1/4 cup frozen peas
2-3 cups of mashed potatoes
3 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of flour
1/4 cup of beef broth
1/4 cup of dark beer
salt/pepper
olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sweat the diced onion. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and brown. When the beef is browned, remove it from the skillet and set aside. Discard the fat in the skillet.

Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet, being sure to scrape up any brown bits. Once the butter is melted, add the flour and let cook a few minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the beef broth and the beer to the flour/butter (roux) and stir until you have a nice, thick gravy. About 5-10 minutes. If it thickens too quickly, add more beef broth.

Add the par-boiled carrots, peas, and beef to the gravy and stir. Place the beef and veggie mixture into a casserole dish (I use a 9″x13″2″ oval dish).

Spread the mashed potatoes on top. Bake for 25 minutes. To brown the top, turn the broiler on for a couple minutes.

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