Cottage Pie
Cottage Pie, or Shepherd’s Pie was always one of my favorites growing up. There’s something about the hearty meat gravy and that soft but crispy mashed potato that really makes me hungry. This classic Cottage Pie recipe is creamy and hearty, but it uses a half recipe of my Gourmet Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs to elevate it to the next level.
A few tips:
We don’t want our filling to have too much gravy. Since the mashed potatoes will sort of seal in any steam produced during the bake, the sauce will basically come naturally. So, we’re after a pretty thick sauce for this one.
Same thing with the mashed potatoes- we don’t want those fluffy mashed potatoes you’d serve on the side of the plate. Use your judgement and be conservative with the milk addition. If you halve my Gourmet Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs recipe, you may not need to use all of the milk. Start with about 1/4 of the milk, then add more as necessary. The potatoes seal in and absorb the steam let off by the filling, so they’ll thin out in the oven.
I made both of the above mistakes for the photo on this recipe, as you can see. The recipe has been adjusted accordingly, but you should still use your judgement. Your potatoes may absorb more water during cooking, and your filling may not have reduced as much.
Cottage Pie
Classic Cottage Pie, also known as Shepherd’s Pie with a rich, creamy and hearty filling. It’s topped with my Gourmet Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs to send it over the top!
- Prep Time1 hr
- Cook Time40 min
- Resting Time20 min
- Total Time2 hr
- Yield8-10
- Serving SizeServings
Ingredients
Filling
- 1-1.5lbs. Ground Beef
- 5-6 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 stalks Celery, diced
- 2 med. Carrots, diced
- 1 med. Onion, diced
- 1 Cup Beef Broth
- 1 can Corn, drained
- 1 can Green Beans, drained
- 30g Butter
- 30g Flour
Potatoes
- 2.5 lbs. Potatoes
- 1 Cup Milk
- 1 Stick Butter
- 3-4 Cloves Garlic, peeled
- 3-4 Sprigs Thyme
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2-3 Dashes White Pepper
Method
Filling Method
Preheat oven to 275°F.
Brown ground beef over medium high heat in an oven-safe pot until a good sear forms, then crumble and continue cooking until browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add onion to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes or until caramelized. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
Add carrots and celery, cooking for 3-5 minutes..
Add the meat back to the pan along with all resting juices.
Add the butter and melt thoroughly over medium heat. Sprinkle flour over the top and mix well. Continue stirring and cook flour for 3-4 minutes.
Add beef broth and deglaze the pan and bring to a boil. Adjust thickness with extra water if needed, but remember, we want the gravy to be quite thick since it will thin out in the oven.
Cover pot with oven safe lid, venting on side slightly. Place pot into oven for 1-2 hrs. Checking periodically and adding a splash of water if necessary. We’re after a thick gravy, without it drying out or being burnt.
Potatoes Method
Add butter and garlic to a small saucepan. Set over low heat for 1-2 hours.
Add milk, thyme, bay leaves and white pepper to a small saucepan set over low heat for 1-2 hours.
Peel potatoes and place in pot with water to cover by 2-3 inches. Boil whole until just tender.
Drain potatoes and let steam for 3-5 minutes.
Mash or rice potatoes into pot along with garlic butter and strained milk until thick consistency. The mashed potatoes should be thicker than you’d want as a side dish, as they’ll thin out in the oven.
Assembly & Baking
Add the drained corn and green beans to the filling and mix thoroughly. Pour into a cast-iron pan, or suitable baking dish.
Carefully dollop the potatoes on top, and using a fork, spread out the potatoes until fully covered. I like to seal the potatoes around the edge of the pan. Optionally, you can then sprinkle parmesan or cheddar cheese on top before baking.
Bake at 375ºF for 40-45 minutes, or until cheese and potatoes are nicely golden brown on top. Let rest for 20 minutes before diving in!
