A Favorite St. Patrick’s Day Dinner
Sheperd’s Pie has become one of my favorite dishes to make for St. Patrick’s Day. Most recipes that I have had use ground beef. In an effort to have everything be totally natural and from scratch I decided to start with a roast so that I could make my own homemade gravy. I must say, this is the best Shepherd’s Pie that I have ever had. I developed this recipe so many years ago and we’ve had it countless times.
Authentic Irish Flavor
The Nutmeg is a must for that authentic flavor. Most people don’t know that’s what they are tasting in a traditional recipe. Don’t worry, it’s not going to taste like eggnog, spice cake, or pumpkin pie.
Shepherd’s Pie or Cottage Pie?
Technically, as I understand it, this should really be called Cottage pie since I use Beef instead of Lamb. I have made it with lamb before and it has a much more gamey flavor, and beef is what we Americans are used to these days when we see it on a menu.
Bad Restaurant Versions
As I am writing this post, my husband and I have just gotten back from a local eatery on St. Patrick’s Day. We ordered the Shepherd’s Pie and as usual, I was disappointed. It was just ground beef, with a few kernels of corn and potatoes on top with a little cheddar cheese, and no gravy whatsoever. You’ll notice in my recipe that I have lots of gravy for a juicy pie with many vegetables and spices too that make this dish oh so good. Cheese detracts from the flavors and to my knowledge it’s not supposed to be in Shepherd’s Pie so no cheese, please.
Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds beef chuck roast
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 cup Baby Carrots sliced
- 1 cup Celery diced
- 1 1/2 cups Sweet Corn Kernals: fresh or frozen
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pink Himalayan Salt; to taste
- Black Pepper; to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 12 ounces beef gravy (reduce juice from roast to about 1 cup, mix 2 tablespoons Wondra flour for sauces and 1/4 cup water until flour is dissolved, then add to roast juice and cook until boils for one minute.)
- Mashed potatoes (Peel and quarter 5 large russet potatoes, boil for about 25 minutes until fork tender, drain, mash, and mix with heavy cream, and butter. Potatoes should have enough cream so they are able to be spread.)
Instructions
- Cook roast in crock pot with 1 cup water all day (6 to 10 hours depending on temp.) save liquid to make gravy. The meat should be falling apart. Separate the meat until it is entirely shredded.
- Sauté onion, carrots, and celery, for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are wilted, add garlic powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Stir in the gravy. Pour into large shallow baking pan and cool. The filling should be about 1 1/2 inches deep.
- Cover the meat mixture in the pan with the corn and then top with the hot mashed potatoes. Smooth potatoes evenly, brush surface with butter.
- Bake at 325°F for 35 to 40 minutes.
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