Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
4 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 to 1 ½ pounds 80% ground beef
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon Worcheshire sauce
1 cup broth (see my recipe for Homemade Chicken Broth)
1 ½ to 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (eg. corn, peas, and carrots)
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Steps
Peel the skin of 2 pounds of russet potatoes and cut the potatoes into 1 inch sized pieces. You want to make sure you cut all the potatoes to the same size, so they cook evenly
Place the potatoes in a heavy bottomed pot and fill with water until covered
Put the pot of potatoes and water on the stove and cover with a lid
Bring the potatoes to a boil, remove the lid, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender
In the meantime, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a large saute pan and heat over medium heat
Add 1 cup of chopped onions and saute until translucent, for about 5 to 7 minutes
Add the ground beef and use a spoon to break it up into small pieces
Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic to the onions and beef and stir to combine
Add the thyme, 1 tablespoon of Worcheshire sauce, salt and pepper to taste
Stir in the 2 tablespoons of flour
Add the frozen mixed vegetables and pour in the broth
Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes
When the potatoes are done cooking, drain the water and return to potatoes to the pot
Mash the potatoes with a fork, wooden spoon, or potato masher
Stir in 4 tablespoons of softened butter, ¼ cup of sour cream, and a ¼ cup of milk to the potatoes
Season the mashed potatoes with some salt and black pepper to taste
Spread the ground beef mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch by 13 inch oven safe pan
Spread the mashed potatoes all over the top of the meat mixture, making sure to completely cover the meat and not have any of it exposed
Use a fork to rake lines and divots into the mashed potatoes (see YouTube video) for more clarification
Bake the shepherd’s pie in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes
Remove the shepherd’s pie from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving