Oh guys, I really do love chicken pot pie’s rustic little sister. Or big sister. Or cousin. Whatever. I’m v much into the shepherd’s pie this year! And how fitting it is for a St. Paddy’s celebration.
To really develop the flavors in the beef and the saucey filling, I slow cooked the chuck steak in the crockpot for 8 hours with beef stock, tomatoes and red wine. The red wine deepens the whole flavor and really ups the ante on how freaking amazing your house smells when you make this! Plus, a whole bunch of cheese in the potatoes doesn’t hurt, either.
I love the idea of a shepherd’s pie on a St. Paddy’s day dinner party menu. They’re easy to make and you can 100% make them ahead of time and reheat them in the oven. They also make incredible leftovers, if you’re so lucky to have any left over!
I used my large soup crocks from World Market (which I used for French Onion Soup). I have to say, they were a little big and I wish I had used a smaller baking dish, or just used my lasagna pan. These guys can easily serve two, and ya know, shepherd’s pie is definitely a dense dish. You could totally lighten these up, though, if you did a cauliflower mash instead of potatoes!
A shepherd’s pie definitely gives you everything you need in one dish! I would just serve this with a simple green salad on the side. And Irish Soda Bread because it’s a St. Paddy’s dinner party, and all! If you keep a menu focused on one really show stopping dish, you don’t need much else!
Shepherd’s Pie with Slow Cooked Beef & Gruyere Potatoes
Ingredients
Slow Cooked Beef
- 2 lb chuck roast cubed
- 1 tsp Trader Joe’s umami seasoning or salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup dry red wine
Shepherd’s Pie Filling
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 c onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 c peas
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- salt & pepper to taste
Potato Topping
- 5 large yukon gold potatoes
- 1 c shredded gruyere cheese
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Slow Cooked Beef
- Combine all ingredients in a crockpot.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or until beef falls apart.
Shepherd’s Pie Filling
- Melt the butter.
- Add chopped vegetables and sautee until soft.
- Salt & pepper to taste.
- Set aside.
Potato Topping
- Bring salted pot of water and potatoes to a boil.
- Boil until pierced easily with a fork; drain water. Peel if desired or jump right to the next step (I like the skins on).
- Place the potatoes back in the pot and melt in butter and cheese.
- Add cream and continue to mash; salt and pepper to taste.
Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Combine beef mixture and vegetable mixture; stir until well combined. Taste for salt and pepper; adjust accordingly.
- Pour mixture into crocks or baking dish, leaving enough room for the mashed potatoes – see notes.
- Top with mashed potatoes; place on a baking sheet to catch any dripping.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until topping is crispy.
- Optional: broil for 2-3 minutes for extra crispiness.