Guinness Shepherd’s Pie is the epitome of Irish comfort food! Ground lamb and vegetables combine in a rich, decadent Guinness sauce then topped with a creamy mashed potato blended with grass fed Irish butter and cream. Serve it with crisp, steamed, green beans and a glass of Pinot Noir to enjoy every aspect of this dish.
Traditionally lamb is the meat for a Shepherd’s Pie recipe – the name of the dish gives it away! If you thought ground beef was, then you are thinking of Cottage Pie, an equally delicious meat and potato combo.
Shepherd’s Pie is as old as the hills! Shepherd’s Pie first appeared around late 1700s and early 1800s. Meat was scarce, so bits and pieces of any type of meat, mostly lamb, mutton and even pigeon would be finely chopped and cooked with root vegetables to give added flavor. After it tenderized through many hours of cooking, mashed up boiled potatoes covered the meat, in an attempt to cover up the random pieces of meat used in the recipe.
Nowadays, thanks to fresh ground lamb being readily available at our local supermarket or butchers, Shepherd’s Pie has become a delightful dish to savor and enjoy, rather than a covert operation in culinary shenanigans!
Ingredients
- Lamb: ground, preferably grass fed and / or organic.
- Potatoes: preferably russets.
- Onion: white, yellow or sweet.
- Carrots.
- Celery.
- Butter: preferably Irish or non Irish grass fed.
- Cream.
- Beef stock.
- Guinness: bottle or can.
Instructions: How to Make Guinness Shepherd’s Pie
for the Meat Layer
Put the ground lamb into a pot and brown well over a medium / high heat. Stir well to break it up and to prevent it from sticking. No need to add fat, there is enough fat in the lamb to cook it.
While the lamb is browning, peel and chop the onions.
Peel and chop the carrots. Wash and chop the celery.
When the meat has browned and even a little crispy (roasted) looking, add the onions, carrots and celery, mix well.
After 5 minutes, pour in the beef stock and stir well.
After 5 minutes add at least half a bottle of Guinness. If you like Guinness add all of it. Cook over a medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and the lamb and vegetable are in a thicker sauce. This can take about 1 hour.
for the Potato Layer
While then lamb is cooking and reducing for an hour, peel and chop the potatoes into chunks. They’ll cook faster in smaller pieces.
Place the potato pieces into salted (1 tsp salt) cold water, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the potatoes are soft when pierced with a thin knife.
Drain the potatoes when cooked. Return the potatoes to the heat and allow any residual water to evaporate. Pour in cream and melted butter, and using a hand held mixer, blend the potatoes and cream together.
Put the cooked lamb in an ovenproof dish. Put the mashed potatoes into a piping bag with your nozzle of choice and pipe swirls of potatoes on top of the lamb.
When the entire dish is covered with potatoes and none of the lamb layer is showing, place the Shepherd’s Pie in a pre heated 350 degrees F, oven for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown.
Once the potatoes are golden brown, remove from the oven. Top with freshly chopped parsley (optional.) It’s ready to serve.
Flexibility
Changing this recipe for Shepherd’s Pie in any way, takes a step away from its authenticity. It will also alter the nutritional value, calorie content, flavor profile, and appearance.
Lamb is the primary meat used in Shepherd’s pie, but f you prefer ground beef or pork, feel free to use them. This can help counter balance the lanolin, pastoral flavor associated with lamb. Using lean lamb will also help because lamb’s flavor comes from the fat.
Use Yukon gold potatoes if russets are unavailable. Do not use red or other waxy potatoes for this dish.
Interchange carrots, celery and onions with celeriac, turnip, rutabaga, parsnips and garlic.
Milk, half and half or sour cream used instead of cream, this will cut calories and richness.
Beef stock is the only type of stock I would use in this recipe, as chicken stock is too light in flavor and color.
As Guinness is the most famous Irish beer, it doesn’t have to be used. Other Irish stouts include Murphy’s, and O’Hara’s. If needed use a local stout. Don’t worry about the alcohol content, it cooks off making this a non alcoholic dish – (that’s something I thought I’d never write!)
Guinness also makes a non alcoholic draught beer sold in a can – who knew?!
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Uses for Guinness Shepherd’s Pie
Guinness Shepherd’s Pie is similar to Cottage Pie, so it has comparable uses. It can be a lunch or dinner option. Served in pubs across the U.K., it is oftentimes part of a pub grub lunch menu, served with a green salad, or crisp green vegetables and a pint of beer.
This is easy enough to serve as an easy family meal. It can be made in advance and reheated when needed.
Don’t wait for St. Patrick’s day to make and serve it!
Storage
Store Guinness Shepherd’s Pie in the refrigerator, wrapped well in plastic wrap. Remove individual portions of it to reheat at a time, if not all of it is to be eaten. Consume it within 3 days.
Freeze a whole Guinness Shepherd’ Pie in the freezer for up to 6 months. If you know in advance that the Shepherd’s Pie is to be frozen, then consider using a rectangular aluminum container. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and place it covered in a pre heated 350 degrees F. oven to reheat. Slip a thin knife into the center after 20 minutes and test the blade against your wrist, to check how hot it is. More accurately, use a digital thermometer placed into the center of the pie. A temperature of 165 degrees F. ensures the Shepherd’s Pie has been acceptably reheated.
Equipment
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A Tip From Me
Guinness Shepherd’s Pie is a great dish to gift to those in need, such as elderly neighbors or new moms. Providing a meal for someone, gives that person a tangible and practical gift, reminding them they are thought of.
Many times over the years, I have been asked to make a meal for a person who is recuperating at home, or a family with a new baby. Dishes like Guinness Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie are perfect, they are complete and provide sustenance and nourishment. Recipients need only reheat what they need.
Got Questions?
I’ve got answers – hopefully!
- Are there other names for Shepherd’s Pie? Yes, is commonly confused with Cottage Pie, which has a similar preparation except beef is used instead of lamb. A French version of this dish is known as Hachis Parmentier.
- Can you put cheese or breadcrumbs, in the potatoes or on top of a Guinness Shepherd’s Pie?
- Why does this dish have the word Pie in it, yet it does not contain pastry? It is believed the early forerunner of Shepherd’s Pie originated in Scotland, where it was made with pastry. When it crossed the Irish Sea, the Irish altered the recipe using a potato topping due to the abundance of potatoes. This was well before the famine hit Ireland in 1845.
Guinness Shepherd’s Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1 onion
- 12 oz beef stock
- 3 lbs potatoes about 10 medium
- 7 oz carrots about 4 medium
- 3 oz celery
- 4 fl oz cream
- 4 oz Irish butter
- ½ bottle Guinness 5-6 fl oz
Instructions
- Put the ground lamb into a pot and brown well over a medium / high heat. Stir well to break it up and to prevent it from sticking. No need to for oil.
- While the lamb is browning, peel and chop the onions.
- Peel and chop the carrots. Wash and chop the celery.
- When the meat has browned and even a little crispy (roasted) looking, add the onions, carrots and celery, mix well.
- After 5 minutes, pour in the beef stock and stir well.
- After 5 minutes, add at least half a bottle of Guinness. If you like Guinness add all of it. Cook over a medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and the lamb and vegetable are in a thicker sauce. This can take about 1 hour.
- While then lamb is cooking and reducing for an hour, peel and chop the potatoes into chunks.
- Place the potato pieces into salted (1 tsp salt) cold water, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the potatoes are soft when pierced with a thin knife.
- Drain the potatoes when cooked. Return the potatoes to the heat and allow any residual water to evaporate. Pour in melted butter and cream, and using a hand held mixer, blend the potatoes and cream together.
- Put the cooked lamb in an ovenproof dish. Put the mashed potatoes into a piping bag with your nozzle of choice and pipe swirls of potatoes on top of the lamb.
- When the entire dish is covered with potatoes and none of the lamb layer is showing, place the Shepherd's Pie in a pre heated 350 degrees F, oven for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown.
- Once the potatoes are golden brown, remove from the oven. Top with freshly chopped parsley (optional.) It's ready to serve.
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