Preparation

Put the ground meat into a large frying pan and cook on low heat. The low heat allows the release of the liquid from the meat without cooking it off quickly. We want all that goodness for our sauce. Stir the meat occasionally to cook evenly. 

While the meat is cooking, chop onions and peel and press the garlic. Add to the pan once the meat has browned, simmer for 2-3 minutes. Then add thyme, Worcestershire sauce, allspice, salt, and pepper. Again, stir to combine and cook for another 2 minutes. 

Add bay leaf and 1 cup of water. If using fresh veggies add them now. I used fresh carrots which I added to the pan at this stage in the instruction video. Cover pan with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. If you find there isn’t enough water near the end of the simmering time add another ¼ cup. You want to have some liquid left in the pan for the next steps.

While the meat simmers further, peel potatoes and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Smaller pieces will speed up the cooking time. Boil potatoes in a medium pot with 1 tbsp of salt.

Add frozen veggies to the pan and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove lid and add tomato paste. The tomato paste is optional. I usually don’t include it because I like the hearty beef flavours but the acidity in the tomato paste does add a freshness to the dish. This is strictly based on personal preference. Stir to evenly combine and simmer for another 5 minutes. 

At the same time, make the slurry by combining corn starch with 2 tsp of cold water in a small bowl. Make sure to stir well to combine the flour and the water. Add the slurry to the pan and stir quickly to distribute evenly and prevent clumps from forming. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

Finally, strain the potatoes and put them back in the pot. Add 2 tbsp of butter and a quarter cup of milk to the pot, and mash with a potato masher until smooth, or until you’ve reached your desired consistency. You can puree the potatoes if you prefer a very smooth consistency. 

To assemble the Shepherd’s Pie, split the meat mixture in half and put each half in an aluminum container. I used 8”x5” containers with cardboard lids. Distribute the mashed potatoes between the two containers. Spread out evenly over the meat mixture. 

Once everything is completely cooled, cover the containers with a lid, write the name of the dish and reheating instructions on the container or lid, and wrap in plastic wrap or seal in a large Ziploc bag. Place in the

freezer. 

Substitutions

You can use any ground meat that you prefer. If you choose poultry, it is not as fatty so may want to add 1 ¼ cups of water instead of just a cup to start. Traditional shepherd’s pie is made with lamb so if you are a fan give it a try.

Veggies can be fresh or frozen. A frozen vegetable medley is the absolute easiest to use in this recipe. Just add it during step 7. You can also add any other vegetables that you like, don’t be limited by my choices. Broccoli and cauliflower make an excellent alternative. I normally stick to just peas and carrots and only add others if I have them on hand. 

Any potatoes that you like will do. My favourite mashed potatoes are Yukon Gold potatoes which is why I recommend yellow flesh potatoes here. You can easily use russet potatoes or any white potato variety instead. To switch things up, you should also try sweet potato mash on top. Just remember to add a pinch of cinnamon and paprika to the sweet potatoes to get the most out of this delicious twist.  

Serving

Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost, place in the refrigerator overnight. When reheating, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the aluminum container from plastic wrap or Ziploc bag, take off the lid, and place in the oven for 60 minutes.

At the 50-minute mark, I shred a quarter cup of sharp cheddar on top and put it back in the oven for the remaining 10 minutes to melt the cheese.  Lastly, when plating, I top each piece with chopped chives. 

It is unlikely I will be doing that when I defrost these pies since I’ll have a newborn on hand but it’s a nice idea anyway.