Cast Iron Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

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Shepherd’s Pie is a comfort food that can easily be enjoyed at home.  Use a cast iron skillet so you can go from stovetop to oven without dirtying up too many pots and pans.  Your whole family will love this recipe!

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Origin of Shepherd’s Pie

Did you know shepherd’s pie originated in Ireland and was made with lamb’s meat?  Over time, the dish was Americanized by using other local red meats like beef and sausage to create the same delicious concoction.  I’ve even heard it referred to as “Cottage Pie” or “Farmer’s Pie” to indicate that it is made with beef instead of lamb.  I love the cleverness & simplicity of the recipe names!

What You’ll Need

The typical veggies I use are carrots, onion, & peas.  I’ve also thrown in others if I have them on hand.  Sometimes I need to use up leftover celery, tomatoes, corn, or green beans.  I toss in whatever I have on hand and it always comes out delicious!

Materials:

• 12-inch Cast-iron Skillet
• Pot to boil & mash the potatoes

Ingredients:

• Veggies (lgarlic, carrots, onions, peas, corn, celery, green beans, spinach, or any others you like)
• Meat (Ground Beef & Sausage work great!)
• Mashed Potatoes
• Broth & red wine
• Flour
• Seasonings: Rosemary, Thyme, Salt, & Pepper
• Cheddar Cheese

Tips for Making Shepherd’s Pie

1. Use what you have on hand!  You can use any vegetables for the filling.  Don’t have beef broth? Substitute it for chicken broth.  Use any ground meats you have on hand: beef, sausage, turkey, etc.  I love that this recipe always comes out amazing and I can use what I have in my pantry instead of strictly following a recipe.
2. Make the mashed potatoes ahead of time.  I like to make a double batch of mashed potatoes earlier in the week for another dinner so I can have ready-to-go mashed potatoes when it comes time to make the Shepherd’s Pie. 
   I’ve also frozen extra mashed potatoes and thawed them out the day before I want to make this recipe.  It really cuts down on the time for the recipe if you have mashed potatoes already made.
3. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can prepare the filling in a frying pan and then transfer it to a baking dish when you’re ready to bake it in the oven.
4. Don’t skip the red wine if you don’t have to.  It takes the flavor up to a whole new level!  (Plus it gives you an excuse to have a glass of wine while you cook ?).
5. If you have a go-to mashed potato recipe, use that instead!  Any version of mashed potatoes on top will be yummy.
6. The cheddar cheese really enhances this meal!  Make sure to get it nice and golden for a rich flavor.

Step-By-Step Instructions for Shepherd’s Pie

This is a pretty hands-on recipe.  The final step of baking is the only part that is passive cooking.  Although it is hands-on, the recipe is easy and the reward is a delicious comfort meal!

1. Start the Mashed Potatoes

First, peel & cut the potatoes.  I use about 8 medium-sized russet potatoes, or you could use 5-6 large russet potatoes.  *You’ll want to end with about 6 cups of mashed potatoes to cover the pie.

Next, place the potatoes in a deep pot with water (I add a little salt to the water).  Turn heat to high and wait for water to boil.  When the water starts to boil, you can turn it down to medium-high heat and let it continue to boil for 15-20 minutes.

*In the meantime, I like to start dicing up my vegetables for the pie filling.

When the potatoes are soft enough for a fork to split them in half, you can drain the water and mix the rest of the ingredients in with the boiled potatoes.  Finally, use a potato masher to mash everything together and then set the mashed potatoes aside.  *Do a few taste tests to make sure you have enough salt & butter for your liking.

Optional: I like to turn the oven on to 400 degrees to roast garlic.  I place 2 garlic cloves inside aluminum foil and pop them into the oven for 3-5 minutes.  Afterwards I peel them and mash them into the potatoes with ½ teaspoon of paprika for extra flavor.

2. Make the Pie Filling

Sauté the Veggies

Turn the oven on to 400 degrees & start heating up your cast iron skillet at medium to medium high heat.  

While everything is heating up, dice up your onion & carrots (and any other veggies you’d like to use).

Add bacon grease to the pan and saute the veggies for 3-5 minutes.  When those veggies seem to have some color, you can add in the peas for 1-2 minutes so they don’t get too mushy.

Next, push the veggies away from the middle of the skillet to make room for the garlic.  Add the minced garlic cloves to the center of the skillet and drizzle avocado oil on the garlic.  Let it brown for 2-3 minutes until you can start to smell the delicious fragrance of it.

Add the Meat

Now that the veggies are good and ready, it’s time to add the meat.  I leave the veggies in the cast iron skillet and add the meat on top.  I brown the meat for 5-7 minutes with the veggies to give everything a robust flavor.

When the meat is browned, you can add all the seasonings: rosemary, thyme, salt, & pepper.

Next, add in the beef broth, red wine, & flour.  This step helps turn the veggies & meat into a nice thick consistency for pie filling.  It usually takes about 3-5 minutes on medium to medium-high heat to get it nice and thick.

3. Put It All Together & Bake

Now that everything is ready, you can combine it for baking.  Use a rubber spatula to pack down and smooth the meat filling.

Gently add the mashed potatoes on top of the filling and ever so lightly spread them out to cover the entire skillet of filling.

Cover the mashed potatoes with the cheddar cheese & pop the cast iron skillet into the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes.  I like to go at least 25 minutes so the cheese gets nice and golden.  You might even go a little longer if you prefer a hard cheese shell on top.

When it’s finished baking, it is time to serve & enjoy!  If you’re trying to impress dinner guests, you could garnish with parsley or green onion chives.

Homemaking Skill

I hope you feel as excited and satisfied as I do when I make Shepherd’s Pie!  For years, I thought it was too complex to make in my own kitchen.  I was intimidated at the thought of all of the ingredients, but in my own desire to be a homemaker, I decided to try it out.  I’m so glad I did! 

If you’re looking for other ways to practice & improve your homemaking skills, check out my post about simple ways to become a traditional homemaker. 

You can also sign up and join the member’s library for FREE goodies & resources.  The latest resource is my DIY Lemon Vinegar Cleaning Spray.  You don’t want to miss it!

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