| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 35 min |
| Prep: | 45 min |
| Cook: | 50 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise, sliced 1/2 inch thick and rinsed well
- 12 ounces ground beef
- 12 ounces ground lamb
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 cup Irish stout (such as Guinness)
- 1 1/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch and season with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the leeks are soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer half of the leeks to a large bowl and set aside.
- Add the beef and lamb to the skillet with the remaining leeks. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Pour off any excess fat from the skillet; season the meat with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Stir the carrots, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and thyme into the meat. Clear a space in the middle of the skillet and add the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 1 minute, then stir into the meat mixture. Pour in the stout and simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
- Cook, stirring, until the carrots are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas; reduce the heat to low and let simmer while you mash the potatoes.
- Drain the potatoes and let cool slightly. Transfer to the bowl with the reserved leeks; add the butter, half-and-half and 1/2 teaspoon salt and mash well. Stir in 1/2 cup cheddar.
- Spread the meat mixture in a 3-quart baking dish. Dollop the mashed potatoes on top, then spread with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar. Bake until bubbling around the edges and the topping is browned in spots, about 25 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
- You can assemble any of these dishes up to 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then add about 10 minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 721 |
| Total Fat | 47 g |
| Saturated Fat | 21 g |
| Carbohydrates | 43 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 31 g |
| Cholesterol | 131 mg |
| Sodium | 1148 mg |
Reviews
I followed the recipe pretty much.
• I used 1# of ground cooked lamb, 1# chopped cooked lamb
• Start by making a mirpoire; simmer the lamb in this and stir in flour
• Add more Guinness and chicken stock and keep reducing
• Used 1Cup each of corn & peas
• I had saved au jus from the cooked lamb and made this into gravy, which everyone loved. This was a winner recipe!
These notes were mostly for my benefit so I could make this again with the same results.
• I used 1# of ground cooked lamb, 1# chopped cooked lamb
• Start by making a mirpoire; simmer the lamb in this and stir in flour
• Add more Guinness and chicken stock and keep reducing
• Used 1Cup each of corn & peas
• I had saved au jus from the cooked lamb and made this into gravy, which everyone loved. This was a winner recipe!
These notes were mostly for my benefit so I could make this again with the same results.
I used sweet onion instead of leeks, and added a bit more worcestershire, salt & pepper than the original recipe called for. It was delicious and my family devoured it.
Very good. Cut in half and made without lamb since my local grocer never has it. I did not find it to have too much liquid as another reviewer mentioned. Mine reduced and the outcome was perfect. I didn’t have Guiness but used another beer. I’d make it again.
Bland and watery. While it looks good “on paper”, the end result leaves so much to be desired. The recipe calls for barely any salt and far too much liquid that doesn’t just magically reduce around the time you’re supposed to dump it in the oven. I give it three stars because it is *technically* shepherd’s pie. Do yourself a favor and skip the Guinness for something stronger in flavor then add to taste. Also it won’t hurt to add more salt or at least get the regular beef broth and add about a quarter cup less of that too.
If I could give this more stars, I would. Delicious flavor and perfect for a big crowd. Doubled the recipe for a Halloween party. The only thing I added was a slurry of flour and beef broth at the end. After spreading mashed potatoes, I saved some to pipe ghosts on top. It was ghostly! Thanks for sharing!!
It’s killer. Big flavor