Shepherd’s Pie with Homestead Beef

A cozy, hearty meal made with Homestead grass-fed and finished ground beef, garden vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes. Make one for tonight, or assemble an extra to tuck into the freezer for a busy winter evening.

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the filling

  • 1½ lbs Homestead ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup beef broth or Homestead bone broth
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp dried rosemary
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp flour, if needed for thickening

For the mashed potato topping

  • 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • ½ cup milk or cream
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar, optional

Directions

  1. Make the potatoes. Boil potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes. Drain well and mash with butter and milk or cream. Season to taste.
  2. Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned. Drain excess fat if necessary.
  3. Add onion and carrots and cook for about 5–7 minutes, until they begin to soften. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute.
  4. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire, broth, thyme and rosemary. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, until rich and slightly thickened. If the mixture is still quite loose, stir in a little flour and cook for another couple of minutes.
  5. Stir in the frozen peas. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  6. Transfer the beef mixture to a baking dish and spread the mashed potatoes evenly over top. Sprinkle with cheddar, if using.
  7. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25–30 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and lightly golden on top.

Stock the Freezer: Shepherd’s Pie

Make dinner once. Enjoy it twice. Shepherd’s pie is an ideal freezer meal because it can be completely assembled ahead of time and frozen before baking.

How to Freeze It

Prepare the shepherd’s pie through the assembly stage, but don't bake it.

Allow the beef filling and mashed potatoes to cool before assembling. Place in a freezer-safe baking dish or divide into smaller individual or two-person portions.

Cover tightly, label with the dish name, date and baking instructions, and freeze.

For best quality, use within about 2–3 months.

When You're Ready to Eat

For the best, most even result, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake at 400°F until the centre reaches 74°C/165°F and the filling is bubbling, generally around 30–40 minutes, depending on the size and depth of the dish.

Homestead Tip: Instead of making one large shepherd’s pie, assemble several smaller ones. They take up less freezer space, thaw faster and give you an easy homemade dinner without committing to a family-sized casserole.