Shepherds Pie Braised Lamb (Printable View)
Comforting dish featuring braised lamb and hearty vegetables topped with golden mashed potatoes.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Braised Lamb
01 - 2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 cup dry red wine
09 - 2 cups beef or lamb stock
10 - 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
11 - 1 bay leaf
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For the Vegetable Filling
13 - 1 cup frozen peas
14 - 1 cup diced parsnips or turnips
15 - 1 cup sliced mushrooms
16 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
→ For the Potato Topping
17 - 2.5 lbs Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
18 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
19 - 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
20 - Salt and white pepper, to taste
21 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb cubes on all sides in batches, then set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until reduced by half, 3-4 minutes.
05 - Return lamb to the pot. Add stock, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover. Simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in peas, parsnips or turnips, mushrooms, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes until vegetables are tender and sauce is thickened. Adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Meanwhile, boil potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain well.
08 - Mash potatoes with butter, warmed milk, salt, and white pepper until smooth. Stir in Parmesan cheese if using.
09 - Spoon lamb and vegetable mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top, using a fork to create decorative peaks.
10 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until filling is bubbling and potatoes are golden brown. For extra browning, broil for 2-3 minutes at the end.
11 - Let the Shepherd's Pie rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The lamb becomes meltingly tender after an hour of gentle braising, developing depth that ground meat simply cant match
- Those golden potato peaks catch and crisp in the oven, creating the most satisfying texture contrast against the silky filling beneath
02 -
- Let the lamb braise gently rather than boiling aggressively, or the meat will toughen instead of tenderize
- The potato topping needs to be thicker than you might think, or it will sink into the filling during baking
03 -
- Dry your lamb cubes thoroughly with paper towels before searing, or they'll steam instead of brown
- If the sauce seems too thin after adding the final vegetables, let it simmer a few minutes longer before assembling