This Shepherd’s Pie recipe is a meat lover’s dream come true. It doesn’t feature just one type of meat, the savory cottage pie features four. The classic meat and vegetable casserole topped with creamy mashed potatoes is the epitome of simple, homey comfort food. It’s a rich and bubbly like our Italian Venison recipe.
Are you wondering what’s the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie? It’s all in the meat. Shepherds pie normally has lamb in it and Cottage pie has beef. But we wanted our venison recipe to elevate the traditional dish by adding ground venison, beef, bacon and smoked sausage. And where does the lamb come in? We add goat cheese to the mashed potato topping.
The pie
If you’re a lover of casseroles and comfort food this recipe is for you. The dish is composed of two components: the meat and root vegetable filling and the delicious cheesy potato crust.
The filling ingredients:
Meat — ground venison, cubed beef, sliced smoked sausage, thick sliced bacon
Vegetables — carrots, celery, fennel, leeks, onions, parsnips, mushrooms
Seasoning — garlic, flat leaf parsley, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, Lawrey’s Garlic Salt, cracked pepper
Liquid — beef stock, red wine
Fat — olive oil for caramelizing the vegetables
Flour — Wondra flour( see notes) or all-purpose for thickening the stew
The topping:
- Potatoes — Yukon gold potatoes
- Seasoning — garlic cloves, green onions, Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- Cheese — goat cheese, Parmesan cheese
- Fat — unsalted butter, sour cream, whole milk
Make the filling
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
This is a very simple dish to put together. You can make the shepherd’s pie mashed potatoes first and set them and then cook the filling or reverse the order. We like to make the potatoes while the savory cottage pie filling is bubbling on the stove.
- Render the bacon and brown the meat in the bacon fat. Set aside.
- Caramelize the vegetables with the seasoning in the olive oil.
- Add the meat back into the pan.
- Add the red wine.
- Sprinkle with the Wondra flour and stir.
- Add the broth and let thicken.
Make the topping
The classic English casserole wouldn’t be complete without the awesome golden cheese crust.
- Place the potatoes, garlic and salt pot with enough water to cover the potatoes.
- Drain the potatoes and garlic, air-dry in pot and process through food mill.
- While potatoes are still hot stir in the goat cheese, butter, sour cream, milk salt and pepper until smooth. Add the green onions
- Cover and keep warm.
Layer the Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- Distribute the meat mixture evenly in the bottom of a baking dish or casserole. You may even have to use two, but that’s okay because you can freeze one for later. How nice is that!!
- Next comes the cheesy potatoes for the shepherd’s pie crust. Believe me, the potatoes are so good you’ll have a hard time not sampling as you spread them evenly over the meat-mushroom filling. Use a fork to rough up the surface of the potatoes – the ridges become a beautiful golden brown.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes at 375℉. You want to make sure it’s piping hot.
- Let stand for about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves, if desired.
FAQs
Chef tips
- Add the vegetables you like. Since we think of this as a fall dish we like using root vegetables. Add peas, corn, whatever your family likes.
- You can add whatever meat you like. If you don’t have venison add some more beef. Add ground turkey, chicken, sausage etc. Make it your way.
- Use Wondra flour for thickening the gravy. It mixes in instantly and is easy to use. The sauce or gravy is creamy and thick without clumps. I keep Wondra flour on hand specifically for thickening sauces and gravies. You can make your own by mixing 2 cups of all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon of corn starch, sifting through the flour twice.
- Be sure that the sauce is to you liking. If it’s too thin the filling will be runny. Once you put the filling in the casserole and cover it with the potatoes, no steam will escape while baking to further reduce the gravy.
- Cool the filling so that when you put the potatoes on top they don’t sink to the bottom and it makes spreading the potatoes on top easier.
- Be sure your potatoes aren’t watery. It’s always a good idea to put the drained potatoes back in the hot pan to dry off the spuds.
- Keep the mashed potatoes hot as you spread them over the cooled filling.
- Make ahead instructions: Assemble the cottage pie but don’t bake it. Make sure the casserole is cool before covering it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and placing in refrigerator or freezer.
- Thaw the casserole completely. Remove the plastic wrap and foil then bake as in the recipe.
- Leftover casserole will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. You may also freeze the leftovers and warm up in the oven until hot.
- Place the casserole or baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips that may come from the bubbly filling.
Quattro Chiacchiere (a chat)
This is my daughter, Michelle’s, recipe. A few years ago, Jason, her brother gave her ground venison. She invited him over for dinner and made this recipe of Shepherd’s Pie with Autumn Root Vegetables. Jason really liked the casserole. He kept telling me I needed to get the recipe from her and put it on the blog.
Well, Michelle didn’t have a written shepherd’s pie venison recipe. Much like my mamma it was all in her head. So, we decided to make this recipe a Sunday event. Michelle came over to our house and we put it together. Let me say it didn’t disappoint.
Michelle and family usually eats this more like a venison stew over mashed potatoes. We decided to shake it up a bit and make it into a Shepherd’s pie/ Cottage pie. It’s whatever you want to call it. One thing is for sure, you’ll call it delicious.
Tutti a tavolo è pronto!
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
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When we make a casserole like this one we like using a deep baking dish like this one. It can be used for many comforting casseroles as well as delicious lasagna.
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Meat Lovers Shepherd’s Pie
This classic casserole gets a boost by making it into a venison recipe with three additional meats. The creamy potato crust is rich with garlic and goat cheese. One taste will bring an instant smile to your family and friend’s faces. Easiest of all is you can make it ahead, no last minute preparation.
If you like this recipe please give it a 5-star rating.
Meat Lovers Shepherd’s Pie With Venison
Ingredients
Shepherd's /Cottage Pie filling
- 1 1/2 lbs ground venison
- 1 1/2 lbs chuck roast cubes
- 1 lb smoked sausage like kielbasa or polish, sliced
- 1/2 lb bacon thick sliced, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 carrots large, peeled and sliced
- 6 celery stalks chopped using leaves
- 2 onions, large chopped
- 1 garlic bulb cloves cleaned and minced
- 1 Large Fennel bulb chopped
- 2 leeks – white and light green only cleaned and chopped
- 3 parsnips cleaned and chopped
- 8 oz crimini mushrooms sliced
- 1 chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley bunch
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme may use dry (1 1/2 tsp.)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (2 tsp. dried)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup full-bodied red wine — like a Cabernet or Merlot
- 1/4 cup Wondra Flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 quart Beef stock (may add more if you want it more like a stew)
- 1 tbsp Lawry's Garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp Freshly ground pepper
Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- 3 lbs Gold potatoes Yukon gold peeled and cut in 3/4-inch chunks
- 5 large garlic cloves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8 oz goat cheese room temperature
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced green and white parts
Equipment Needed
Instructions
The Meat -Vegetable Filling
- Place the chopped bacon In a large Dutch oven and heat to medium high. Once you render the fat from the bacon, add the ground deer meat and beef to the large pot.
- Turn the heat up to high and cook the meat until it browns, breaking up the pieces as you go. Once the meat is brown remove it from the pot and place the meat in a large bowl.
- Pour the olive oil into the pot and heat on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook until the vegetables begin to caramelize about 15 to 20 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently.
- Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, Lawry's Garlic Salt, fresh ground pepper and the browned meat with any juices that are on the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the 1/2 cup red wine and mix well.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and meat and mix well. (See note about thickness of sauce.)
- Add in the beef stock. Mix in the herbs and smoked sausage. Cook over medium low heat for 3-4 hours stirring occasionally. If it gets too thick add a bit more broth. If it's too think add more of the Wondra to it. Be sure to taste for seasoning – you may add more if you like.
- When the filling is done spoon it into a large oven proof dish. Set the dish on a baking sheet just in case it bubbles over.
Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Place the potatoes, garlic and 1 Tablespoon salt in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender.
- Drain the potatoes and garlic and allow them to steam-dry for a few minutes back in the hot pan. Process them together through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade set on top of a bowl.
- While the potatoes are still hot, stir in the goat cheese, butter, sour cream, whole milk, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper until smooth. Add the green onions. Taste for seasoning — add more if needed.
- Keep warm until ready to spread on top of shepherd's pie.
Assemble Pie
- Preheat oven to 375℉
- Spread the warm mashed potatoes on top of the filling making sure it covers it completely. Use a fork to make rough ridges on the crust. This will make for some crisp edges.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan on top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden on top and the filling is bubbling.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before serving, garnish with fresh rosemary or thyme leaves.
Notes
- Add the vegetables you like. Since we think of this as a fall dish we like using root vegetables. Add peas, corn, whatever your family likes.
- You can add whatever meat you like. If you don’t have venison add some more beef. Add ground turkey, chicken, sausage etc. Make it your way.
- Use Wondra flour for thickening the gravy. It mixes in instantly and is easy to use. The sauce or gravy is creamy and thick without clumps. I keep Wondra flour on hand specifically for thickening sauces and gravies. You can make your own by mixing 2 cups of all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon of corn starch, sifting through the flour twice.
- Be sure that the sauce is to you liking. If it’s too thin the filling will be runny. Once you put the filling in the casserole and cover it with the potatoes, no steam will escape while baking to further reduce the gravy.
- Cool the filling so that when you put the potatoes on top they don’t sink to the bottom and it makes spreading the potatoes on top easier.
- Be sure your potatoes aren’t watery. It’s always a good idea to put the drained potatoes back in the hot pan to dry off the spuds.
- Keep the mashed potatoes hot as you spread them over the cooled filling.
- Make ahead instructions: Assemble the cottage pie but don’t bake it. Make sure the casserole is cool before covering it with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and placing in refrigerator or freezer.
- Thaw the casserole completely. Remove the plastic wrap and foil then bake as in the recipe.
- Leftover casserole will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. You may also freeze the leftovers and warm up in the oven until hot.
- Place the casserole or baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips that may come from the bubbly filling.
Nutrition
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