Make-Ahead Shepherd's Pie
By America's Test KitchenPublished on September 12, 2011
Time
3 hours, plus up to 1 month freezing
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
FILLING
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large onion, chopped fine2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef Salt and pepper 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons tomato paste 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth ¼ cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 1 (1-pound) bag frozen peas and carrotsTOPPING
2 ½ pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch piecesSalt and pepper 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted2 tablespoons cream cheeseBefore You Begin
The beef mixture should look very loose after simmering in step 2.
Instructions
- BROWN MEAT Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add meat, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until beef is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook until paste begins to darken, about 2 minutes.
- SIMMER SAUCE Add broth, cream, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer sauce to large bowl, and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
- MASH POTATOES Bring potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough water to cover by 1 inch to boil in large pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander, transfer to large bowl, and mash with butter and cream cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until cooled, about 30 minutes.
- ASSEMBLE AND FREEZE Transfer cooled meat filling to 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Top evenly with frozen peas and carrots, pressing down gently on vegetables. Spread potatoes evenly over vegetables (see photo 2, left), using spatula to smooth top. Drag fork across top to make ridges. Tightly wrap dish in plastic, then in foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- BAKE Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove and discard plastic from baking dish. Re-cover with foil and bake until heated through, about 80 minutes. Increase heat to 450 degrees, remove foil, and bake until top is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve.
Time
3 hours, plus up to 1 month freezingYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
FILLING
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
Salt and pepper
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 (1-pound) bag frozen peas and carrots
TOPPING
2 ½ pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons cream cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
FILLING
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
Salt and pepper
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 (1-pound) bag frozen peas and carrots
TOPPING
2 ½ pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons cream cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
FILLING
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
Salt and pepper
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 (1-pound) bag frozen peas and carrots
TOPPING
2 ½ pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons cream cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
The freezer dehydrates food, so we added extra chicken broth to keep our Make-Ahead Shepherd’s Pie moist. The filling looked soupy when we froze it, but once reheated, it mimicked the original. Our potato topping soaked up too much of the beef mixture as we reheated the pie, so we strategically layered our other ingredients to create a makeshift barrier.
To prevent the topping from turning grainy, we turned to waxy red potatoes. They packed fewer amylose molecules, the culprit behind a coarse mash.
Before You Begin
The beef mixture should look very loose after simmering in step 2.
Instructions
- BROWN MEAT Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add meat, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until beef is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook until paste begins to darken, about 2 minutes.
- SIMMER SAUCE Add broth, cream, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer sauce to large bowl, and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
- MASH POTATOES Bring potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough water to cover by 1 inch to boil in large pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander, transfer to large bowl, and mash with butter and cream cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until cooled, about 30 minutes.
- ASSEMBLE AND FREEZE Transfer cooled meat filling to 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Top evenly with frozen peas and carrots, pressing down gently on vegetables. Spread potatoes evenly over vegetables (see photo 2, left), using spatula to smooth top. Drag fork across top to make ridges. Tightly wrap dish in plastic, then in foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- BAKE Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove and discard plastic from baking dish. Re-cover with foil and bake until heated through, about 80 minutes. Increase heat to 450 degrees, remove foil, and bake until top is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Serve.
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