Lately I’ve been on a real comfort food kick, putting together warm, comforting, homestyle dishes that I haven’t had in a long while. A couple nights ago, I was up on the Instant Pot Community on Facebook looking for a way to use up some angus burgers, when Lisa S. suggested I make a beefy Shepherd’s Pie. That just sounded perfect for tonight’s dinner. Here’s how I did it. (The concise recipe card is at the bottom.)
This recipe makes two 7.5” round Shepherd’s Pies. I am a strong believer in the “make-one-freeze-one” philosophy!
Take 5 yellow potatoes and slice them into 1 inch chunks. Place your trivet in your Instant Pot and add 1 ½ cups of water. You can use bone broth if you like, which is what I did here. Mine’s frozen.
Close the lid, turn the knob to sealing, and press Pressure/High setting the time for 20 minutes. Quick release it once the time is up.
Lift the trivet and put the potatoes in a large bowl. Add a large handful of chopped chives. (I’m using onion scapes from my garden. I planted Vidalia sweet onions several years ago and just harvest their greens whenever I eat potatoes.) Add 2 T prepared horseradish, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, ½ stick of butter and 2 T heavy cream. Could you skip the cream? Yes, but it works out to just one tablespoon per pie. With six slices per pie, you’re only getting 1/2 teaspoon per slice. I won’t tell.
Mash it with your favorite spoon until well mixed. I like it to have some chunk still, for texture in the final pie.
Dump all but ¼ cup of the water/broth out of your Instant Pot and add 2 pounds ground beef. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 2 T chopped fresh oregano (I pull this fresh from my garden).
When the meat is cooked, use your slotted spoon to put half of the meat in each pan.
Top each pan with one half of a 12 oz. bag of frozen pearl onions (I love their sweetness in the final pie!).
Then top each pan with half a 12 oz. bag of your favorite mixed vegetables. Here, I’m using a mix of diced carrot, peas, green beans and corn.
Finally, top each pan with half of the mashed potatoes mixture.
Turn on your broiler and when its ready broil your Shepherd’s Pies until brown. My broiler goes to 550 degrees, so it takes about 5 minutes to get an even brown.
It will be really hot when you take it out, but I bet that golden brown Shepherd’s Pie draws you in before it gets cool!
I try to cut it like a pie and get it onto a plate as neatly as possible. That’s a hard job. If you can do it, you deserve a second piece.
- For the mashed potato topping:
- 5 yellow potatoes sliced into 1 inch chunks
- One large handful of chopped chives (one plastic produce department tray)
- 2 T prepared horseradish
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- ½ stick butter
- 2 T heavy cream
- For the meat:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 T fresh oregano, chopped
- 12 oz. bag frozen pearl onions
- 12 oz. bag frozen carrot, pea, green bean and corn mix
- This recipe makes two 7.5” round Shepherd’s Pies.
- Take 5 yellow potatoes and slice them into 1 inch chunks. Place your trivet in your Instant Pot and add 1 ½ cups of water. You can use bone broth if you like.
- Close the lid, turn the knob to sealing, and press Pressure/High setting the time for 20 minutes. Quick release it once the time is up.
- Lift the trivet and put the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the chopped chives, 2 T prepared horseradish, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, ½ stick of butter and 2 T heavy cream. Mash it with your favorite spoon until well mixed. I like it to have some chunk still, for texture in the final pie.
- Dump all but ¼ cup of the water/broth out of your Instant Pot and add 2 pounds ground beef. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté.
- Season the meat with ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 2 T chopped fresh oregano.
- When the meat is cooked, use your slotted spoon to put half of the meat in each pan.
- Top each pan with one half of a 12 oz. bag of frozen pearl onions.
- Then top each pan with half a 12 oz. bag of your favorite mixed vegetables. Here, I’m using a mix of diced carrot, peas, green beans and corn.
- Finally, top each pan with half of the mashed potatoes mixture.
- Turn on your broiler and when its ready broil your Shepherd’s Pies until brown. My broiler goes to 550 degrees, so it takes about 5 minutes to get an even brown.
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