Shepherds Pie Twice Baked (Potatoes)

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Shepherd’s pie is a common Irish dish that combines every Midwestern stereotypical food, cheese, meat, and potatoes. Now what if you had baked the potatoes twice and fill them with ground meat, cheese, and some veggies? Shepherd’s Pie Twice Baked? I think I hit the golden potato on this one.

Shepherd’s pie is incredibly easy, and its origins are actually not only from Ireland, but from the United Kingdom too! Generally, a meat pie is actually referred to as a “Cottage Pie” because it uses beef. The only reason Shepherd’s pie is called what it is, is because “Shepherd’s Pie” uses lamb, and shepherds look after sheep.

Ireland is known for their potatoes. If you are Irish, then you are culturally obligated to love potatoes, no question about it.

Now I would like to tell you about this amazing dish that would probably be best served as an appetizer for a large party. I consider my girlfriend and I a large party. We can seriously put food away; our grocery bill is outrageous but that is a discussion best saved for later.

First things first you have to have some potatoes

I used 8 russets and that is waaay too many for us, I could’ve gotten away with just 4 honestly.

Tip: Start this recipe earlier in the day so the potatoes have time to cool down before the second bake.

We will just save the leftovers for quick snacks out the door later on. Assuming you are going to be cooking for a family of 4-6 this recipe will suit your specific need!

You have your 8 potatoes now you need:

1 Cup sour cream
2 Cups milk
1 stick of butter
olive oil
1 lbs. Ground Lamb (I used grass fed 85/15 fat content)
1 lbs. ground pork (scored this from the Farmers Market)
1/2 Cup of each Peas, and Carrots (frozen is fastest)
at least 1/2 lbs. of shredded cheddar cheese
half of a 9oz can of Guinness Stout (same Beer as in the Coddle Recipe)
And Salt and Pepper to taste

Let’s Bake – Shepherds Pie Twice Baked (Potatoes)

Start off by preheating the oven to 375F wash each potato and scrub the dirt off. Coat each potato with olive oil and salt and pepper on a baking sheet and slide in the oven for about an hour. Check them by poking a tooth-pick through and if it goes all the way through without any resistance than your tater is cooked! If not, then put back in the oven for an extra 15 minutes.

Shepherds Pie Twice Baked Potatoes Pre-bake

After taters are cooked place them in the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours.

Lets stuff those taters

About 2 hours before dinner I recommend starting dinner prep.

Start scooping out the inner potato with a spoon into a mixing bowl, and the skins back on the baking tray

I know Kitchen Aid Mixers are super expensive, but they come with a GREAT warranty and I love mine! I use it for LITERALLY everything!

cook the lamb and pork together in a fry-pan to catch the grease or you can utilize a cast iron skillet.

Get your own cast iron for less than $15 here, everyone should own at least one. They are incredibly reliable and useful I take mine camping anytime I go because they really make the camping trip “authentic”. They can last you a lifetime and then some with the proper care.

While the meat is browning add half the can of Guinness Stout, let that reduce and add a spoonful of mashed potatoes to thicken the mixture of meat.

While the meat is browning, fill a small saucepan with 1/4 C salt 2 Cups milk and 1 stick of butter, place it on medium heat till boiling.

Pour the Milk mixture into the mash and start mixing on medium then high to whip the potatoes. You want the potatoes to thick and sticky, so they stay on top of the skins, not droop over the side. They should look like this.

Shepherds Pie Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

after the meat is browned, I drizzle olive oil on the insides of the skins so they will become crispy while baking. scoop meat into the bottoms of the skins.

Layer the veggies on top of the meat, followed by shredded cheese.

Finally scoop mashed potatoes on top of all the ingredients to form little mound like this.

Second Bake

Bake for 45 minutes, in the last 7 minutes turn oven up to 430F. In the last 4 minutes turn on broiler to high heat and broil for the last few minutes. The broiling process will crisp up the very top layer of potato and give it a nice toasted color and flavor.

The final product should look like this.