No potatoes anywhere in this. That is the whole premise.
Shepherd’s pie is normally seasoned meat under a mashed potato lid. Here the lid is eggs, cream cheese, heavy cream and cheddar, whisked together and poured over the meat, where it sets in the oven into something between a custard and a souffle.
Two layers, seven ingredients, and about an hour start to finish including the browning.
The topping sets rather than crisps
Worth knowing what you are aiming for before you start, because it is not mashed potato and it will not behave like it.
Four eggs, half a cup of heavy cream and two hundred grams of cream cheese whisked together makes a loose pourable mixture. In the oven it sets from the outside in, puffs slightly, and goes golden on top where the cheddar is.
It stays soft and creamy underneath. If you are expecting a crust you will think it is underdone. It is not.
Whisk the cream cheese properly
Cold cream cheese will not blend into eggs and cream. It stays in lumps and those lumps bake into pale dense pockets running through the topping.
Take it out of the fridge ahead of time. Whisk the cream cheese with the cream first until it is smooth, then add the eggs one at a time. Doing it in that order gives you a much better chance than dropping everything in together.
Half the cheddar goes into the mixture and half gets scattered on top. The cheese inside adds body and stops the topping tasting purely of egg.
Brown the meat properly and let it cool
A kilogram of ground beef or lamb, broken into small pieces as it cooks, until it is fully browned rather than just grey.
Browning is where the flavour is. There are no onions here, no garlic, no herbs, nothing else contributing, so the meat has to carry the entire dish. Grey steamed mince makes a bland pie.
Then take the pan off the heat and let it cool slightly before assembling. Pouring an egg mixture over hot meat starts scrambling the eggs on contact, and you get curdled patches instead of a smooth set.
Beef broth if you have it
A quarter cup added to the meat once it has browned, cooked down for a couple of minutes so the meat absorbs it.
It is listed as optional and it earns its place. The meat sits under a rich topping for half an hour in the oven, and a little extra savoury depth underneath keeps the balance right.
Grated parmesan is the other optional addition, scattered over with the cheddar. It browns harder and sharper than cheddar does and gives the top more interest.
Baking it
375F for twenty five to thirty minutes. The top layer sets and takes on colour.
Ground beef needs to reach an internal temperature of 160F to be safe. The source does not give a number, so check with a thermometer through the meat layer rather than the topping.
Rest ten minutes out of the oven before cutting. The topping firms up considerably as it cools and cutting into it hot gives you a sloppy portion that tastes fine and falls apart on the plate.
Serving
Straight from the dish, cut into squares. Rich enough that portions can be smaller than you think.
A kilogram of meat plus all that dairy makes six generous servings. It reheats well in the oven, though the topping loses a little of its puff.
Beef or lamb
Lamb is the traditional choice for shepherd’s pie and it brings a stronger, slightly gamey flavour that stands up to the dairy well. Beef is milder and more familiar. Both work and the method is identical.
Draining the fat
A kilogram of fatty mince releases a lot of fat. Drain most of it off before assembling, keeping a spoonful or two for flavour. Too much left in the dish pools around the edges as it bakes.
Carnivore Shepherds Pie
Description
A grain free shepherds pie with a set egg and cheese topping in place of mashed potato.
Ingredients:
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).
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Place a large pan over medium heat and add the butter. Allow it to melt slowly.
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Add the ground beef or lamb and break it into small pieces with a spoon as it cooks. Sprinkle over the salt and black pepper and stir occasionally until fully browned.
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If using beef broth add it now and cook a few minutes so the meat absorbs it. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly. Drain off most of the rendered fat.
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In a mixing bowl whisk the room temperature cream cheese with the heavy cream until smooth, then whisk in the eggs one at a time. Stir in half the shredded cheddar.
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Lightly grease a baking dish with butter and spread the cooked meat evenly across the bottom.
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Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the meat and spread gently to cover the surface. Sprinkle over the remaining cheddar and the parmesan if using.
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Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the top has set and turned slightly golden and the meat reaches 160F / 71C.
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Rest 10 minutes before cutting into portions and serving warm..
Note
The source gives no prep time or servings; both are estimated from the method and quantities. Ground beef should reach an internal temperature of 160F / 71C; check through the meat layer with a thermometer. Let the browned meat cool slightly before pouring the egg mixture over, or the eggs will scramble on contact. Use room temperature cream cheese and whisk it with the cream before adding eggs. Drain most of the rendered fat before assembling.
