This Slow Cooked Guinness Shepherd's Pie will satisfy a crowd. Hearty savory stew meat slow cooked in a Guinness beer gravy with loads of veggies sits below a thick layer of creamy fluffy garlicky mashed potatoes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The savory layer of stew is hearty and satisfying for a crowd because of the shredded stew meat and Guinness gravy
- This version of shepherd's pie is veggie heavy due to lots of carrots, corn, and peas
- The mashed potatoes are creamy and fluffy and have a hint of garlic
Key Recipe Ingredients
Stew Ingredients
Stew Meat - Traditionally, shepherd's pie was made with lamb meat. Here, in the U.S., lamb is less commonly used with beef being the dominant red meat. For this recipe, I used beef stew meat but of course, lamb stew meat will work just as well.
Carrots, Corn, and Peas - This version of shepherd's pie is fairly veggie-heavy. I like the combination of carrots, corn, and peas but you could add any vegetables you like. Mushrooms, celery, and green beans would all make great additions.
Guinness Beer - When stewing meat, adding beer helps to further tenderize the meat. Dark beer like Guinness can add depth and complexity to the flavor.
Mashed Potatoes Ingredients
Russet Potatoes - For making mashed potatoes, I prefer russet to other potato varieties since they fluff up the best. However, you could also use Yukon gold or red potatoes. Also, sweet potatoes would add an interesting twist!
Milk, Sour Cream, and Butter - When heated up, melted, and combined, these three ingredients make mashed potatoes extra creamy.
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder - Of course, potatoes need a lot of seasoning. The addition of garlic powder to the mashed potatoes adds a lot of flavor that helps them stand on their own next to the stew underneath.
How To Make Slow Cooked Guinness Shepherd's Pie
Note: Full list of ingredients, their amounts, and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Begin heating oil in a shallow braising pan or a stovetop-safe casserole dish with a lid.
Step 2:
First, remove any excess fat from the stew meat. Then, toss the meat with salt and pepper.
Once the oil is hot, sear the meat until it takes on a nice brown color. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 3:
Then, add the onions and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
Next, add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Step 4:
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Step 5:
Then, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute or until the flour has been absorbed.
Step 6:
Next, pour in the Guinness beer and scrape up any brown spots on the bottom of the pan.
Step 7:
Then, add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and dried thyme.
Step 8:
Finally, add the stew meat back into the pan. Then, cover with the lid and place it in the oven. Bake for 1.5 hours.
Step 9:
Add the carrots, corn, and peas.
Place the dish back in the oven uncovered and bake for another 30 minutes.
Step 10:
Meanwhile, peel and quarter the potatoes. Place them into a large pot with enough water to cover them by a few inches. Add 1 tablespoon of kosher or sea salt. Bring to a boil and cook until soft, about 15 minutes.
Step 11:
Drain the potatoes.
In the same pot, with the heat turned to the lowest setting, melt the butter. Add in the milk, sour cream, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and mix until combined.
Step 12:
Add the potatoes to the milk mixture and mash using a potato masher or fork.
Step 13:
Pull the pan out of the oven. Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces.
Step 14:
Top with the mashed potatoes and return to the oven to bake uncovered for 30 minutes. If you like the top to be a bit more browned, broil at the end for 1 to 2 minutes.
Wait about 15 minutes before serving.
Items You May Need
You'll need some type of stovetop-safe and oven-safe casserole dish or braising pan with a lid for this recipe.
I used this Lodge 3.6 Quart Casserole Dish (affiliate).
Tips & Tricks
You can make this dish a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Simply make it up to the point of topping with the mashed potatoes but don't bake.
Then, the next day, pull it out of the fridge while the oven warms up to 325 degrees F. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through and the stew is hot and bubbly.
Substitutions & Variations
I used fresh carrots, frozen corn, and frozen peas in my version.
But, you could use a bag of mixed frozen veggies or any other vegetables you like.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers in the fridge in the casserole dish or transfer them to an airtight container with a lid.
To reheat in the oven, preheat to 325 degrees F and bake for about 30 minutes or until warmed through.
To reheat in the microwave, place an individual portion on a microwave-safe plate and cover. Microwave in 30-second bursts until warmed through.
Leftovers should be eaten within 3 to 4 days.
Other Recipes You'll Love!
Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad
Creamy Sundried Tomato Chicken
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📖 Recipe
Slow Cooked Guinness Shepherd's Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Stew Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds beef or lamb stew meat excess fat trimmed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Guinness beer
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ½ cups carrots diced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
Mashed Potatoes
- 3 pounds russet potatoes peeled and quartered
- 1 tablespoon sea or kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Heat the olive oil in the casserole dish or braiser over medium heat.
- Sauté the stew meat until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Add the onions to the pan and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté for another 1 minute.
- Add in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Deglaze with the beer scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour in the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Cover and bake for 1.5 hours.
- Add the carrots, corn, and peas and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the mashed potatoes:
- Add the potatoes to a pot with water 2 to 3 inches higher than the potatoes. Add the tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Boil for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Drain.
- In the same pot over low heat, melt the butter. Then, add the milk, sour cream, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix until combined.
- Add the drained potatoes into the milk mixture and mash using either a potato masher or a fork.
- Pull the stew out of the oven and shred the meat with two forks.
- Top the stew with the mashed potatoes and smooth them out. Return the dish to the oven uncovered and bake another 30 minutes. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end for browned potatoes.
- Allow the shepherd's pie to rest for 15 minutes. Top with the chopped parsley just before serving.
Carol Massena
This looks fantastic. I can’t wait until I get to the store to get all the ingredients. Also your cast iron casserole can it be used on glass top stove to brown meat. If so I am going to get it, it really makes the meal look so delicious.
Alicia
Thank you!! Hope you enjoy them.
And yes, the cast iron casserole can be used on a glass top stove. Just try to avoid going above medium heat or dragging the pan across the surface.