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Shepherd’s Pie - How to Make the Best Damn Meal Ever

startcooking.com — So I know the food & drink category is mostly about the drinking side of things... but every guy should know how to make this meal. Mashed Potatoes = Good. Meat = Real Good. Peas = Good... Shepherd’s Pie = Soo Good.

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  • njection, on 01/10/2008, -18/+3The video looks like Cooking Mama on the Wii
  • MrBabyMan, on 01/10/2008, -12/+106Have to agree. Shepard's pie is just about everything you could want from a meal in one dish.
    • lailalu, on 01/10/2008, -1/+2Completely agreed. It seems to get overlooked for its simplicity but everything I love is there.
      • DarkPrincess74, on 01/10/2008, -1/+3This explains why my dad loved to make this meal when I was a kid. I'm only starting to understand the guy definition of good food. One time at work I was ordering pizza when I was working late and there were a few guys there ordering with me they were like bacon and sausage and I was like gross we need veggies too. Men would live on meat alone if that were possible it seems.
        • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -1/+4Sausage and Bacon's not bad, but they forgot the thing that actually makes it a pizza: PEPPERONI!

          It's not pizza without it.
          • BattleScars, on 01/10/2008, -0/+5And cheese. Don't forget cheese.
        • IndigoMoss, on 01/10/2008, -2/+6The Best pizza is Ham, Bacon, and Grilled Chicken.
        • DarkPrincess74, on 01/10/2008, -1/+0haha oops i forgot they got pepperoni too, no wonder i didn't like it.
        • nepawoods, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2"Men would live on meat alone if that were possible it seems."

          It is possible, some do, and there are some who believe it is the ONLY natural food for humankind - i.e. that plants are not a natural part of the human diet. One thing is certain: if you're ever stranded in wilderness, and know nothing about what's safe to eat and what can kill you within hours, stick with meat. Humans have no instincts about which plants are deadly poisonous (unlike most plant-eating animals, which know what's good and what isn't), and very many are.

          Stanley Owsley, the Grateful Dead sound man, and one of the most prolific LSD chemists ever, has lived for some 40 years on a pure meat diet. He talks about it here (to a bunch of people who have no idea who they're talking to): http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=287013 ...
      • vornan19, on 01/10/2008, -1/+1Mi gusta!
        • smacksaw, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1Is this Mexican Shepard's Pie?

          Ti gusta? Te gusta.
    • jjustice, on 01/10/2008, -9/+4Ew ew ew. Except for tasting good. Or a pleasing texture.
      • Damien79, on 01/11/2008, -1/+1pleasing texture? lol fag, eat it don't study it
    • DevinOlsen, on 01/10/2008, -0/+18"I mean, what's not to like? Custard, good. Jam, good. Meat, good!"
      awesome.
    • MrJagil, on 01/10/2008, -16/+2Not really. This dish looks disgusting and VERY boring.
    • ShogunWarPig, on 01/10/2008, -0/+5Cheese on the top makes it even better.
    • HigherLogic, on 01/11/2008, -0/+3One of the ultimate comfort foods, if not THE utlimate. I love Shepherd's Pie, make it probably every other month, and it's even better as a leftover. Not to keen on the recipe they have here, mainly the canned gravy, but when I'm in a rush I'll buy the already-made mashed potatoes (the ones that the grocery store made that day and keep by the fried chicken and other food they made) to speed things up. The gravy is pretty much already in the dish for you from the meat drippings and broth you add (either chicken or beef). Some flour will turn that into a much better gravy. I also layer mine differently, as I like to create a "shell" of mashed potatoes, then the meat, pees, and carrots (which I buy frozen in a mixed bag), the more mashed potatoes and then cheese. Always good with some crumbled bacon (isn't everything), sour cream, and maybe some chives or scallions.
      • covertbadger, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2Agreed, this recipe will not yield good shepherd's pie. Replace beef with lamb. Replace canned gravy with chicken or lamb stock. Add fresh rosemary (no lamb dish is complete without rosemary). Add thyme. Add red wine. Add Worcestershire Sauce. Add finely chopped carrots and onions. NOW we're talking.
  • blogspinner, on 01/10/2008, -15/+13yum. more peas, please
    • greenlight2001, on 01/10/2008, -10/+17Corn. It has to be corn. Peas does not belong in Shepherd's Pie.
      • liquidjamm, on 01/10/2008, -1/+3Dugg you up cuz I like sweet corn in my shepherds pie as well. dugg up parent cuz there is nothing wrong with peas and I'll try it this weekend.
    • inigomntoya, on 01/10/2008, -1/+4We don't use peas either. Cooked peas are disgusting. We use corn and carrots.
    • jull1234, on 01/10/2008, -2/+1I've always used green beans.
    • texpundit, on 01/10/2008, -0/+4I use corn, carrots, peas, minced garlic and diced onions in mine.

      Damn...now I'm going to have to make some tonight. *stomach rumbles*
    • Chirp08, on 01/10/2008, -1/+1***** that, replace the peas with bacon bits and this dish becomes godly
    • tyywebb, on 01/11/2008, -0/+3What we need right now is a few good taters.
    • alexforcefive, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1I'm vegetarian so my shephard's pie comes with pretty much all of the above =D

      *and no meat, obviously
  • Error601, on 01/10/2008, -11/+75Canned gravy = yuck.
    • rodgerdodger5, on 01/10/2008, -0/+7No doubt, save the drippings from the ground beef and make real gravy with some flour, milk and corn starch.
      • Elliuotatar, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2All the hamburger I've ever bought at the store is fairly bland tasting. So you want to take bland tasting hamburger, and marinate it with gravy made from the same bland tasting hamburger?
        • nomadxx7, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1I use taco seasoning in my ground beef. Adds a nice hint of spice.
        • andycr512, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1That's why you add spices.
        • RTPMatt, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2Simply adding salt to the browning meat will really enhance the flavor. Spices are good to, but adding salt will bring a lot more flavor than you expect.
          • boyasunder, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2Not adding salt during cooking is, IMIO, the number one cause of me being served ***** food by other people that I then have to smile and pretend is edible. Season your ***** food, people!
    • Trinitrogen, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3Do you think that you'd be able to make enough gravy with the drippings?
      • mateo60, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Absolutely. If you're wanting to make gravy, don't buy the super-lean beef though. The higher fat content of the beef, the more drippings. And therefore, more gravy.
    • joerick, on 01/10/2008, -1/+2Doesn't need gravy, just use water, and frying half-decent mince shouldn't render out enough fat to justify pouring it off- leave it in- it's good stuff :)
    • akaLloyd, on 01/11/2008, -2/+0Your in luck then, this recipe calls for a jar of gravy. Everyone knows food from a jar is sooo much better than caned food.
    • CptBuck, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2thats why the site links to "More Advanced" recipes. The suggestion on that site is to use beef broth.
  • FyreGoddess, on 01/10/2008, -33/+25You can even make a meatless version of this using the soy crumbles that are available in most supermarkets and making your own gravy. One of the easiest meals ever to make, too.
    • subliminalurge, on 01/10/2008, -10/+57But why would you want to?
      • HypocriteDigg, on 01/10/2008, -43/+5Because he's not a ***** ignorant redneck like yourself I'm guessing
        http://www.meat.org/
        • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -6/+4An ignorant redneck who eats the proper amount of food that contains vitamins and minerals he needs to maintain a healthy life? Good point.

          (Oh wait, no, it's not.)
        • EvilFerret, on 01/10/2008, -2/+4All that video did was make me even more hungry.
        • darkwing81, on 01/11/2008, -0/+0ill bet you love the smell of your own farts
      • Newspaper, on 01/10/2008, -6/+9Because some people choose not to eat meat. Using soy crumbles sounds like a good idea, I think I'll give it a try. I was thinking of a way to make this with no meat because I'm a vegetarian.
        • nomadxx7, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3I don't completely agree with using nature's mimic food (soybeans) but whatever suits your fancy. I always saw soybeans as the anti-nutrient and really worse for you than red meat
      • hiPpymIck, on 01/10/2008, -2/+1i think maybe meat rules on Digg

        - youd need to be a pretty good cook to beat it for flavor
        • FyreGoddess, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3Good thing I am ;-)
        • actorboy, on 01/10/2008, -1/+3Meat only rules on DIgg if you buy it in pristine styrofoam and cellophane packages. Or burger wrappers. People who have the nerve to hunt their own are considered neanderthals. Sad really, the hypocrisy.
      • sportbikepilot, on 01/10/2008, -1/+3create your own dish. no meat, no sheperd's pie
    • ftgarcia, on 01/10/2008, -22/+11Because you don't eat dead animals for substinance. Either for taste, moral, or ecological reasons. Duh =p
      • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -6/+22Look up the evolution of the human digestive system and our teeth. We are designed to eat mostly meat. Vegetarians are at risk of worn teeth and digestive problems. Also, unless you take multi vitamins on a regular basis, you are at risk for other health issues.
        • ftgarcia, on 01/10/2008, -3/+3Wrong. Vegetarianism is considered a healthful, viable alternative in nearly every circumstance.All nutrients, proteins, and amino acids necessary to the human body can be found in green leafy vegetables, grains, nuts, and fortified juices or soymilk. While there is no question that humans are capable of digesting meat. Just because we can digest animals does not mean we're supposed to, or that it will be good for us. We can digest cardboard. That does not mean we should.

          Here is a good quote for you:

          "Human characteristics are in every way like the fruit eaters, very similar to the grass- eater, and very unlike the meat eaters, as is clearly shown in the table above. The human digestive system, tooth and jaw structure, and bodily functions are completely different from carnivorous animals. As in the case of the anthropoid ape, the human digestive system is twelve times the length of the body; our skin has millions of tiny pores to evaporate water and cool the body by sweating; we drink water by suction like all other vegetarian animals; our tooth and jaw structure is vegetarian; and our saliva is alkaline and contains ptyalin for predigestion of grains. Human beings clearly are not carnivores by physiology -- our anatomy and digestive system show that we must have evolved for millions of years living on fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables."

          from What's Wrong with Eating Meat,
          by Barbara Parham, ©Ananda Marga Publications, 1979
          • nomadxx7, on 01/10/2008, -1/+4According to evolution we are omnivores. We eat meat and fruits/vegetables. I'm sorry but you can't replace one without consequences. I've done college papers on vegetarian's main stable (soybeans). According to multiple websites they are considered anti-nutrients and have no benefit. Tofu, soybeans, etc. contain all the necessary amino acids which our bodies need but soybeans in general lack the enzyme to properly break down these amino acids into usable building blocks. Also soy milk (i.e. baby formula and milk alternatives) actually contain more metals than an other form of milk (due to the process of making it). It has been found to cause learning disabilities in children due to the amounts of aluminum oxide found in the formula.

            Sorry I don't have sources at the moment but if people want them I'll find my college paper and sources when I get off of work
      • SmokinOkie, on 01/10/2008, -6/+6It does no good to argue with a tree hugging retard. Give it up and enjoy your steak.
    • chedabob, on 01/10/2008, -1/+15I didn't think Digg could sink any lower, but it has. People don't have to eat meat if they don't want to. Just because the human body has adapted to digesting meat, doesn't mean you absolutely have to eat it.
      • SmokinOkie, on 01/10/2008, -4/+0What the hell does eating meat have to do with digg sinking lower? If you don't want to eat meat, fine. Leave the rest of us the hell alone you retard.
        • darkwing81, on 01/11/2008, -1/+0we need to get Cartman in here to take care of this hippy infestation
    • AgentEntropy, on 01/10/2008, -0/+15I'm kinda surprised at the negative reactions to vegetarianism I'm seeing here (not including HypocriteDigg's post, which was hateful and ignorant). I'm not a vegetarian though I am well aware of the arguments both for and against vegetarianism. Ultimately it comes down to choice. If someone wants to restrict themselves to a vegetarian diet, that's their right, and they certainly aren't harming anyone else in doing so. As popular as Libertarian philosophy seems to be on Digg at times I'm surprised anyone would criticize others on something that is a matter of personal choice. And if the issue is the preachiness that some vegetarians exhibit when posting then I'm still confused because FyreGoddess' post is perhaps the least preachy posts I've seen on vegetarianism ever. It's not saying anyone SHOULD make a meatless version, just that they CAN. Personally I think that's good to know. I have vegetarian friends and it's always good to know when meals can be easily modified in case I'm going to be serving them dinner (although in this case Shepherd's Pie is not by any means a complicated or tricky meal, so the fact that it can be made vegetarian seems pretty obvious, but I still don't see that as being a reason for digging her down or making negative comments).
      • FyreGoddess, on 01/10/2008, -1/+9Well, I wasn't advocating it as a lifestyle. In fact, it's a personal choice and I don't think that people should be forced into anything.

        That said, I, personally, think that Shepherd's Pie is an excellent meal and an easy one to make. The fact that it can be made meatless is something that a lot of vegetarians don't consider because it is very traditionally made with leftover meat.

        I'm fascinated, though, by how my most benign comments tend to be the ones dugg into oblivion, where the more inflammatory ones tend to do fairly well. Go figure.
        • theblueprint, on 01/10/2008, -0/+4I smoke at least a pack of Newport a day and have a cholesterol level that is through the roof. I'm 29 and well on my way to my first heart attack, despite my lack of body fat.

          I've made a huge attempt to eat less meat, and I have to say that I'm quite pleased with my choice. I have fewer stomach issues and feel better in general. I've found that subbing in soy or tofu for meat doesn't make a huge difference in taste, and I actually prefer some dishes vegetarian.

          If you're looking for an easy/tasty way to get started, try vegetarian chili. It's good for you, and can be made spicy enough to offset any "loss of taste".

        • vault, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Not exactly low cholesterol but another good vegetarian dish is http://www.chinesefooddiy.com/images/Eggplant-with ... and Buddhist Delight I sometimes get, too. I can't see ever giving up meat entirely but I do try to cut down.
      • rivalius13, on 01/10/2008, -3/+1I'm sorry, I'm too busy eating my big juicy steak to read your post
      • BinaryFragger, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2"I'm surprised anyone would criticize others on something that is a matter of personal choice"

        People get dugg down all the time here for stating their opinions and personal choices.
        Look at all the recent flame wars regarding religion, Web browsers and operating systems.
        Thinking differently and independently is frowned upon here.
    • mmuchmore, on 01/10/2008, -3/+0I just vurped.
    • sportbikepilot, on 01/10/2008, -1/+2create your own dish. no meat, no shepherd's pie
  • fluidfoundation, on 01/10/2008, -19/+4sloppy joe, slop, sloppy joe
    HUA
  • goeatsmsht, on 01/10/2008, -5/+96Shepherd's pie is a traditional English dish that consists of a bottom layer of minced (ground) meat covered with mashed potato and then a layer of cheese.

    The mince is traditionally lamb (hence Shepherd), and the dish was often made with meat left over from a Sunday roast. In North America the lamb is often replaced with minced (ground) beef. In Britain, 'shepherd's pie' is technically always made with lamb, and 'cottage pie' always with beef though in common usage shepherd's pie is used to apply to either.
    • airencracken, on 01/10/2008, -0/+7Yup. Real Shepard's pie has lamb in it. Way better that way.
      • jcims, on 01/10/2008, -0/+4Plus the name makes more sense...
      • marillion, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3Unless you're a fan of Stephen Sondheim musicals, in which case it's "Shepard's pie peppered with actual shepards on top."
        But that's a tangent WAY off topic.
      • Vorticity, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1Made one with lamb a few weeks ago. It was amazing with lamb, much better than with beef.
    • slvrbullet87, on 01/10/2008, -1/+2Personally i make it with chicken corn carrots and peas... kinda like a pot pie with mashed potatos
    • pegisys, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1That's more like the recipe I use when I make it, but I use the ground beef instead of lamb, I guess that makes it cottage pie :?

      I have also mixed it up a little using left over taco meat and a blend of Mexican cheeses, with corn on the side :)
    • Spankov, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3Try adding lamb mince as well as beef. You should have twice as much beef as lamb (as you don't want the lamb flavour to overpower the beef). This is a good tip for bolognese etc. sauces...Oh and add some grated carrots to the meat before putting on the mash layer. Yum!
    • joerick, on 01/10/2008, -0/+4Actually, if you add cheese to the top and it's made with beef, it's called Cumberland Pie.
    • mombassa, on 01/10/2008, -5/+3I don't understand what the big deal here is.
      If "Shepherd’s Pie" is the "Best Damn Meal Ever" to Diggers then this is definitely a culinarily deprived group.
      • TotalHalibut, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1Then let's hear some of your amazing recipes, preferably ones as well balanced, filling and nutritious as this one.
      • Vorticity, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1And as easy! As a grad student, if it can't be made or tossed in the oven within twenty minutes of me starting to make it, or just made entirely in a crock pot, I don't have time for it.
  • anjamerret, on 01/10/2008, -3/+12Nice and easy.
  • bossm4n, on 01/10/2008, -2/+18The great thing about this dish, and I've been making it for years, is you can change the recipe countless ways to suit your tastes. It's also a great dish for leftovers. Heats up really well and tastes even better the next day.
    • Doorfingers, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1That's what I was always told about all foods.....
  • Bullsnot, on 01/10/2008, -9/+24One of my favorite meals, although in our family we prefer corn instead of peas.
    • Tanktunker, on 01/10/2008, -7/+10Heretic.
    • artfuldodga, on 01/10/2008, -6/+6Corn here as well, peas in Shepherds Pie? WTF. Thats what Peas Pudding is around for.
    • jebus123, on 01/10/2008, -1/+5In the province of Quebec we also eat shepherd's pie with corn. But there is no gravy and no cheese. It's called "Paté Chinois" which is french for Chinese Pie. I have no idea why.
      • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1I'm in New England and we don't use cheese, that's gotta be an American obsession. But we use BOTH peas AND corn.
        • geoff1210, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1yeah, my family calls it shepards pie, or chinese pie. and we use corn, and its delicious
      • katieedwards, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1I've always wondered why French people call it pate chinois as well...
        From wikipedia:

        One possible explanation for the 'Chinese' reference is that it was introduced to French Canadian railway workers by Chinese cooks during the building of the North American railroads in the late 19th century. These cooks made it under instruction from the railway bosses (of English extraction) as an easily-prepared, inexpensive version of the popular Shepherd's Pie, with ground beef serving in place of minced lamb or mutton, and the sauce in the tinned creamed-corn serving as a substitute for the gravy.

        Another explanation is found in "A Taste of Quebec" by Julian Armstrong: "the name was traced by Quebec language historian Claude Poirier to a town in the state of Maine called China. In the 19th century, thousands of Quebecers migrated to the northeastern United States to work in the mills. Those who settled in the town of China eventually returned to Quebec with a recipe for shepherd's pie, which they called 'pâté chinois'".
      • smacksaw, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2I've had it explained to me that Pate Chinois predates Shepherd's Pie, especially with the corn. The British did have mince pies, but not corn. The Chinese were in North America in the late 1700's while the term "Shepherd's Pie" was not coined until 100 years later, especially since many Europeans considered (as many do now) corn to be inedible ***** suitable only for livestock feed. Corn was not popular in Europe for quite some time.

        Considering the Chinese were working on the railways in the mid 1800's when they supposedly invented this dish, it beats the UK iteration about a good 30 years. So to me, it's Pate Chinois and the correct way of making it is how they made it, with beef mince (popular in things like Ma Po Tofu), potatoes and corn, things they had around.

        I'm sure you can research the timelines yourself, but the British have no claim on this other than the coincidence of using mince in pies, and if you factor in that the Chinese have used potatoes for centuries (in place of radishes in some places), this is most likely a Chinese dish. So Pate Chinois it is.
    • danwallace, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Yup, it's always been corn here too. In fact every time I've bought a microwaveable pie it's always corn in there too.
      • Sheryldx, on 01/10/2008, -0/+0True, here in quebec we make it with creamed corn and call it paté chinois my mothers use to make it with peas and gravy too but call it paté japonais.Good Dish but it cannot come close to a nice angus bifsteak cook on the grill
  • terryzom, on 01/10/2008, -5/+11Now all we need is the recipe for GUINNESS!
    • di34lot, on 01/10/2008, -0/+5oh yea use guiness as the base for the gravy just before the beef is fully browned... great stuff
    • neko6, on 01/10/2008, -0/+4Actually, you can add Guinness to the meat, I like that variant :)
    • mrgreenjeans9, on 01/10/2008, -0/+7BRILLIANT!
    • PremiumBitter, on 01/10/2008, -2/+217 pounds, English pale malt
      2 pounds, Flaked barley
      1 pound, roasted barley
      1 ounce, bullion hops (for 60 min)
      3 ounces, northern brewer hops (1oz for 60 min, 1oz for 30 min, 1 oz for 15 min)
      1 tsp. CaCO3, none if you have hard water already
      White labs WLP004 Irish Ale Yeast

      Mash at 153F for 90 minutes
      Ferment at 68F for 10 days, transfer to secondary let set for 2 weeks

      For true Guinness feel, keg and serve with nitrogen gas mixture and nitro tap fitting
    • Crosshare, on 01/10/2008, -1/+3My wife makes Guinness shepherds pie every St. Patty's day. It's awesome, and sticks to your ribs. Make sure you use stout though.
  • dhVyse, on 01/10/2008, -23/+11PEAS SUCK.
  • sonycam, on 01/10/2008, -12/+27I thought Americans hated English food?
    • greenlight2001, on 01/10/2008, -2/+54Fish and chips? No way man! That ***** is good!
    • Kronos6948, on 01/10/2008, -5/+8It's just all the boiled stuff we stay away from.
      • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -3/+2You must not be from New England. We have something called a "boiled dinner" that's delicious.
      • thirdman, on 01/10/2008, -2/+8What boiled stuff? I bet you think Dick van Dyke is a real cockney too.
        • Kronos6948, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1Granted, I don't know much about english cuisine. And no, if anything, I'd thing Dick van Dyke is German due to his last name.
          Steak and kidney pudding though? What's that all about?
    • drlha, on 01/10/2008, -4/+21They do, luckily all you have to do is call it "Irish food" and they love it. One of my favorite English restaurants in the USA is an Irish Pub, featuring all the favourites, of Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips, Shepards Pie, Steak and Ale pie, all downed with much vigour by its American customers. You can bet if the place was called an "English Pub" and served "English Food" it would be deserted except for a few ex-pats.
      • runtheplacered, on 01/10/2008, -4/+20what're you talking about? I'm American.. I had no idea there was a bias against English food. In fact, I'm pretty sure you're making that up.
        • drlha, on 01/10/2008, -2/+16As an Englishman whose lived in the USA for 10 years: Trust me, I'm not making this up. The stereotype of English Food amongst Americans is that its universally terrible. I've always assumed that this comes from back in the war when American GIs were stationed in the UK and obviously (as this was time to war and rationing), the food was pretty bad.
          • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -0/+6The basic English stereotypes here in the US are "everything is boiled and leaks oil."
          • qwertydvorak, on 01/10/2008, -0/+5@Lyph5: must go along with the bad teeth stereotype. boiled stuff is soft and mushy, easy on bad teeth.
          • floatingpoints, on 01/10/2008, -1/+8Same here. I'm American and this is the first time in my 30 years of being here that I've heard of Americans having a bias against English food.
      • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3Next town over there's a restaurant named Limey's that serves "English" cuisine, and it's always packed.
        • drlha, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1Where is that out of interest? I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and say: Florida? Probably one of the largest English ex-pat populations in the world lives in Florida.
          • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1Western Mass.

            You're about 1250 miles off.
      • jull1234, on 01/10/2008, -8/+5I take it you enjoy bangers in the mouth?
        • rpatel11, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2don't worry i got the reference. oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo we shan't be telling your mother about this shan't we!
      • CptBuck, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1Thats not true in places that actually have a discerning Irish-American population e.g. Boston. The exception is English food commonly eaten by Irish Americans once they got here. I can't really think of any such thing, except maybe English beers. But not really.
    • mzwaterski, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3I never knew that I wasn't supposed to like English styled restaurants... This British Pub does very well in Chicago: http://www.elephantcastle.com/main.html
    • DaveOrZach, on 01/10/2008, -1/+10We do, but the English hate it more.
    • tendonut, on 01/10/2008, -1/+4We like English food just fine, but we have to dip it in the deep fryer before it becomes edible.
      Think Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag (can't find picture of the commercial)
    • Elliuotatar, on 01/10/2008, -6/+4Fish and chips? Are you kidding? Every fish place in america serves fish and chips.

      As for bangers and mash, I've had it. It's mashed potatoes with sausages on it. Haute cuisine it is not!

      Also, whether they call them Irish Pubs or not, the food is invariably, terrible. But that's not the fault of the dishes. It's perfectly easy to make shepard's pie and beef stew and fish and chips which are good. However the english and irish apparently don't know how to cook, so all this pub food is garbage. A new place recently opened up. Beautiful bar. Beautiful food presentation. Yet the food was STILL awful tasting! The chicken tenders tasted burned like the oil was too hot. The shepard's pie looked nice enough and had lamd, but it also had this weird... chemical is the best word to describe it... aftertaste. Eugh. This other irish pub I went to... the bangers on the bangers and mash tasted awful. The mashed poatoes were dry. And the fish and chips were terrible as well. I've only been to ONE irish pub where the food was edible.


    • Schda, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1I know of no bias against English food.

      A popular English pub in the Twin Cities in MN is Brit's Pub http://www.britspub.com/menu/ I know it's not all English food, but there's a bit on there. The Fish and Chips is top notch.
    • DrummerAndrew, on 01/11/2008, -3/+1That's not a question. Don't end with a question mark. Thanks?
    • thereuser, on 01/11/2008, -0/+0I thought that it was universally accepted that English food was bland and boring? All the English food that is a part of our cuisine certainly is (I'm African). I place all the blame for the generally very bland and unspicy American food at the English feet (with the exception of the South-West - yum).

      Well, at least English food is a tad healthier than fried, refried, and then deep fried American staples.
    • duffman5, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2The like the English food just fine. They hate the English for their freedom.
  • SquidProQuo, on 01/10/2008, -19/+1This "dish" is exactly equal to the sum of all of it's parts. You might as well as have a pile of hamburger, a pile of mashed potatoes and a pile of corn on your plate.
    • whoreman, on 01/10/2008, -2/+5Hamburger... I didnt see any pork going into that dish
      • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -3/+2There isn't any pork in the dish, he said "hamburger" not "pork."
        • inigomntoya, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Didn't get it, did ya...
        • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -0/+5There's nothing to get, except whoreman trying to make a joke that stopped being funny in Kindergarten.

          "LOL MY HAMBURGER DOESNT HAVE HAM IN IT"
        • SquidProQuo, on 01/10/2008, -1/+0My kingdom for some hot sauce.
    • Moria, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Umm, no it's not.
    • inigomntoya, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Don't forget the cheese!
  • simplicityiskey, on 01/10/2008, -5/+5Nothing against shepherd's pie, but I'm more fond of steak and ale pie.
  • dpower, on 01/10/2008, -14/+5Seriously, we're digging food now?

    I mean it's nice, but it's just a standard meal.
    • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -1/+21It's better to digg food than to digg another "Britney, lol" story. Or the 10th "AT&T might filter internet access" story.
      • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -1/+1Now that I think about it even more, we were JUST talking about how Fox News ran a rumor, and refused to retract it, but all Digg does is promote rumors, and when they're proven wrong, there is never a retraction.
    • inigomntoya, on 01/10/2008, -0/+4By the look of your average geek, I think we could use more healthy, easy-to-make meals around here
    • TH3W1R3D, on 01/10/2008, -0/+5Diggers spend too much time on the computer to know how to cook. This meal is rediculously easy to cook, and good --> dugg.
    • danwallace, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3Seriously, just shut up.
  • diggzoid, on 01/10/2008, -6/+20Oh please don't buy ground meat from a supermarket, have a butcher grind it for you from a single piece of meat. If you want to make Shepherd's pie you will of course be using lamb and not beef. However if you prefer beef there is no need to put that awful gravy on it as the fresh meat will create it's own delicious gravy, add some wine at the end.
    • TH3W1R3D, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3Good tip w/ the wine.
    • runtheplacered, on 01/10/2008, -2/+5Conversely, you can do what you want since it's your Shephards Pie and not Diggzoids'.
    • MixMastaKooz, on 01/10/2008, -1/+6How about Guinness instead of wine?
      • ShadyG, on 01/10/2008, -0/+5How about Arrogant Bastard instead of Guiness?
    • yeti22, on 01/10/2008, -0/+4Diggzoid, why not buy ground meat from the supermarket?
      • floatingpoints, on 01/10/2008, -2/+5Cheaper and more fresh from a butcher... the same reason why you always buy fish, steak, and everything else from a butcher rather than the supermarket.

        You don't live on your own, do you? :P
        • garf12, on 01/10/2008, -0/+4and what sucks is my town doesn't have a damn butcher. A town of 65,000 with a surrounding community of 100,000+ and no damn butcher can you believe it?
    • qwertydvorak, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3ground "meat", no. our supermarket has choice depending on the price you want to pay. cheapest-ground beef, next-ground chuck, then the ground sirloin. you can also have ground turkey, ground lamb, or ground pork if you so choose. not everyone shops at the wal-mart grocery.
  • JasonCox, on 01/10/2008, -7/+43No kitty! This is my pot pie!
    • repairman2003, on 01/10/2008, -8/+1Not to be a complete geek, but this is Cottage Pie... Lamb is used in Shepherd's Pie
      • PDubNYC, on 01/10/2008, -1/+2maybe you could post this duplicate, useless comment a few more times in this thread. f'n douchebag

    • Vector713, on 01/10/2008, -0/+5Mom! Kitty's being a dildo!

      Well then, I know a certain kitty kitty who's sleeping with mommy tonight.
  • MannyDR, on 01/10/2008, -15/+4Peas = Abomination
  • Xtopherous, on 01/10/2008, -3/+18We use french cut green beans instead of peas (though I'm not opposed to peas) and cream of mushroom soup instead of gravy. Brown meat, drain and add soup. Put at bottom of casserole dish, then the strained beans, then mashed potatoes (we usually use the box kind, since this is typically a quick-fix meal), then top with some cheddar cheese (the more the better, right?). Bake for ~15-20 minutes at 350 to get everything melty and combined. That's your goddamn
    • spiralspirit, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3+1 for the mushroom soup - easy way to add lots of amazing flavor.
      • chokeaduck, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1It's absolutely true. I use cream of mushroom soup in a lot of my recipes as it's like the miracle ingredient.
    • hiPpymIck, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1im guessing thats *Warhols* condensed soup (v useful)

      Btw
      dyou have gravy granules in US
  • manicleek, on 01/10/2008, -11/+6Shepherds pie is made with LAMB hence the shepherd bit. Cottage pie is beef.
    • LostRiot, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1he speaks truth, this is cottage pie.
    • web2pointYo, on 01/10/2008, -1/+2Really? I didn't see the other 47 freakin times that was mentioned. Thank You.
      • manicleek, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Sorry, I have a job so I can't read every comment
    • yeti22, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1Except that people in the States have probably never heard of Cottage pie. This is one of those truck/lorry things, or sour cream/whatever-the-hell-you-brits-call-it.
  • HypocriteDigg, on 01/10/2008, -25/+3If you're a ***** redneck maybe. God that's so plain and tasteless.
    • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -1/+8Redneck? You're a goddamned moran.
    • Emaze, on 01/10/2008, -0/+10Then you've never had good Shepherd's Pie, you *****.
    • Ramble, on 01/10/2008, -3/+1It's an English meal?
      But you're right, as an English person i hate it, tastes like *****.
  • halfgook, on 01/10/2008, -1/+8layer of melted sharp cheddar on top + slightly broiled = win
  • HypocriteDigg, on 01/10/2008, -12/+3Mmmmmmm Meeeaaattt
    http://www.meat.org/
    • sodade, on 01/10/2008, -1/+3hehe - nobody wants to actually know the disgusting reality of the meat industry.
    • Newspaper, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Is there any point to this? It's people like you who give us vegetarians a bad name... Let people decide what they want to eat. Don't sit there and spam this PETA *****.
      • tnvwboy, on 01/10/2008, -0/+3What's wrong with People for Eating Tasty Animals?
    • darkwing81, on 01/11/2008, -0/+0for every animal you don't eat i am going to eat two
  • ndiderrich, on 01/10/2008, -1/+8Dude...Shepherd's Pie rocks, nuff' said.
  • SandMantle, on 01/10/2008, -5/+2My family usually makes it with ground meat (lamb, if possible, beef or pork if not) that has been sauteed with onions and garlic. A can each of corn, green and yellow beans. The beans are drained, but the corn is dumped in juice and all. Slather the potatoes over the top, and bake. Dee-lish. Best next-day brown bag lunch ever.
  • patrickxbateman, on 01/10/2008, -1/+4It's too close to lunchtime for me to be reading this.
  • minusb, on 01/10/2008, -3/+14This is a step up from the Kraft Dinner and chopped up hot dogs I usually end up making for myself :(
    • Lyph5, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2If you didn't want Kraft Dinner and chopped hot dogs, all you have to do is cook it. Throw a chicken breast on the grill (or in the oven if it's too cold out) whip up some pasta, heat some tomato sauce, throw some cheese on top, you've got a delicious meal.

      I use frozen chicken patties and throw some parmesan on top.
    • runtheplacered, on 01/10/2008, -1/+0haha
    • mrgreenjeans9, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1you ought to look into the cheez-it casserole for a change of pace

      http://www.toaster-oven.net/recipes/vegetable-cass ...

      mmm, cheezits
    • bbqsalad, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1Try adding red jello to the mix. It gives a nice flavor to the hotdogs and cheese. Also females love it.
  • knixon, on 01/10/2008, -2/+3I've made it before, but I use a layer of ground meat on the bottom, a layer of corn in the middle, and then mashed potatoes on top.
    • web2pointYo, on 01/10/2008, -4/+0That's You?! Corn huh?...on top of the meat you say? wow. and THEN the potatoes....whew! you blew my mind. Next your going to tell me this is actually cottage pie.
  • pumpedvideo, on 01/10/2008, -11/+6THAT'S WAY TOO MUCH WORK FOR A MEAL, I WILL STICK WITH MY HOT POCKET
    • Vector713, on 01/10/2008, -0/+5Thank you for using all caps. You NEVER would have gotten your point across otherwise...
    • Spankov, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Man, you are missing out. With a little bit of effort you'll produce a meal that's cheaper, healthier, tastes better and goes further than any ready-made rubbish.
      You may even get laid if you make a shepherd's pie and invite some chick over to share it with you. Try impressing her with your hot pocket and I guarantee you won't see hers ;-)
      • Etchii, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1"Try impressing her with your hot pocket and I guarantee you won't see hers" QFE
        LOL! Dugg!
  • MillionsLivio, on 01/10/2008, -2/+5Shepherd’s Pie is delicious, I really wish it were more popular over here.
  • AMFORA, on 01/10/2008, -14/+1HA! the receipt for guys should be like this:
    1. take 10 eggs from the fridge.
    2.put on the table the rest 7 eggs and wash the floor=) next time be more attentive.
    3. Cover your floor with newspapers, we are going to sift the flour=)))
    4. Take 4 apples and prepare iodine,plaster and bandage. We are going to slice apples. AND SO ON=)))
    • burrgrinder, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Your post is a good example of why decent grammar and English skills matter. What you said could have been fairly humorous if done right, except it's horribly littered with out of place smilies, bad spacing, "HA!", random caps locks usage, spelling errors, and fragmented thoughts you just decided to type out, or simply something you once read and attempted to repeat. It's hard to pass off a condescending joke like yours when you have such a weak grasp on the language.

      My trolling is done, nothing personal, I'm just explaining your negative digg count. And to all others, don't be a grammar nazi to me either, I'm sure I made a mistake or two in my post, that's not the point here.
      • AMFORA, on 01/11/2008, -0/+0Where is your tolerant attitude to non-native english speakers? Even with my "decent grammar skills" I could share with people some jokes. English is the language of globalization and now helps people to enrich their cultures and to overcome misunderstanding between nations. It's natural that smb knows english better, but don't discourage other to improve it. I think I can understand why you rebel against MY grammar mistakes. I've heard about ALI G and his "I is gonna be"-really sounds disgusting. But be sure , I'm not trying to pollute your language, I'm just trying to learn it by experience.
    • Coffeedemon, on 01/10/2008, -0/+5Yes dear. I'm going to take your advice on cookery when you don't even know a recipe from a receipt.
  • modsuperstar, on 01/10/2008, -9/+21What the hell? Are we going to see how to make spaghetti next on digg? The point of sheppards pie is to use leftovers. Making mashed potatoes from scratch just for sheppards pie is pretty stupid. And gravy from a jar? Why don't you just go to the frozen section and buy a premade sheppards pie if you're going to be a lazy arse and use prefab gravy.
    • gingerchris, on 01/10/2008, -1/+10Def Sheppard was an awesome band
    • web2pointYo, on 01/10/2008, -0/+14Man, the gravy nazis are out in full force.
    • thirtysixbelow, on 01/10/2008, -1/+10The point of the prefab gravy was too allow a cooking noob to get some experience without having to get into anything too complicated. If you buy a premade sheppards pie you won't be cooking anything. You have to start somewhere. Your argument about using leftover ingredients is also moot. That's like saying you have to use old bananas for banana bread. If it's a dish you like and are going to spend the time to make, why not use fresh ingredients.
      • thesquire, on 01/11/2008, -0/+6But... you do have to use old bananas for banana bread. The whole point is that old bananas have a whole lot more flavor. If you use fresh bananas your banana bread is going to be pretty tasteless.

        Otherwise, I agree with your point. The bananas just don't work as an example in this case.
        • Elliuotatar, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2Yeah. This guy doesn't understand that the browning skin of an old bananna is there cause the bananna has been producing sugars. A ripe bananna tastes completely diferent from a yellow or slightly green bananna.
  • wilcox1010, on 01/10/2008, -2/+4I ate this yesterday! Awesome!
  • Ramble, on 01/10/2008, -12/+1Shepherds pie tastes awful. Mince should not be mixed with potato, it's just wrong.
    • GonadHunter, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Try it, best thing ever on a cold winters day to make you feel good inside.
    • Ramble, on 01/10/2008, -1/+1I've been force fed it since I was a child. It is horrible.
  • consoneo, on 01/10/2008, -1/+9I just wanna say thanks for the link to that site. I had never heard of it before, and it looks like a good resource. Thanks sir :)
  • timla, on 01/10/2008, -1/+5I have been making this for years, since my best friend in high school whose mom is a british national showed me how.

    I have experimented with this, and have replaced peas with mushroom, and diced onions. I also add a layer of cheese on top. Recently I have thought about using garlic mash potatoes instead of plain mash potatoes.

    hmmm, good eating
    • drlha, on 01/10/2008, -0/+2Dugg up for not putting ***** corn in your shepherd's pie. Oh, I tell what is excellent, instead of 100% Mashed Potatoes, try 50% Potato 50% Parsnip for the mash.
      • web2pointYo, on 01/10/2008, -0/+0Ill be thinking of you dr bla when i reach for that can of corn today at the grocery store. yeah. thats gonna go real nice in that pie.
    • Spankov, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1Yep garlic mash is good. I often put a teaspoon or two of mustard in. Yum!
  • darthleppard, on 01/10/2008, -4/+0Recipe posted on digg! I'll wait for this to turn into a meat-eater vs. vegetarian bitchfest. It can't be avoided.
  • kingofinternet, on 01/10/2008, -8/+0sneh, looks ***** disgusting
    • TotalHalibut, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1Because everyone knows that unless it looks shiny and prestine, it cannot be tasty.
  • repairman2003, on 01/10/2008, -4/+12Not to be a complete geek, but this is Cottage Pie. Shepherd's Pie is made from lamb
    • web2pointYo, on 01/10/2008, -0/+7you might have glanced at the 300 posts before yours that called that out. or maybe even the half dozen or so at that site that did the same. just sayin'.
      Ive also heard you can put corn in it.
      And... this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      Dont use canned gravy.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      sometimes you can use onions.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      cheese on top.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
      this is Cottage Pie.
  • soapbeard, on 01/10/2008, -4/+4This recipe has beef in it, that makes its cottage pie. Shepherds pie has lamb in it. Plus you definitely want a good load of grilled crusty cheese on top, there's no 'could add' about it.
  • shortyjacobs, on 01/10/2008, -4/+1Custard = gooood
    • darthleppard, on 01/10/2008, -0/+0You will get dugg down for referencing "Friends". You had to know that beforehand.
      • shortyjacobs, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1Ah HA, but you knew what I was talking about! Gotcha!
  • Thepirateking, on 01/10/2008, -3/+10Is it peppered with actual Shepard on top? No? Well then I'll come again when you have judge on the menu.
    • 7000Questions, on 01/11/2008, -0/+0Mrs. Lovett's meat pies are awesome.
  • Weip, on 01/10/2008, -2/+5Mmmm pâté chinois :)
    • briguymaine, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1that's what my wife calls it, her family is Canadian. She recently made a Shepards Pie with macaroni & cheese instead of potatoes. My god, so good.
      • noseeme, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1It was made with Kroff Dinner! How Canadian!
      • Weip, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1I have to try this! But yeah you'r right, pâté chinois is shepards pie in Quebec.
        • briguymaine, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1I could feel my arteries hardening as I ate it.
    • philippec, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1steak blé d'Inde patate!
  • tgc1, on 01/10/2008, -4/+5Shepherds pie, made properly, is an amazing dish to eat. But admittedly, as a kid, I thought that it had a shepherd in it. Or that because of the name, it had either dog or person in it somehow. I was scared to hell of it. And wouldn't touch it until I tried a bit of it. What a strange imagination I had back then. Still do sort of.
  • MarsSentinel, on 01/10/2008, -1/+1I had that for dinner last night. Learned to eat it in the Navy. Good with chili sauce to scrape the bites through as you fork them up!!!
    • Coffeedemon, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1I just finished a tray... work lunches (and supper if I wasn't sick of SP) for a full week for about 10 bucks. The most labour was opening some cans of vegetables.
    • djbanging, on 01/11/2008, -0/+1They had to teach you how to eat pie?
  • jonwise80, on 01/10/2008, -4/+1i personally hate shepherd's pie, even though i like the ingredients (save for peas. blech)
    and yes, i've had it in England, made by a Brit.
    • cfleap, on 01/10/2008, -3/+2I think you will find Sheppard's Pie is an Irish dish. Seriously, can the Brits's make anything other than fish and chips???
      • gudnbluts, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2Nope. it's English. We have lots of great food, despite the American stereotype.
      • Paradoxymoron, on 01/11/2008, -0/+2We Americans shouldn't make fun of anyone's cuisine, considering that we invented McDonalds and have the largest obese population in the world...
  • jgoodstein, on 01/10/2008, -4/+1Go to Australia, buy a meat pie, & have them cut of the top and put mashed potatoes on it, voila worlds greatest shepards pie.
  • davedelaney, on 01/10/2008, -3/+3If you're ever in Nashville and want a kick ass Shepherd's pie, visit The Family Wash: http://www.familywash.com/
    I may even join ya - they also have great beer. :-) Cheers.
  • mangopants, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1True, it's cottage pie. Also have to give props to Error601.
    Want a better pie? a bit more work on your part will be soooo worth it! Gordon Ramsey's version kicks A$$!
    http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/gordon- ...

    I recommend more veggies and using half white wine and half red wine.
    • matthewf01, on 01/10/2008, -0/+1Yep! Anyone see the Kitchen Nightmares with the greasy-ass Shepherds Pie?
      Then he gave the restaurant his family's own recipe for SP.
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