Hi Cass,

I take it you are not a Brit nor have ever been to England.
Tomato? tomato puree? Beef stock cube and too much salt and MSG? Cheese on top maybe???? 15 minutes on a cooking top? Put under a grill (broiler to finish). Maybe you are a Brit.

Casserole the meat and veg for 2 hours - no stock cube - add some Bisto if you like NOT GRANULES. Strain off, add back some gravy to moisten. Add spuds and make pretty fork patterns THEN put back in oven at higher temp for 30 to 40 minutes and allow to bubble. Serve with left over gravy and good cabbage (Savoy). Neil.

I think it depends on where in England you come from. There is no need to casserole for 2 hours. I dry fry on cooker top then put into a casserole dish with mashed potato on top and put in oven til golden on top.

I am a born and bred brit from yorkshire. And I put cheese on the top and a stock cube in. Maybe your not a true brit neil. Wnd what does it matter if cass does it different to you? You shouldn't judge her just because you make yours different from hers!

I was born in east london. I put cheese on top. And I totally agree with emily. Everyone adds their own touch. So Neil don't judge her why don't you try her way you might like it.

I think Neil will only eat it, excatly the way his Mummy used to make it...Move on Neil..

If it tastes good I have no problem with how it's cooked. I add balsamic vinegar and red wine to mine with a stock cube and I think it tastes great. I also add cheese on top at the end. I'm sure the inventor of shepherd's pie wouldn't mind too much either way.

I'm from Lancashire, and have always had it pan-fried to start, with a stock cube, and cheese on top. How about this, though... my partner wants it made how her mother (from Wales) always makes it: with a layer of tinned spaghetti on the bottom! I drew a line, and so we're having spaghetti hoops, instead.

I can't believe you Neil! You've commented/criticized on how many different recipes now? Seek help, or a new hobby!

In my view Shepard's pie has really nothing to do with a person logistically but with what you have in the fridge at the time. Is this not the real reason it was invented in the first place?? Experiment on this is what real cooking brit or not a brit is about.

I cannot believe that Neil. Everyone makes Shepherds Pie differently. Actually, just give me some Bubble and Squeak. The thin spaghetti sounds interesting on the bottom of the pie, I have never had it that way.

I lived in England for 4 yrs and I always thought this was a little weird until I tried it. Been searching for a recipe ever since. I am actually gonna try all your ways!!! ;-) I miss England and if any of you can recommend a good trifle recipe I am game for that too!!!

Tin of baked beans in it for me!! Viva la difference!! I'm from Yorkshire but now emigrated to County Durham!! Why aye lass.

My Grandmother use to make this when I was a kid, but she only used root veggies. I've never tried to make it, but this has me thinking, maybe tonight!

I'm with you Eletta!

A. Shepherds Pie Traditionally is an Irish dish not English.
B. Mutton should be used not lamb. A lamb would not be killed as they were too valuable however an old Ewe that is past its prime would be.
C. The minced meat should be stewed not pan fried as this will tenderize it and bring in the flavors of the herbs and seasonings. This will also give you a good base to make a sauce from to put into the pie.
D. Apart from the Mutton the only stuff that should be going into a Real Traditional Shepherd's Pie are peas and carrots.
E. Before people start calling a recipe real or traditional; that ought no something about the origins of it. Case in point Shepherds Pie is supposed to be a simple dish that could be made with few ingredients (most of which foraged and found) and equipment as it origins are from shepherds that needed a good hot meal walst out in the fields far from home tending the flock.
F. If you want to get fancy do it with a cottage pie a dish prepared in homes where one would have more supplies to take liberties with a recipe and have fun with it. Or call it some other kind of pie just not a stead-fast traditional Cultural Classic dish like Shepherd's Pie.

Have always served Shepard's Pie on Christmas Eve, but the Americanized version as I'm a "Yank"--more of a Cottage Pie. I wanted to find a better recipe, and thank you all for the suggestions of making a TRUE Shepard's Pie which I know we will enjoy this year... Happy Christmas!!

What, no CORN...???

BRAVO!! Irish_Eater your response was spot on!! I dont have mutton but I will try it with beef. HOPE IT DOSEN'T OFFEND!

I make my Shepherds pie with real meat, gravy, potatoes, veggies, so I guess I can call it authentic. I top my shepherds pie with a real cream cheese pastry crust. Gosh, that make me a real American of French descent.. Love reading all the comments..

Hey, this stuff is good no matter how you make it. They used to serve it in the school cafeteria, and it was even good there. I don't think you can spoil this recipe.

It was me who posted the recipe, thanks to all who defended me, Neil I am actually a Brit and have lived in North West england all my life, you appear to have anger issues if you get this worked up over a shepherd's pie recipe, I suggest you seek professional help for that, mate.

Last time I was in Yorkshire, I ordered this in a little pub away from the tourist routes and it did have cheese on it. Cheddar is in England after all. But I must say that lamb is best.

Thanks for the entertainment. Feeling down after visit from kids in U.S. and missing them. Making this comfort food tonight.

Wow, mother-in-law (from yorkshire) after touring all U.S. is looking for a real shepards pie... Too many authentic (different) ones to choose from guess i'll have to ask her for real one... But I did enjoy knowing all the different ways to do the same thing. Think i'll try several later thx again happy eating. Lenna

Thank-you so much for everyone's input. I am an anglophile and love to cook, to hear all of your takes on real British food is a delight. Esp the origins. But I do agree there are variations everywhere and always will be!

My great-grandmother was born in England in the 1890s (lived somewhere outside of London) and lived there until the start of WWII. She always made shepherd's pie with leftover roast leg of lamb, which she ground up with a hand-grinder. She'd throw the ground lamb and some left-over gravy into a caserole with whatever leftover veggies were available (usually peas, carrots, beans, maybe pearl onions), a bit of rosemary, salt and pepper, topped it with mashed potatoes. She brushed on a bit of melted butter and cooked it in the oven for as long as it took to turn golden brown. She lived to 105! I attribute it to good eating and a small glass of scotch every night...

I am born american visited england, and love shephards pie the way my mom made it. She made it with hamburger, pretty much the same way as Cass, and I absolutely love it! And it sucks without the cheese. Does not taste as good with gravy! just my opinion Neil. by the way my mom is from Holland! Loved your recipe Cass! Does it have to be a recipe from England....I think not!

sunny side up eggs with fried potatoes, and vinegar is the best meal a british lady ever made for me, I never would have thought to eat vinegar seasoned potatoes in the am, but the tang was really a eye opener.

Wikipedia: Wild potato species occur from the United States to Uruguay and Chile. Genetic testing of the wide variety of cultivars and wild species suggest that the potato has a single origin in the area of southern Peru, from a species in the Solanum brevicaule complex. Although Peru is essentially the birthplace of the potato, today over 99% of all cultivated potatoes worldwide are descendants of a subspecies indigenous to south-central Chile. Based on historical records, local agriculturalists, and DNA analyses, the most widely cultivated variety worldwide, Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum, is believed to be indigenous to the Chiloé Archipelago where it was cultivated as long as 10,000 years ago.

I made it and put the filling in a ready-made pie crust that had been in my freezer for a while. I needed to use it! It was good with the crust on the bottom. The shepherd's pie was quite good, perfect for the Winter in the Midwest.

I used a crock pot Leg of Lamb I originally made to eat on it's own with roasted potatoes. The Shepherd's Pie with the leg of lamb made the next day was much better than my original, marinated, leg of lamb.

Here's a nice Shepherd's Pie story . . My father was from Swindon and was fond of SP. Before he passed away from lung cancer some 24 years ago here in the US, he was receiving chemotherapy that robbed him of his appetite. Although he enjoyed the way I made it with ground beef, gravy and peas with cheese on top of the potatoes, he couldn't keep it down after the chemo. Surprisingly, I found an imported Irish Shepherd's Pie at King's Supermarket that came in a pie shaped tin. It was made with lamb (which Dad preferred anyway) as described by Irish Eater above. I will always remember with great fondness that this pie was the only solid food that Dad could stomach after chemo and he loved every bite of it. So Viva la difference for whoever it works for!

I agrre that SP is an Irish dish... although I am vegan, my family loves it, I make it with stew beef, pearl onions, peas, carrots, smashed potatoes.. with mild cheddar and bread crumbs. I know this isn't the Brit way or the Irish way... but it works reaaly well for my family.. it also freezes well :-)

Who cares? If I like it my way then I fix it my way. No room to argue just fill your mouth and you won't have space to condemn someone's way of cooking.

You all have made me very hungry!! Cannot wait to make this dish!

Andrew - your granny is right on the button. Shepherds Pie is Sunday Roast Lamb leftovers, ground with leftover gravy. Then clean out the fridge. If you need more volume, try adding a tin of baked beans. (I actually use planned-overs which entails making too much food on Sunday so I can have an easy time cooking Monday's dinner). No-one has mentioned adding worcestershire sauce either in, or on when plated. Try that...

Hello all, I have been reading your comments for Sheperds Pie. I think that age is showing here. I am 70 and love this dinner (bubble and squeek). My Mum always made it from the left over sunday roast, either beef or lamb. She (and I) mince the cooked meat, add the leftover gravy and veggies, and reheat in the cooker. Leftover mashed spubs were mounded on top and fork marks made, then it was under the grille until brown and crisp. My DAD was the one who put grated cheese on his. To him cheese was it's own food room. Thanks for allowing me to butt in. T.D.F.N.

Andrew, Jane and Rita, you are spot on. Like you, the cooks in our large (Australian) family all use the left over lamb roast, chopped anyhow off the bone then ground with a hand grinder (the only kind). The left over gravy goes in, leftover peas, pumpkin, etc, some bread, some onions, all ground up and mixed in a big bowl, plus a dash or three of Perrins worcestershire (say it woostershire, you yanks) sauce, and an egg to bind. Then into the oven with some mash on top, forked as mentioned, & you can brush a little egg yolk (I reserve it from the binding egg) on the spud to make it brown nicely. Bake for as long as it takes. I never dreamed there was any other way! Our Lancashire dad no doubt told my mum how to make it, a long while ago. Rough and ready reuse of leftovers, and unbelievably good.

Boy, You guys are too serious. Being from Boston my shepards pie has hamburger, creamed corn, and garlic or plain mashed potatoes. WITH cheese on the top. Doesn't mean it's right or wrong just different! I'm going to try your versions just because. Thanks everyone!

I have enjoyed all of the comments . We are going to try this with deer meat .

I grew up with Shephard's Pie in Canada made with ground beef, usually leftovers! Now I go to the local British Restaurant, buy their Shephard's Pie Mix (from England), follow the recipe, add the potatoes on top (with cheese) put it under the broiler for the cheese to melt and "Boy What a Great Meal"! The mix has all the right spices and no guesswork involved......the only way to go. Make it the way you like it, that's what's important.

AMEN Esme Trent, That is exactly how I make shepherds pie, my mother in law always sends me a package in the mail with shepherds pie and cottage pie mix, I make it with ground beef (or as my mother in law calls it Minced meat). It is absolutely perfect!!

I see Neil has disappeared.................I have never tasted shephard's pie, just a version of cottage pie made with ground beef that a friend from Southampton made for me - was not very tasty. I will be trying Cass' recipe - sounds wonderful. I'll add a few other things, the cheese for one. I will never use lamb though - my family will not eat it.