I have been enjoying this site since Sept.16/09 and I am finally taking a big step & adding my comments. First off, Neil, Thank you for starting this. Secondly, thank you to all who have contributed. I was born in Yorkshire, England, now living in Canada and must say!!!! My Mum is probably rolling over in her grave to know that Shepherds Pie could create such exitement. During the War, she was lucky enough to survive, never mind having the proper ingredients to make a Shepherds Pie. Just be happy to enjoy your take on a very good, family meal!!

Thanks Neil. I never knew that Shepards Pie was made with lamb. You learn something new everyday.

Neil...God Bless your culinary heart! And, as a Canadian, living in the USA, I am sooo happy to find a genuine, British recipe for Shepherd's Pie. I also love your wit,
dry humour, AND your steadfastness with the Originality of a British recipe. I am glad that you sent it...and I will stay religiouly close to the ingredients you listed.

I hope others who posted in the negative learn, someday, that there is loveliness in people from ALL cultures..and if that happens, we may...may...someday..have Peace on Earth! I know, Neil, that you are preserving an English Recipe to very stubborn Americans. God Bless 'em all...and you too, Neil!!! :-)!!

OK, since there are so many opinions out there about what this recipe should or shouldn't have, I had to add a comment also to give you people the REAL facts. First of all, Neil is not only a snob, but also incorrect. It was first known as "cottage pie" in the 1700's. About 100 years later people started referring to it as "shepherd's pie". Nowadays the terms are used synonomously. By the way, why would a shepherd, who cares for sheep and not cattle, make a dish using lamb which is in fact a baby sheep or mutton (sheep). After all, shepherds traditionally raise sheep for the wool NOT the meat. It stands to reason that they would use beef rather than eating their own sheep.

Even if this is the proper way to make Shepard's Pie, what's with the gratuitous anti-american comments? I am a Brit expat and embarrassed. I am surprised nobody has called his attention to the general reputation of English home cooking -- now that would be a cheap and easy shot to take! The recipe is quite bland. Frankly, I have seen much better versions of Shepard's Pie - like my mother's.

It's interesting to constantly hear the negative references to the American way of life while everyone continues to come here and grab a piece of our CHEESE! The recipe sounds dry and miserable, like their humor.....I think it needs more Velveeta.

I was trolling the site for Bisquick recipes (Does Neil know what Bisquick is?) and fell upon this recipe and the ensuing comments. It's been a very entertaining 30 min's. I will be laughing to myself all day!

Yes, cheese is overused in the USA--it's why we are the FATTEST nation in the world, with the most (preventable) disease.

Being vegan, I make all KINDs of alterations to recipes before they are allowed on my plate. The basic "bones" (or lack of them, ahem!) are what I am seeking.

Neil, *carry on,* good chap! Whatever your intent in the comments, It's great fun to see the wit of some extolled!

Wow, some of us (Americans) need to LIGHTEN UP.

It's true, many American's add copious amounts of cheese - to everything... which is why it's so funny.

I sure didn't know what Bisto was, and I'm pretty damn educated about all sorts of international cuisines. I researched it a bit, and am going out later today to buy some. We don't know what it is because they don't frequently sell it in this country, which is a fact, not a slander about our culture or values.

If I can find lamb at my market this week I'll follow the recipe. Otherwise I'll use my standard ground turkey instead of beef (for the cholesterol/fat/calorie difference), and do some sort of pie whose name I could care less about, but which will undoubtedly still taste great. And I'll even do the fancy basket pattern on the potatoes. ;)

Thanks, Neil!

Welllllllll, I did think Neil was rather rude, but to be quite honest, I didn't know there was something called "cottage pie" or "cowherd's pie". I always liked what I thought was Shepherd's pie and it didn't even have cheese on it! It was mainly "clean out the refrigerator" pie and used meat balls or leftover anything (The thought of ground turkey makes me shiver). Since my grandfather came over from Ireland, I thought it was fairly authentic, just using what was at hand like the poor Irish did. I will definitely have to try this recipe. This has been quite entertaining and informative. Now I'll go back looking for a sauce for my meat balls. Wait maybe I'll make the family version of Shepherd's Pie. LOL

Rachel, I am an American who visited Britain in 2002. My friend's mother made us an amazing Shepherd's Pie for lunch one day...delicious! I am thinking she used ground beef in it, but am not sure...is it acceptable to use it? Thanks!

FORGET THE BEEF STOCK...use Demi Glace, or for you that are not as culinary educated, DEMI GLACE is Brown Veal Stock reduced by half. Reduce a gallon to a half gallon: thick, concentrated flavor, and delicious. Its gonna take some time, keep an eye on it, and dont rush it or you will burn it.

Heres a Great Suggestion:
Brown Veal Stock is one of the major bases for so many fantastic sauces...

Get any Beef, Veal, or Lamb bones (roasted preferably), and any left over trim, scrap meat, or nonexpensive cuts, and saute or roast the bones & meat and place in a large stock pot. If you are going to saute them them just do it in the pot...YOU WANT Dark brown.

THEN pour the a gallon of Brown Veal stock on top of all this (simmer)... WATCH IT, dont burn it, not high heat.

In a separate pan:
- Carmalize 2# of med dice onion in olive oil for about 20 min
- Then add 1# of small dice Carrots & Celery (combined), for a few minutes
- Then add 2-3 cloves of minced garlic for a minute (dont burn it).
- Then add about 4 oz. of of Tomato paste (might need a touch more, just eye it.)
- Mix all of these veggies with the paste (called a Pincage) very well for ONLY a 2-4 minutes (the paste will bring out the veggies' flavors) DONT BURN THE PASTE AND VEGGIES. But beware the paste will turn everything a brownish color - THATS OKAY.
- Then add the Pincage/ veggies to the simmering veal stock pot.

Continue to reduce it. wiht all the bones, meat, and veg in there fortifying the sauce it will be hard to see how much you truly have. But you know you want to reduce the sauce by close to half. This could take a while, like an hour or 2..but its so worth it

Once its close to lightly coating a meatal spoon (called a light Nappe), throw in a large sprig of rosemary along with a large bay leaf, and a a couple sprigs of thyme (maybe cut once or twice to help infuse flavor).

You can also add a LITTLE fresh ground pepper, a little all spice, and a little Juniper.

Try to time it so you only have the herbs in there about 20 minutes...so you end up with a Thick Nappe Sauce...means it coats a spoon.

BE CAREFULL YOU DONT WANT TO REDUCE IT TOO MUCH, it will be too syrupy. It still should be runny. If you do, just add little extra chicken, beef, or veal stock to thin it out.

Strain it twice through a fine mesh strainer. Might be easier to remove the bones first with tongs. Continue to heat the sauce and NOW check to see if you need to season it with salt. Shouldn't really need pepper.

Put that into your Shepherd pie and you will die and go to heaven.

This brown Lamb Sauce is great with any red meat too.

Now I know why none of my books have a recipe for shepherd's pie. It's actually cottage pie that I am looking for! Thanks for the knowledge..And the recipe!

This recipe is great! Simple, to the point, most of all tasty! Just like the Shepherd's Pie my mom used to make! (I agree with the comment about cheese, and I am an American.)

Come on people..... you must admit it was very funny... I love the way he talked through out the whole recipe.... I was tired of the same old recipe being copied straight out of the books.... Some people just have a DIFFERENT personality, like your older Grandmother or Great Aunt that you always have to tell your company to excuse them they didn't mean it like that..... Just try the recipe!

Bisto is available in Canada if anybody wants some.