Neil, Love your comments along with this recipe. Of course I will be making a few changes. I agree no cheese but I mean really sir no herbs?

I made this and it was a very good recipe. I used my leftovers from roast lamb. The broth came from roasting the meat bones for several hours with the vegetables, leftover pan drippings and some water.
I had no need to add Bisto and I'm surprised that it should be needed. I had a good laugh imagining what those poor Sheppard's did before Bisto came along.
For the potatoes I used new red potatoes for a creamier texture. I did not boil my potatoes as that takes away their wonderful flavor but put them in a steamer basket unpeeled and cooked them in my pressure cooker. I used Kerry gold Irish butter for a richer flavor, half & half instead of milk and a potato ricer too, I don't like lumps in my potatoes but I suppose that is ones preference. The pattern on the potatoes turned out lovely, Thank you for a lovely traditional "British" recipe my family insists this is to be a regular at the family dinner table. Perhaps my friend you have not been to traditional Irish Pubs in the good ole USA. Here they do Sheppard's pie with lamb and no cheese.
I love The British they are very nice people I do believe this poster was proud of a dish from their country.

This was just o.k. in my opinion. There are certainly much better uses for an expensive cut of meat such as lamb for sure. I prefer the recipe by Cass on this website made with ground beef. Guess I am not a traditionalist, sorry Neil

thanks Neil! I'm trying your recipe tomorrow...

I like to TRY all kinds of different variations - I tried this and it was great!! Words and phrases police ought to get over THEMselves. This guy does it this way - don't like the words he uses? Don't try it! Go on try something else. I like plain spoken folks and shun those who have short fuses, little humor, and are juvenile narcissists.
GREAT RECIPIE - I LIKE THIS GUY!! Ignore the humorless narcissists and word police.. COOK ON....

As an American of British descent needing to take a dish to a Burns Supper in a Scottish descent group, I was very happy to see Neil's pride of authenticity. I hope this recipe will be just the thing for my event. As a former Texan transplanted in Maryland for 1.5 decades, I can totally understand his desire to point out what is authentic and what is not. And as a lover of British comedy and drama, I very much enjoyed his attitude in the composition of his recipe. I'll be looking for lamb at the store!

Neil is talking complete nonsense.

I had it without the carrot and celery, which should ONLY go in a cottage pie, and WITH cheddar cheese.

I have noticed in my travels that each family, and region, within the UK seems to have its own "traditional shepherds pie" recipe.

Neil should stop thinking his grandmothers recipe is the normative version and get off of his high horse.

Martin Graney - Yet Another Brit

Wow, never would have thought the quest for an authentic dish could turn so ugly. Excuse me, but lets keep it real, Neil is and was expressing his version of an authentic dish, if you get offended by it, don't read it, don't try it, Thank You

My fellow Americans--please appreciate the information you get from someone passionate about having a dish a certain way. Neil is quite right to point out the excessive use of cheese in American cuisine, so either take the hint or don't, but be glad he took the trouble.

Gosh - I stumbled on to this thread - what controversy!

In the UK Shepherds Pie is made with lamb and Cottage Pie with Beef. In most homes however the names for both are often called Shepherds Pie.

However whilst I don't want to be pedantic, in restaurants and pubs the true name and description should and almost always is used. That could be for cultural, ethical or medical reasons.

Michael from California is correct in that the dish was originally created to use up left over lamb usually from the Sunday roast and would have been put through a mincer.

Nowadays though minced (ground) lamb is most often used as lamb is so expensive and a luxury to have as a roasting joint.

When we buy minced lamb it often (not always) has mutton mixed with it therefore making it cheaper and a good everyday standby.

To All, how can anyone get an emotion out of a typed recipe and comments how Neil likes it? You get out of it what you put into it.... and yes, cheese makes a lot of things yummy but it's binding and I can't have it. LOL *pounds heart and puts up first two fingers - PEACE OUT DUDES!

The other day I read an article quoting the former British royal chef. He stated that Prince William's all-time favorite was cottage pie: "ground beef in a brown sauce and topped with creamy mashed potatoes and melted cheese"! I had to chuckle, and thought of Neil and this thread. Happy cooking everyone!

Shepherd's Pie, Cottage Pie all derived from the necessity of using the food available in the pantry. I can see Shepherd's pie being a lamb based dish. The vegetables would vary according to what was in the pantry. Neil's recipe was informative and excellent. His humor was an added spice. Thanks Neil. PS (I like to add green peas to my pie).

All Jewish recipes call for separation of Meat and dairy. Jews are very healthy. I agree, cheese and meat should not be eaten together Why? My father told me so:"Thou shall not boil a kid in it's mothers milk"