Shepherd’s pie was originally made from leftover roasted meat that was simply ground down. The same recipe is used today, but fresh ground meat is used rather than leftover roast. Often described as comfort food, venison shepherd’s pie is the original full-meal deal.
Ingredients
Mashed potatoes:
2 lbs russet potatoes (about 4 large potatoes)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, divided in half
1/2 cup sour cream
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
Meat mixture:
1/4 lb bacon, chopped
2 lbs ground venison
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
3 large carrots, diced (2 cups)
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Peel and cut potatoes into even-sized cubes and boil in salted water until fork tender. Drain the water and leave the lid off the pot so the steam can escape, and the potatoes dry up a bit. Add the milk, 1/4 cup of butter, sour cream and mash. Stir in the egg, season with salt and pepper, and continue mashing until relatively smooth. Cook the meat mixture while the potatoes are boiling.
2. Fry the bacon in a non-stick skillet until browned. Remove some of the bacon fat, leaving a couple of tablespoons in the pan. Brown the venison and fry until mostly cooked. Add the thyme, paprika and season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the carrots, onions and garlic to the venison and sauté for 4-6 minutes. Add the peas and corn, then sprinkle the flour over everything and cook for 2 minutes, stirring once or twice. Pour in the stock, add the sour cream and simmer on low for 5 minutes.
4. Spread the mixture in a 9x13 casserole dish or other comparable pan and top with mashed potatoes. Level out the potatoes and dollop the remaining 1/4 cup of butter evenly over the top.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes until the gravy begins to bubble on the sides. If the potatoes aren’t browned, place under the broiler for a few minutes.
