Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder Shepherd’s Pie
Written by: Rachel Phipps
Slow cooking a lamb shoulder to generate the most tender meat and unctuous stock takes the classic Shepherd’s Pie to luxurious new levels, perfect for weekend family gatherings and special occasions; it is easy to get ahead by making the lamb the day before and storing it in the fridge overnight. You can also amp up the wow factor even more by topping it off with a good grating of cheese (gruyére works well here) before putting it in the oven.
This recipe can also be used to make a smaller pie from 2-3 large handfuls of leftover roast lamb shoulder; simply half the quantities of everything, bake it in a smaller dish, and use 150ml of good-quality lamb stock (leftover gravy can also be topped up with boiling water to make the stock!)
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 170°C. In a snug, deep baking tray place the lamb on top of the rosemary sprigs. Season well with salt and pepper, and pour the stock around the lamb. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 3 hours until the lamb is pull-apart tender.
Once the lamb is cool enough to touch, shred the lamb away from the bone, throwing away any pieces of skin, bone, fat and cartilage. Drain the stock from the bottom of the pan through a separator jug to skim off the fat; you should have about 300ml remaining. Alternatively, chill the stock and skim the fat off the top.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or casserole over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, carrots and a good pinch of salt, and cook for 10-15 minutes or so, stirring often until soft.
Stir in the garlic, cook for a further minute, then stir in the tomato puree. Cook for a few more minutes until it has darkened in colour and the puree has started to caramelise.
Stir in the red wine, the reserved stock (if you have more than 300ml, just add 300ml - and don’t worry if you have a little less than 300ml), redcurrant jelly and Worcestershire sauce. Then stir in the cooked lamb. Season well with salt and pepper, and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
Peel and chop the potatoes before boiling them in a large saucepan of cold, well-salted water until tender. Drain, and mash together with the butter and a splash of milk. Keep adding milk, bit by bit, until the mashed potatoes are smooth. Check to see if you want to add any more salt.
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C. Check the seasoning of the lamb to see if you need any more salt and pepper before transferring the mixture to a medium-large baking dish: we used a 22 x 22 x 8cm dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top, and fluff with a fork.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and the pie is bubbling up from under its potato blanket.
Ingredients
Available in store
- 1.5kg bone-in lamb shoulder
- 2 large rosemary sprigs
- salt and pepper
- 500ml lamb stock
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 red onions, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 300ml red wine
- 1 1/2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 750g potatoes
- very large knob of butter
- whole milk