Cottage Pie with Guinness

Cottage Pie Recipe

The best in comfort food. Creamy mashed potatoes on top of a delicious filling of minced beef, carrots, tomatoes and in this case, Guinness!

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You can, of course, make it vegetarian cottage pie, just use a veggie mince, such as Quorn.

This is my version of Cottage pie with Guinness, Gordon Ramsay's recipe to make it suitable for fewer people than his recipe and it is the best!

The addition of Guinness (or you could use a dark ale) adds richness and depth of flavour, although of course, it isn't vital, so can most certainly leave it out if you wish.

So, instead of adding the Guinness, I would just use 2 Knorr stock cubes and makeup, adding the 300ml to replace it.

I've been cooking all sorts lately in my nice STOVES oven and I love how it cooks everything so evenly.

There's no messing around turning everything around as I had to in my old oven because the Sterling 600MF oven cooks evenly and gives perfect results every time.

STOVES are the only manufacturer that builds freestanding cookers, built-in ovens, hobs and range cookers right here in the UK.

What's the Difference between Cottage pie and Shepherd's pie?

Cottage pie is made with ground/minced beef and Shepherd's pie is made using minced lamb and had a mashed potato topping.

Although the recipe has many variations, the defining ingredients are minced beef cooked in a rich gravy with onions and vegetables, such as peas, celery or carrots, and topped with a layer of mashed potato before it is baked.

How to make Cottage Pie

Cook the minced beef as shown in the recipe.

Meanwhile, add the potatoes to a pan of salted water, bring to a boil and cook until tender.

Drain and return to the hot pan for 15 seconds or so, to dry out, then take off the heat.

Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer, it's the best way to get creamy lump-free mashed potatoes.

Mix through the butter, cheese and egg yolk. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Put the cooked carrots into the bottom of the dish and then put the minced beef mixture on top.

Spoon the mashed potato on top and rough up the surface with a fork. Grate over some extra cheese and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

Can you Freeze this?

Absolutely you can freeze any cottage pie leftovers! Just be sure to defrost it fully before reheating and make sure it's piping hot before serving.

What do you Serve with Cottage Pie?

Peas, carrots, broccoli the choice is yours. Kids love baked beans, but obviously, you would want to leave out the Guinness or ale!

You can read my review of the STOVES Sterling 600MF multifunction oven.

Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!

cottage pie recipe, cottage pie with guinness, cottage pie gordon ramsay

main, dinner

English

Yield: 2-3

Author: Jan Bennett

Cottage Pie Recipe with Guinness

Adapted from a Gordon Ramsay recipe too serve fewer people than his recipe that serves 6.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

Ingredients

• a large pie dish
• olive oil
• 500g good quality (low fat) minced beef
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• a sprig of thyme
• 1 x 400g good quality tinned tomatoes including their juice
• 2 tablespoons of tomato purée
• 2 teaspoons of Coleman's English mustard
• 300ml of Guinness
• 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 x Knorr chicken stock cube
• 3 large carrots chopped and cooked
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the potato topping

• 600kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward, peeled and roughly cubed
• 40g butter and a handful of grated Cheddar, plus extra for the top of the pie
• 1 egg yolk

Instructions

1. Get yourself a large frying pan and add a thin layer of olive oil.
2. Add the onion and garlic and cook over a low to medium heat until nice and soft, but not coloured - about 15 minutes.
3. Now turn the heat up and add the mince. Season with black pepper and fry while stirring, until nicely browned.
4. Throw in the sprig of thyme and the tomato puree and mustard cook whilst stirring for just a minute.
5. Add the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce bring to the boil and cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
6. Now add the tomatoes including their juice.
7. Crumble in the Knorr stock cube and stir until it's dissolved.
8. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20-25 minutes, by which time the mixture should be lovely and thick and glossy.
9. You may need to add a little more liquid and if so add a little water.
10. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning - you may need a little sea salt.
11. Once done remove from the heat and discard the sprig of thyme.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F or Gas 4

1. Meanwhile, add the potatoes to a pan of salted water, bring to the boil and cook until tender.
2. Drain and return to the hot pan for 15 seconds or so, to dry out, then take off the heat.
3. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer back into the pan or mash smoothly.
4. Make the creamy mashed potatoes and mix through the butter and cheese.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning before stirring through the egg yolk.
6. Put the cooked carrots into the bottom of the dish and then put the mince mixture on top.
7. Spoon the mashed potato on top and rough up the surface with a fork.
8. Grate over some extra cheese and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.
9. If you happen to have any leftover you can, of course, freeze it.

Notes

If you're making this for kids then, of course, leave out the Guinness or ale and instead use 2 Knorr chicken stock cubes and 300ml more water.Chicken stock sounds odd in a beef dish? Trust me it works!

Did you make this recipe?

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