Shepherd's Pie with HB Ground Beef

We're big fans of St. Patty's around here... good food, good company, and good beer. To celebrate, we're throwing out a recipe that's traditional to the Irish culture, through and through. We may have replaced lamb for beef, but we think that our Hi Bräu Special Release Ground Beef holds it's own in this classic recipe.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1/3 cup milk

• 1 bunch scallions, green and light green parts only, sliced thin

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 3 carrots, peeled and large diced

• 4 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 cup red wine (optional)

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 quart unsalted chicken or beef stock

• 1.5 lb HB ground beef

• 2 sprigs thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• kosher salt

• fresh-ground pepper

Now, let's get started!

Instructions

Step 1: Boil a large pot of well-salted water. Cook potatoes at a nice simmer until fork tender, drain, and return to the pot so any extra water can evaporate. Add butter, milk, 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and a few turns of black pepper. Mash the potatoes until soft, stir in the sliced scallions, set aside!

Step 2: While potatoes are boiling, heat a large, oven-proof skillet with oil over medium- to medium-high heat. When the oil simmers, add the carrots, onion, thyme, bay leaves, mushrooms, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Make sure to stir frequently until soft and lightly browned. Add tomato paste and stir!

Step 3: Deglaze the skillet with Worcestershire and red wine, scraping up any browned bits that stuck to the skillet. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, and add your HB Ground Beef in 2 tablespoon-sized chunks. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir at the 5 min mark to turn the meat and break up the beef chunks a bit.

Step 4: Use a fork and small bowl to whisk the cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water. Make a well in the beef and vegetable mix. Add the slurry and simmer for another minute or two. Give everything a nice stir. The mixture should be thick and stewy, but not soupy!

PRO TIP: If the stew filling seems liquidy, continue to cook for another minute or two, or

until properly thickened. It won't thicken any more in the oven, so this is when to get the consistency

right.

Step 5: Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems, preheat the broiler, and spoon the mashed potatoes into a gallon bag. Snip one corner and twist the top opening shut. Pipe the potatoes evenly over your beef and veggie mix. Smooth with a spatula, then use a fork to rake the top of the mashed potatoes. Broil 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbling. Cool 10 minutes before serving!

We hope you give this recipe a try! Shop our Special Release Ground Beef to get started.

SHOP HERE