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one portion of shepherd’s pie with browned ridged mashed potato over cooked ground lamb, carrot dice and green peas in brown gravy on a plain plate, with no extra vegetables or garnish
Rachel Kim

Freezer Lamb Shepherd’s Pie

Ground lamb makes this a shepherd's pie with its own flavor, so the gravy only needs onion, rosemary and a small amount of tomato paste. Let the filling cool before the potatoes go on. Warm gravy steams into the mash and makes the layers harder to keep separate. Roughen the potato top with a fork before freezing so the ridges can brown during the uncovered finish after thawing.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground lamb
  • 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots cut into small dice
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp fine salt divided
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup whole milk

Method
 

  1. Boil potatoes in water until fork-tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Drain well and mash with butter, milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  2. Brown lamb, onion and carrots in a skillet over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, breaking up the meat and cooking it to 160°F. Spoon off excess fat.
  3. Stir in tomato paste and flour for 1 minute, then add broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, remaining salt and pepper. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until thick, then stir in peas.
  4. Spread filling and potatoes in separate shallow containers, refrigerate within 2 hours and chill completely. Divide filling between two 8-inch-square metal pans and spread potatoes on top, roughening with a fork.
  5. Freeze before the final bake: cover pans tightly with foil and a second wrap, label and freeze for up to 2 months.
  6. Thaw a pan in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove outer wrap and bake covered at 375°F for 30 minutes, then uncover for 15 to 20 minutes until the center reaches 165°F and the top browns.
  7. Rest for 10 minutes and cut each pan into 4 portions. Reheat cooked refrigerated portions covered at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes until 165°F.