Hairy Bikers Cottage Pie Recipe

This Hairy Bikers Cottage Pie is a classic and hearty recipe, which is made with leftover roast meat and a fluffy mashed potato topping. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

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Hairy Bikers Cottage Pie Ingredients

For the filling:

• about 600g leftover roast meat
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 1 celery stick, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 large rosemary sprig, leaves finely chopped
• 1 thyme sprig, leaves finely chopped
• 300ml red wine
• 1 tbsp tomato purée or ketchup
• 300ml leftover gravy or stock
• dash of Worcestershire sauce
• salt and black pepper

For the topping:

• 1kg floury potatoes, cut into chunks
• large knob of butter, plus extra for dotting on top of the pie

How To Make Hairy Bikers Cottage Pie

1. Prepare the meat: Chop all the leftover roast meat into small dice. It’s best to do this by hand to control the size, but you can pulse it carefully in a food processor if you prefer.
2. Sauté the vegetables: Heat the oil in a large saucepan or a flameproof casserole dish. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and fry them gently over a medium heat for up to 10 minutes, until they are softening and just starting to colour.
3. Brown the meat and add aromatics: Turn up the heat, add the diced meat, and cook for a few minutes until well browned. Add the garlic and herbs and season with salt and pepper.
4. Simmer the filling: Pour in the red wine and let it bubble until it has reduced almost completely. Stir in the tomato purée or ketchup, gravy or stock, and the Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. If it looks like it’s drying out, add a little more stock or water.
5. Make the topping: While the filling simmers, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook until tender. Drain them well, tip them back into the pan, and add the butter. Mash until smooth, adding a tiny splash of milk only if they seem very dry.
6. Assemble and bake: Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Pour the meat filling into an ovenproof dish (about 30 x 20 x 5cm). Spread the mashed potatoes over the top in an even layer, then rough up the surface with a fork to create crispy ridges. Dot with extra butter.
7. Bake until golden: Place the dish on a baking tray and bake for 25–30 minutes until the pie is piping hot inside and the topping is well-browned and crisp.

Recipe Tips

• What kind of meat is best? This recipe is perfect for using up leftover roast beef (for a classic Cottage Pie) or roast lamb (which would technically make it a Shepherd’s Pie).
• How to get a crispy topping? Roughing up the surface of the mash with a fork creates lots of little peaks that will catch the heat and become extra crispy and golden. Don’t skip dotting it with butter!
• Can I use fresh mince instead of leftovers? Yes. Use about 600g of fresh beef mince. Brown it thoroughly after cooking the vegetables, drain off any excess fat, and then proceed with the recipe.
• Can I add other vegetables? A handful of frozen peas stirred into the filling at the end of its simmering time is a classic and delicious addition.

What To Serve With Cottage Pie

This is a classic one-dish meal, but it’s traditionally served with:

• Steamed green vegetables, like peas, cabbage, or broccoli
• A jug of extra gravy on the side
• Pickled red cabbage

How To Store Cottage Pie

• Refrigerate: Let the pie cool completely, then cover it and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Cottage pie freezes brilliantly. You can freeze it either before or after baking. Let it cool completely, then wrap the dish well. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking or reheating.

FAQs

• What’s the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie? Traditionally, Cottage Pie is made with beef, while Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb (as a shepherd looks after sheep).
• Can I make this vegetarian? Yes. You can make a delicious vegetarian version by replacing the meat with cooked lentils, mushrooms, or a good quality vegetarian mince. Use a rich vegetable stock instead of meat stock.
• Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, this is a perfect make-ahead meal. You can assemble the entire pie, let it cool, and store it in the fridge for up to two days. You may need to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time if cooking from chilled.

Try More Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Macaroni Cheese With Bacon Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Macaroni Cheese Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Leek and Potato Soup Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Beef Stifado Recipe