Irish Guinness Cottage Pie - Recipe For Adventures (2024)

by Beth Meyer

Happy almost St. Patrick’s Day! This weeks #BakingWithBeth recipe doesn’t really involve anything pastry related, save for piping mashed potatoes (which was a first, and tons of fun!), but this Irish cottagepie involves Guinness and is in keeping with the March pie-theme. It’sthe perfect recipe for St. Patrick’s Day dinner tomorrow!

Originally I called this a Guinness shepherd’s pie, but after consulting a fewof British friends, they were quick to correct me that cottage pie uses minced ground beef and shepherd’s pie uses lamb (because shepherds & sheep…). I found one article that suggested the Irish use minced ground beef in their shepherd’s pie, but I was unable to find anyhistorical research toconfirm.Is it an Irish Guinness cottage pie? Is it an Irish Guinnessshepherd’s pie? Perhaps it’s just a bit of a pie MASH up. Ha Ha!

I mean, what’s not to like? Meat, good. Mashed potatoes, good. Guinness, goooooood! 😉

What exactly is the difference between shepherd’s pie and cottage pie? In the States you don’t hear as much about a cottage pie, hence my confusion about the two dishes. Historically, the term cottage pie was used when referring to a type of meat pie that was used by peasants around the time of the introduction of potatoes to the UK and Ireland. It was a good way to use leftover meat, potatoes were an affordable crop and the peasantslived in cottages. The term cottage piefirst appearedat the end of the 18th century and pre-dates shepherd’s pie by nearly a century. You can find lots more fun facts about the two meat pies from this Jamie Oliverarticle.

Recently, I did theAncestry DNA test and it confirmed that I’m 42% Irish (who knew?!). And this recipe uses Guinness. So, that makes it a super authentic Irish Guinness cottage pie, right?! Either way, it’s really tasty and one I’ll definitely be making again! Originally, I toyed with makingindividual pies. I endedup purchasinga new baking dish from Crate & Barrel to make it and I loved it. It was the perfect size for a two-person dinner, with a small amount of leftovers!

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If you’re brand new, we have a new recipe that comes out every Thursday. January covered all things Southerncakes: week one/caramel cake,week two/Hummingbird Cake,week three/sour cream pound cakeandweek four / pineapple upside down cake.

February wasall about cookies!!Week five / best chocolate chip cookies,week six / Italian macaronsandweek seven / chocolate covered alfajoresand the final week of the month,week eight /DYI Samoas Girl Scout cookie.

March is everything pi(e)! Week nine kicked off with achocolate chip cookie with dulce de leche, week ten was my birthday mint chocolate chip grasshopper pie and a bonus Pi Day pizza pie recipe by a guest contributor!

If you’re a regular, thanks again for coming back for another #BakingWithBeth recipe! Be sure to follow alongInstagramandFacebookand tag #BakingWithBeth so I can see what kind of recipe for adventures y’all have going on.

Have y’all ever had a Irish Guinness Cottage Pie? Those of y’all from (or have ancestry in) Ireland and the UK, share your secrets! 🙂

Cheers y’all!

Irish Guinness Cottage Pie - Recipe For Adventures (9)

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Irish Guinness Cottage Pie

Mince meat pie with carrots, peas and topped with mashed potatoes. Can easily be doubled for more guests & a bigger baking dish!

CourseMain Course

CuisineIrish

Author Beth Meyer

Ingredients

  • 1/2TBSPolive oil
  • 100gramsonion, dicedsmall onion (or half large)
  • 1clovegarlic
  • 3/4lbminced ground beef
  • 7gramsbutter (1/2 TBSP)
  • 1TBSPflour
  • 150gramsfrozen peas & carrots
  • 1TBSPWorcestershire sauce
  • 1TBSPTomato paste
  • 110gramsGuinness(1/2 cup)
  • 93gramschicken stock(1/2 cup)
  • 1tspsalt
  • to tastepepper

Mashed Potatoes

  • 2large russet potatoes
  • 1tspsalt (to taste)
  • 56gramsbutter
  • 55gramsmilk
  • 34gramsIrish cheddar
  • 1eachegg yolk

Instructions

  1. Sauté onions in olive oil until translucent. Add in garlic and sauce for 30 seconds to one minute.

  2. Add minced ground beef and cook until brown. Drain the fat and return to the heat. Add butter, peas, carrots and flour. Stir until mixed together.

  3. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and Guinness. Cook for a few minutes over a medium heat.

  4. Add chicken stock. Cook until mixture is thick and resembles a chunky, meat sauce.

  5. Pour meat sauce into a lightly greased baking dish and let cool completely.

  6. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks and place in a medium-large pot with salt and bring to a boil. Boil until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes and put in a medium bowl.

  7. Add butter and mix together with a hand mixer. Slowly add milk and continue beating until smooth and creamy.

  8. Shred Irish cheddar into small pieces. Mix into the potatoes until completely incorporated and there are no lumps. Mix in one egg yolk.

  9. Put potatoes in piping bag with large tip. Pipe potatoes on top of cooled meat sauce.

  10. Bake on top of a sheet tray at 325 degrees Fahrenheit/163 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. After baked, place baking sheet and dish until the broiler for approximately 5 minutes, rotating frequently until potatoes are browned.

Recipe Notes

You could easily double this recipe and make in a larger dish for more people.

It also makes for excellent left overs!

This could serve 4 with small servings with a side of vegetables, or something. 🙂

Be careful when piping the potatoes if the cheese is too large. My first piping bag exploded due to a cheese blockage. 😉

I cooked it at a lower temp and then place under the broiler to not have the meat sauce bubble out of the potatoes.

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Irish Guinness Cottage Pie - Recipe For Adventures (2024)

FAQs

What is shepherd's pie made of in Ireland? ›

I never shy away from the excuse to celebrate anything Irish. What's not to love about shepherd's pie? It's got ground beef, or lamb, with mushrooms, onion, corn, peas and carrots cooked in a delicious gravy sauce that's topped with a mashed potato crust that's baked in the oven.

What is traditional cottage pie made of? ›

It's a hearty, rich ground beef and potato casserole that can be assembled ahead of time and cooked at the last minute. Cottage beef pie is made with ground beef, everyday vegetables and brown gravy topped with a creamy layer of mashed potatoes and baked in a casserole dish.

What is Guinness pie made of? ›

The ingredients in this Guinness Beef Pie are just the essence of comfort food. Starting with a nice brisket, which is a perfect cut of meat to braise. Combined with the smoked bacon, sautéed mushrooms, carrots, herbs, and of course, Guinness, you've got the lineup for a stunning and delicious dish.

What is the story of cottage pie? ›

It is a dish that originated around the time that potatoes were introduced in the UK (in the late 1700s). Potatoes were affordable ingredients that were often used by the peasants, who lived in cottages. So, "cottage pie" was an easy to make, affordable dish invented to fill peasant tummies.

Is cottage pie English or Irish? ›

Cottage pie or Shepherd's pie is a type of savory pie. It is made with minced meat, onions, vegetables, and gravy made from the meat juices and Worcestershire sauce, (often with Bovril added to enrich the gravy), with mashed potato on top. It comes from the United Kingdom but was also popular in Ireland.

What is traditional shepherd's pie made of? ›

Classic Shepherd's Pie is a comforting casserole that consists of ground lamb, carrots, and peas simmered with Guinness, Worcestershire sauce, and herbs and topped with a cheesy mashed potato layer that's baked until golden and crisp.

What can I add to cottage cheese to make it tasty? ›

SWEET
  1. Fresh fruit. Try chopped peaches, plums or pineapple (or add your favorites). Berries. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc!
  2. Jam and toasted nuts.
  3. Granola and honey. Or Granola and maple syrup.
  4. Dried fruit. Try apricots or cranberries.
  5. Chocolate. Chips, chunks or shavings!

What can I use instead of tomato paste in cottage pie? ›

How to Substitute Tomato Sauce or Puree for Tomato Paste. You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

What is Irish Guinness made of? ›

Guinness is created using four key ingredients – roasted barley, malted barley, hops, yeast and water and doesn't contain caffeine. Does Guinness have dairy? Guinness is created using four key ingredients – roasted barley, malted barley, hops, yeast and water making Guinness dairy-free.

What gives Guinness its flavor? ›

Guinness's flavour derives from malted barley and roasted unmalted barley; the unmalted barley is a relatively modern addition that became part of the grist in the mid-20th century. For many years, a portion of aged brew was blended with freshly brewed beer to give a sharp lactic acid flavour.

Why is Guinness called Guinness? ›

Arthur Guinness was just 34 when he signed the iconic 9,000-year Guinness lease, on a then-disused brewery site on 31 December 1759 for an annual rent of £45. It was here on this four-acre site where Arthur would hone his craft and build the global brand that Guinness is today.

What country is cottage pie from? ›

Sometime in the 18th century, a dish called “cottage pie” came about somewhere in the vast expanse of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It seems to have originated as a way for folks to make use of leftovers, in order to avoid waste, both of the food and money varieties.

Is shepherd's pie and cottage pie the same? ›

The main difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd's pie is cottage pie uses ground beef, and Shepherd's pie uses ground lamb. Both pies are cooked with vegetables and gravy and baked under a layer of mashed potatoes. To make Shepherd's pie using this recipe, simply substitute ground lamb.

What do you call cottage pie made from pork mince? ›

This inexpensive, warming pie is a logical extension of cottage and shepherd's pie: veg and pork mince cooked with herbs and topped with buttery mash.

Is banger and mash Irish? ›

Bangers and mash is a quintessential British dish of sausage and mashed potatoes, typically served with onion gravy. It's roots extend to Ireland where you'll find the dish in many local pubs. I found “Irish Style Banger Sausages” at my whole foods and knew I had to try them out.

Do they have pork pies in Ireland? ›

Along with our sausage rolls, our pork pies were a winner in Dublin. We supplied many grocers, delicatessens and other butcher shops. After their success, we slowly but surely introduced the range that still exists today.

Which region did shepherd's pie originate? ›

shepherd's pie, dish of British Isles origin that makes use of vegetables and chopped meat cooked in a casserole topped with or surrounded by mashed potatoes.

Is shepherds pie and cottage pie the same? ›

The main difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd's pie is cottage pie uses ground beef, and Shepherd's pie uses ground lamb. Both pies are cooked with vegetables and gravy and baked under a layer of mashed potatoes. To make Shepherd's pie using this recipe, simply substitute ground lamb.

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