Shredded Beef Stew Cottage Pie with Caramelised Vegetables
This Shredded Beef Stew Cottage Pie with Caramelised Vegetables is the ultimate cold-weather comfort dish. Slow-cooked beef is braised in Guinness with garlic, herbs and root veg until it falls apart, then folded with sweet caramelised onions and carrots for incredible depth and richness. Topped with buttery mashed potato and a layer of mature cheddar, it’s baked until golden, bubbling and irresistibly crisp. A hearty, flavour-packed cottage pie that’s perfect for cosy evenings or a satisfying family dinner.  
Servings: 4 yield(s)
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 300 mins
Total Time: 320 mins
Ingredients
    For the beef
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 kg casserole beef steak
  • 2 carrots (roughly chopped)
  • 1 large onion (peeled & roughly chopped)
  • 1 leek (roughly sliced)
  • 1 small bunch of fresh thyme
  • 1 head of garlic (halved)
  • 3 bay leaves
  • black pepper (freshly ground)
  • 500 ml bottle of Guinness
  • 1 l beef stock
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
    • For the caramelised vegetables
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion (peeled & finely sliced)
  • 1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
  • 2 large carrots (peeled & cut into 1cm cubes)
    • For the mash
  • 1 kg potatoes (peeled and cut into even sizes)
  • 50 g butter
  • 100 ml milk
  • 100 g mature cheddar cheese (grated)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C Fan/Gas mark 3.
  2. Over a high heat place a large oven proof casserole dish, add 2 tablespoons of oil. Generously season the beef with salt and pepper and fry in batches until browned all over and set aside.
  3. Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same pan then add the carrots, onions, leeks, thyme, garlic, bay leaves and a good pinch of pepper. Cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables have browned and softened.
  4. Pour the Guinness into the pan and leave to reduce by half, return the meat to the pan and cover with the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 4 hours.
  5. Carefully remove all the meat from the casserole and set aside. Pass the cooking liquid through a sieve and pour into pan, place over a medium heat and bring to the boil, simmer to reduce the liquid by almost half.
  6. Shred and chop the meat and add to the liquid, set aside.
  7. Heat a large frying pan, add a tablespoon of oil and the onions, sprinkle over the sugar. Fry the onions until softened and caramelised. Now add the cubed carrots and cook for a further 7-8 minutes until slightly softened.
  8. Add the caramelised vegetables to the meat, season and place in a oven proof dish and allow to cool.
  9. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C/Gas mark 6.
  10. For the mash, add the potatoes to a pan of salted water bring the pan to the boil and cook until tender. Dry out the potatoes in a hot pan for 15-20 seconds. Pass the potatoes through a potatoes ricer or mash smoothly, mix in the butter and milk. Season to taste.
  11. Spoon the mashed potato on top and rough the surface with a fork. Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Enjoy!