Shepherd's Pie, but Better (Make Ahead Thanksgiving)

Shepherd's Pie, but Better (Make Ahead Thanksgiving) 00:00 Intro 01:05 Thanksgiving Options 03:04 Meat Layer 03:32 Buttery Onions 04:29 Mashed Potatoes 06:35 Baking and Serving 07:35 Ideas for Sides and Pies You can use any braise for this dish. Here are some ideas: Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder: https://youtu.be/3maKOTe5dQU Red Wine Braised Short Ribs: https://youtu.be/aOI5pUXSQ4M Red Wine Braised Turkey Thighs: https://youtu.be/vQUQlZs1qIw Lamb Shoulder with Warm Spices: https://youtu.be/qjC_E4nF7Bk Shred the meat, mix with the sauce, and spread in the bottom of a 12 inch (30cm) straight sided skillet or some other 5-6 qt (3-6 L) casserole. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate. This can be done days in advance. To figure out how much potatoes you’ll need, divide the raw weight of your meat in half. For example, if you started with 8 Lb of raw pork shoulder, you’ll need 4 Lb of potatoes (slightly less if the meat had bones). Buttery Onions: 3 Tbsp butter 1 Lb (450g) yellow onions (about 3 medium), diced Salt 2 Tbsp olive oil, or as needed Set a 10 inch stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the onions. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally until tender. If they start to brown before turning translucent and soft, lower the heat. Continue to cook until the onions turn golden brown, adding oil (or more butter) as needed if the pan ever seems dry. Mashed Potatoes: 4 Lb (900g) yukon gold potatoes (or some other yellow flesh potatoes with the starch content between boiling and baking) 10 Tbsp butter, soft or melted 2/3 cup sour cream 2/3 cup hot whole milk Salt and pepper to taste Buttery Onions (see above) (optional) Preheat the oven to 325F (160C). Peel potatoes, cut into 6-8 wedges and add to a pot. Cover with cold water. Season with salt, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat (uncover when you are close to avoid a boil over). Uncover, reduce heat so that potatoes simmer gently. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, spread on a baking sheet, and put in the oven until dry to the touch, 5-7 minutes. Add the butter to the pot where you cooked potatoes. Put potatoes through a food mill or ricer into the pot on top of butter. Or add the chunks of potatoes to the pot and use a potato masher. Stir in the sour cream and mix well. Stir in the milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the buttery onions. Spread the potatoes on top of the meat in the casserole. Bake right away or cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking. Baking after refrigeration: =================== Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Cover the casserole with a lid or foil. Bake until the center is about 130F (55C), about 40 min. Uncover and continue to bake at 425F (220C) with convection fan until the potatoes are golden brown on top, the sauce is bubbly, and the center reads 160F (70C) or higher. Let rest to a comfortable serving temperature (a big casserole will easily stay hot for 20-30 minutes). Baking without refrigeration: ===================== It’s hard to make this whole dish in one day. But if your braise and potatoes are still lukewarm and you want to bake them right away, set your oven to 425F (220C) with convection and bake for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and brown. Sides and Pies: Kale Salad with Squash and Apples https://youtu.be/x39astxIH0U Butternut Squash Soup https://youtu.be/dIFth0oRcrs Brussel Sprouts https://youtu.be/VTYRCja4ex8?si=zxBIi6iUbLAG9cCn Carrot Parsnip Fries https://youtu.be/QCnytzmoDLc?si=u71Z-Ed9oRssKekr Sunchoke Chard Salad https://youtu.be/YrPqVoBxlRc Apple Galette https://youtu.be/ARYBn9T_Qno?si=ilrwpub1UUJ5w7Gp Pear Ginger Tart Tatin https://youtu.be/8op-ttD_P-w?si=pnzalheyC9gwla8W Full Thanksgiving Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaYCMq3l7jsR6tqtrWci0j2p_QVpYSW6&si=7nKIlq5vD3pbWOtC Support my channel https://www.patreon.com/helenrennie My cooking classes in the Boston area: http://www.helenrennie.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/HelensKitchenCooking/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/helen.rennie