Cottage pie

[AriesTheRam]

Made one tonight and although it was nice it wasn't perfect.It consisted of:
Browned mince beef.
Chopped onion,carrots,swede.
Peas.

These were cooked in gravy in the slow cooker for a few hours then put in oven dishes with fresh mash on top until golden brown on top.

I need your top tips pls.T.i.a.

Well, I know it won't be respected by "proper" cooks, but I really like the 'shepherds pie mix' from Aldi (about 25p). they seem to have got just the right mix of flavours and thickener.

I also put mushrooms in mine but no swede .

A good splash of Worcester sauce

If I make a homemade one it's always a bit bland.

The nicest one I've tried is Marks and Spencer, it has taramind in the ingredients and all sorts of stuff I'd never think to put in.

I do put cheese on top and that's quite nice.

I made one this evening. I added herbs, Worcester & soy sauce sauce , mug of red wine, Bisto best onion gravy granules. It was yum.

Would a bay leaf help?

Got to go with Delia. www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/british/shepherds-pie-with-cheese-crusted-leeks

Skip the leeks if not your thing, but otherwise I think you'll struggle to find better.

Mine is:

Brown the minced beef (and do brown it, don't grey it - needs a high heat, a bit of added oil, and frequent scraping/stirring). Add a finely chopped onion and cook until soft. Add a handful of chopped mushrooms, and a teaspoon each of English mustard and horseradish sauce. Add a tablespoon or thereabouts of either Bisto Best Beef gravy granules, or Knorr Professional Demi Glace granules, roughly 100 ml boiling water, and let it all thicken and come together whilst you boil the potatoes for about 20 mins, until soft. Drain them.

Mash potatoes with butter, and a handful of grated cheese. Put the mince in an ovenproof dish, spread the mash over the top, sprinkle on some more grated cheese, and bake at gas Mk 5 ish. 180 degrees ish for 40 mins (ish!), until golden and crispy. Serve with baked beans.

The slow cooker would stew the meat too early. I agree with browning the onions,carrots and swede, and separately browning the meat first, on a high heat as you need those caramel undernotes. I’d always add a finely chopped stick of celery or two in with the onions.

Then I’d probably add a stock cube, Worcestershire sauce, a squeeze of tomato purée, a large bay leaf, a spoonful of plain flour.

I'm a purest just minced beef, onion, beef stock cubes and low salt gravy granules with some hot water.

Brown mince (500g) and cook onions (3 diced) until soft and golden, mix. Add 3-4 stock cubes, 1/2pint boiling water and then once bubbling add beef gravy granules until the gravy is medium thick.

Add to dish. Cover we mash (red potatoes mashed with proper butter and a splash of milk - keep adding butter until you get the flavour you like). Make sure the potatoes are smooth before adding butter or milk.

Pop under the grill until topping starts to go crispy.

I'm super fussy eater and eat out in fine dining restaurants as part of my job and I love it like this.

I serve mine with peas, buttered carrots and maybe buttered cabbage.

Worcester sauce and a bit of tomato purée. Not enough to colour it, but it does add flavour.

Browned mince/onions/garlic/herbs, sprinkling of plain flour, red wine, Worcester sauce, carrots, squash (finely diced), tomato purée, stock cube, small amount of water. Left to simmer. Then potatoes on top and into the oven.

Cinamon is my secret ingredient!

I tend to add Henderson’s relish and a bit of tomato purée to mine. Plus we often have a swede/carrot mash on top rather than traditional and a little bit of Red Leicester. It’s lovely

You need to flavour your mince mixture more. I'd do the same as Custardycreams.
An egg yolk added to the mash also is nice, gives it a slightly stiffer consistency.

Tiny bit of chilli

Slow cooker makes everything blah!

I make a really nice cottage pie , brown the mince in a little oil ( very low fat mince ) then add sliced carrots , mushrooms , a Knorr beef stock pot and a small amount of water stir that and cook for about 10 minutes . Put into dish , top with mash but not too thick a layer , stick cheese on top and cook in the oven for 20/30 minutes . It’s surprisingly flavoursome which I assume is the stock pot thing .

Posting purely for theideas!

Loads of cheese on top before going in the oven, cook until crisp

When served, add oodles of pepper

Yes just follow Delia's recipe 👍🏻

I did one last week but on the hob.

Brown mince in the oven at 180/gas 6 for 30-40 mins, breaking it up every 10 mins (Tom Kerridge).

Fry onions until softening then add a Knorr rich beef stock pot, simmer for a few mins, then add chopped baby carrots and some peas. Add the mince and stir well. Add your gravy, made with a splash of balsamic vinegar, mustard powder & onion granules. It should be thick enough to win a fight against Chuck Norris. Simmer for about 20 mins, then turn off the heat and leave the flavours to soak in while you cook the mash.

Put into bowls, sprinkle some cheese on. Mash potato with milk & an egg yolk. Spoon over mince, top with cheese & bake for about another 20 minutes or so.

Chuck in a can of baked beans and a dash of Worcestor sauce oh and some Basil.

Sorry I should have said their are onions in my method as well .

Lean mince, beef oxo cube, knorr stock pot, bisto best to thicken if required, peas and carrots, good amount of dried mixed herbs

Half a teaspoon of marmite added to the gravy.