GMO, Preservative, and Gluten-Free! No Heartburn! No oil! 100 % Natural ingredients! Mutton, not lamb is where the flavor resides!
This is the best Shepherds Pie you will ever eat! And it has all the flavors of a good Sunday Roast, and the bonus is it comes with its own natural stock and gravy built-in ;) Serve with crispy roasted potatoes, broccoli, and cheese sauce and you are in seventh heaven! Remember. I said Mutton, not Lamb. However, this may be made with lamb, but you won’t get the same results.
SERVINGS: 9 – 10 With roast potatoes, broccoli, and cheese sauce.
I thought I would experiment and chop my carrots up with my onions in a food processor and instead of being cubes they sort of grated up with the onions, as you can see below, so best you do them separately if you wish
NOTES:
You may use any stewing mutton or small chops that
have enough fat on them but save your bigger cuts and chops for slow braising and roasting
have enough fat on them but save your bigger cuts and chops for slow braising and roasting
Keep it plain and simple! Mutton is rich. Condensed and full of flavor!
Mutton must cook very slowly and will take around 6 – 8 hours to cook. Sometimes I even go slower and take up to 10 hours to cook mine. The lower the temperature the better and the more concentrated the flavor becomes. I promise! It is well worth the effort. This is best done overnight. When you wake up, before going to work, you can just switch off and when you come home your meat is ready and you can start putting dinner together. Mutton has a lot of fat, especially the smaller cuts, so it can look after itself as long as you get to know your temperature and the amount of water to add so that it releases its own fat, and stock, to release its full flavor. And you will have more than enough fat to roast your potatoes.
Mutton must cook very slowly and will take around 6 – 8 hours to cook. Sometimes I even go slower and take up to 10 hours to cook mine. The lower the temperature the better and the more concentrated the flavor becomes. I promise! It is well worth the effort. This is best done overnight. When you wake up, before going to work, you can just switch off and when you come home your meat is ready and you can start putting dinner together. Mutton has a lot of fat, especially the smaller cuts, so it can look after itself as long as you get to know your temperature and the amount of water to add so that it releases its own fat, and stock, to release its full flavor. And you will have more than enough fat to roast your potatoes.
Once your water has evaporated, the meat should slip right off the bones without leaving a trace of meat clinging to them. You may now remove all the bones, discarding them. Once this is done, you will hear the meat sizzling whilst it gently roasts and browns in its own fat and stock.
Once your meat has browned, remove it with a spatula whilst draining off the juices back into the pan and set the meat aside, covered. You may cook your mutton from frozen. In this case, just add 1 cup (250 ml) of water. No more. There is extra water that will be released from the frozen meat as it cooks.
I used a pack of neck cuts and a pack of smaller-sized chops. After cooking and rendering down my fats and stock. I weighed my fat , after slicing it, scooping, it off from the stock, which I had pre-set and hardened in my freezer (to speed things up) and the total weight of my fat came to 188 g which is more than enough for your roast potatoes.
After removing my cooked meat and pouring my fat together with stock into a 500 g chicken liver tub. After freezing to speed things up. You will see that the stock settles at the bottom whilst the fat rises to the top. So that on inverting it, it will look like this.
INGREDIENTS – ROAST MEAT FILLING:
2.304 kg mutton chops – Small chops plus neck chops
1 cup of water
salt to taste
As you can see, I chopped my carrots separately in the food processor, as seen in this mixture that I previously made. I often just mixed it up with some peas and thrown in to create a Bubble and Squeak Breakfast with poached eggs and sausages for a crowd. Who knows, you might just stop here and eat all by yourself. It’s delicious!
For the stock, just slice off the fat, after setting it in the freezer, to speed things up, and then you just add it back to your meat mixture, once you have done so.
VEGETABLE FILLING:
660 g onions, whole–peeled
402 g carrots, whole–peeled
952 g cabbage, chopped
Salt to taste
70 of your mutton fat – With a wee bit of stock in it, too is fine
238 g peas (frozen)
MASHED POTATO TOPPING:
1.242 kg potatoes, whole or 6 medium–peeled
80 g butter
318 g whole milk
salt to taste
White pepper to taste
Nutmeg, freshly grated to taste -or- may use a bought powder
15 ml mutton fat (for brushing and crisping of topping), or as needed
Bake mashed potato topping: Place under the grill, to firm up, roast and crisp. Removed from oven and then brush with melted mutton fat. That is the secret to a crisp, mashed, fluffy potato topping.
STEAMED BROCCOLI:
I work on 84 g broccoli per serving -or- 1 head, giving 3 – 4 servings.
GLUTEN-FREE CHEESE SAUCE:
140 g rice
420 g water
704 g whole milk (hot)
40 g butter
246 g Cheddar Cheese, grated
Salt to taste
METHOD – COOKING YOUR MEAT:
First thing on rising, early morning or evening. Begin cooking your mutton by placing it together with 1 cup of water and some salt to taste - into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, or wok with a self-regulating temperature, which is best for this purpose. You may use a slow cooker, but I can’t guarantee what is going to happen to your crockpot , or glass when you start browning and sizzling the meats in their own stocks and fats. It will brown if you can get the fat sizzling but that’s your risk If using a stovetop, place a simmer ring or your waffle metal plate/plates under your pot – especially if using gas. Cook on very low heat, covered so that it just keeps its temperature by gently simmering or bubbling on and off. When meat comes away, clean from the bones and just slips off when gently lifted. Remove the bones and discard them. When all your water has evaporated and all you are left with is your natural fats and stock, your meat will gently begin to sizzle and brown in its own fats and stock. With a non-metal spatula or egg lifter, gently turn the meat in its own fats and stock until browned. Remove meat, gently draining fats and stock back into pan whilst doing so and set meat aside, covered. Whilst fats and stocks are still hot, pour it into a suitable container without a lid and place it into the coldest part of the freezer to set, but if storing it for future use keep covered.
If using a stovetop, place a simmer ring or your waffle metal plate/plates under your pot – especially if using gas. Cook on very low heat, covered so that it just keeps its temperature by gently simmering or bubbling on and off. When meat comes away, clean from the bones and just slips off when gently lifted. Remove the bones and discard them. When all your water has evaporated and all you are left with is your natural fats and stock, your meat will gently begin to sizzle and brown in its own fats and stock. With a non-metal spatula or egg lifter, gently turn the meat in its own fats and stock until browned. Remove meat, gently draining fats and stock back into pan whilst doing so and set meat aside, covered. Whilst fats and stocks are still hot, pour it into a suitable container without a lid and place it into the coldest part of the freezer to set, but if storing it for future use keep covered.
PREPARE YOUR VEGETABLE FILLING:
To a food processor with a metal blade on. Add your roughly chopped onions, and whiz z to finely chop them. To a saucepan or electric wok with self-regulating temperature. Add your 70 g of your mutton fat, together with your finely chopped onions, and saute gently. To your food processor, add your roughly chopped carrots, whizz, and dice into small cubes, as for pie mixtures – Add your diced carrots to your onions and continue gently sautéing. To your food processor, add your diced, cubed, cabbage, 300 g per time - NO MORE – Or you will end up with an awful mush. Chop until diced but not as fine as you would for coleslaw. Add your diced cabbage to your carrots and onions and continue sautéing gently, until all vegetables were just or almost tender. Add your cooked meat, to your sautéed vegetables, and with a non-metal spatula, break it all up. You will find that it will just fall apart, as easy peasy , as corned beef from a can Remove your stored fat and stock tub from the freezer and very quickly dip the container in hot water, and invert (See picture) to remove its contents and slice off all your browned mutton stock. Toss it in with your vegetable mixture and meat. Break it all up, whilst gently warming through or until it is all melted and well blended in. Lastly, stir in your peas, lower the heat too well below the minimum, and keep warm but without any bubbling or simmering. If you are using an electric 5-liter wok as I do. Feel the outer or the underside of the wok - it must feel just hotter than warm to the touch. If you are using an oven, then use your roasting pan.
Remove your stored fat and stock tub from the freezer and very quickly dip the container in hot water, and invert (See picture) to remove its contents and slice off all your browned mutton stock. Toss it in with your vegetable mixture and meat. Break it all up, whilst gently warming through or until it is all melted and well blended in. Lastly, stir in your peas, lower the heat too well below the minimum, and keep warm but without any bubbling or simmering. If you are using an electric 5-liter wok as I do. Feel the outer or the
PREPARE YOUR MASHED POTATO TOPPING:
Steam your potatoes using a microwave steamer, covered or until fork tender. Heat up your milk and butter. Mash your potatoes using a potato masher or a pastry cutter. Pour in the hot milk and continue to mash, until fluffy and lump-free, but do not over-mash, or your potatoes will become sticky, gooey, and gloppy. Season to taste with white pepper, salt, and freshly grated nutmeg
PUTTING YOUR SHEPHERDS PIE TOGETHER:
Place all your vegetable, and meat mixture, onto the bottom of your oven roasting pan, or a 5-liter electric wok, which has a self-regulating temperature, and smooth out the surface. Place dollops of your mashed potato topping on top of your meat mixture, and with a fork, spread it out, evenly, covering the entire surface, whilst creating grooved streaks with the tins of your fork. Bake at a low temperature of around 160 C if using your oven and keep your potato topping fairly close to the element to become a very light golden, or just to firm up and crisp the potato topping. As soon as the potato topping has hardened. Remove it from the oven and melt 15 ml mutton fat or as needed. Using a pastry brush, brush melted mutton fat all over your potato topping. This will give it a good shine and help it to really crisp up. Place your pie back into the oven whilst keeping the underside warm, with potato topping closer to the grill. Do not burn. Watch carefully whilst you brown and crisp up your topping until done to your liking
Place all your vegetable, and meat mixture, onto the bottom of your oven roasting pan, or a 5-liter electric wok, which has a self-regulating temperature, and smooth out the surface. Place dollops of your mashed potato topping on top of your meat mixture, and with a fork, spread it out, evenly, covering the entire surface, whilst creating grooved streaks with the tins of your fork. Bake at a low temperature of around 160 C if using your oven and keep your potato topping fairly close to the element to become a very light golden, or just to firm up and crisp the potato topping. As soon as the potato topping has hardened. Remove it from the oven and melt 15 ml mutton fat or as needed. Using a pastry brush, brush melted mutton fat all over your potato topping. This will give it a good shine and help it to really crisp up. Place your pie back into the oven whilst keeping the underside warm, with potato topping closer to the grill. Do not burn. Watch carefully whilst you brown and crisp up your topping until done to your liking
PREPARE BROCCOLI:
Microwave steam, for 4 -5 minutes or until almost or just fork tender. Set aside, covered to keep warm.
PREPARE CHEESE SAUCE:
To a microwave steamer, add your 140 g rice with 420 g / ml water. Give it a good swirl, Seal the container, and microwave on high for 15 minutes or until mushy and soft. Puree with a stick blender or immersion blender, or you may puree it in your food processor if you wish. Heat up your milk, and gradually, puree it, until you have a smooth sauce, together with your 40 g butter. Once you have a nice, creamy smooth sauce, you may add in your grated cheese, and continue blending, until you have a smooth and glossy cheese sauce. Adjust consistency by adding a little more, hot milk, butter, or cheese as desired. Season to taste with salt and set aside to keep warm.
ROASTED POTATOES:
Ingredients:
Your rendered mutton fat of which you should have plenty.
Enough potatoes to serve – I usually estimate one and a half potatoes per person.
Method:
Peel potatoes, and place them in enough cold water, to cover them, which prevents them from discoloration. You may scrape them with the tins, of your fork, creating grooves, down the lengths of your potatoes, if you wish to give it that grooved appearance, and whilst at it, give them a good pricking, which will help them to crisp up nicely. Remove potatoes from the water, dab dry with a dish towel, and
Dinner is ready Now Serve, and Enjoy your heartburn-free roast!
Now Serve, and Enjoy your heartburn-free roast!
SOURCE: This is my own creation.