Make-Ahead Shepherd's Pie

Name: Make-Ahead Shepherd's Pie
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons, unsalted butter; 1 large, onion, chopped fine; 2 pounds, 85 percent lean ground beef; , Salt and pepper; 5 tablespoons, all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons, tomato paste; 3 cups, low-sodium chicken broth; 1/4 cup, heavy cream; 2 tablespoons, Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon, minced fresh thyme; 1 (1-pound) bag, frozen peas and carrots; 2 1/2 pounds, red potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces; , Salt and pepper; 6 tablespoons, unsalted butter, melted; 2 tablespoons, cream cheese

51 comments

Appears in Cook's Country February/March 2010

Main Courses

Beef

Make Ahead

The flavor faded, the meat filling dried out, and the potatoes turned grainy. The freezer was up to its old tricks.

SERVES8 to 10

TIME3 hours, plus up to 1 month freezing

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

The freezer dehydrates food, so we added extra chicken broth to keep our Make-Ahead Shepherd’s Pie moist. The filling looked soupy when we froze it, but once reheated, it mimicked the original. Our potato topping soaked up too much of the b...

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