Braised Short Rib Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 lbs short ribs
• 4 large carrots, roughly chopped
• 1/2 large onion, finely diced
• 1 celery stick, finely diced
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 heaping teaspoon of tomato paste
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup red wine, used for deglazing the pan
• 1 1/2 cups of gravy
• pinch of salt and pepper
• olive oil, enough to coat the pan

FOR THE MASHED POTATOES

• 800g Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 200ml 35% cream
• 70g butter, softened
• salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
2. Start by seasoning the short ribs with a generous pinch of salt and pepper on both sides. Once seasoned, add the short ribs to a large pan with olive oil on high heat. Leave until both sides are browned, then transfer to a plate.
3. Next, deglaze the pan. On a medium-high heat, add 1/4 cup of red wine to the pan. Let reduce, then add half of the chopped carrots, and all of the onion and celery. Reduce the heat, and leave for 5 – 10 minutes until slightly softened. Stir occasionally.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, combine the water and tomato paste, mixing until combined. Once the vegetables have softened slightly, add the water and tomato mixture to the vegetables. Stir.
5. Then place the seared short ribs back into the pan. Add the rosemary and thyme right on top of the short ribs. Season the entire pan with salt and pepper. Pour over the 1 cup of red wine and the gravy. Cover the pan with a lid, then place it in the oven for about 3 hours. Make sure to check it every hour. If you find the liquid is evaporating too quickly, then add a bit more gravy.
6. After about 2 hours, add the rest of the chopped carrots to the pan. Then place back in the oven and let cook for another hour until the meat is tender.

MAKE THE MASHED POTATOES

1. While the meat is in the oven, make the mashed potatoes.
2. Fill a pot with cold water and add a generous amount of salt to the water. Then add in the peeled and diced potatoes. Place over medium-high heat and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Once done, drain the water from the potatoes. Put them through a potato ricer, or use a masher to mash the potatoes. Then stir in the butter and cream. Season with salt and pepper.

FINAL STEPS

1. After 3 hours, remove the meat from the oven.
2. Transfer the short ribs to a plate and use a fork to shred the meat. Remove the bones from the meat and from the pan. Spoon out the excess oil that formed in the pan.
3. Place the shredded meat back into the pan with the vegetables. Then evenly spread the mashed potatoes on top. Season with paprika if you like.
4. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F, then place the shepherd’s pie back in the oven. Let cook for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden on top.
5. Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!