Barbecue Pulled Pork Shepherd's Pie

Is there anything more comforting than digging into a big helping of Shepherd's Pie? I don't think there is. In fact, Shepherd's Pie has been one of my favourite foods for as long as I can remember. This Shepherd's Pie recipe gives you that comforting feeling you love but with a barbecue pulled pork twist. And yes, it is as good as it sounds. The pulled pork is mixed with sautéed onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and barbecue sauce and is then topped with sour cream and scallion mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese. It is amazing. Now, let's get to it.

Minor Rant

Before someone inevitably points out that Shepherd's Pie is supposed to be made with lamb, I will say I know that. But I also know that the term Shepherd's Pie has transcended its humble origins to become a broad term used to describe anything topped with mashed potatoes and baked like the French word Parmentier. Language is fluid, and as time passes, words develop new and different meanings. I think we can all agree that at this point, a Shepherd's Pie is whatever we want it to be.

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Ingredients

The ingredients for this Pulled Pork Shepherd's Pie are pretty straightforward. They are red onion, red and green bell pepper, jalapeno, pulled pork, barbecue sauce, potatoes, butter, cream, sour cream, scallions, cheddar cheese, and of course, salt and pepper. To be clear, this is not a recipe for pulled pork. This is a recipe made using leftover pulled pork. I've only just now realized that I've never done a post about pulled pork, so I'll have to do that soon. In the meantime, any pulled pork you have will work. You can find a great pulled pork recipe in my new cookbook, which you can get here. You can always make this same recipe using pulled chicken, turkey, or beef.

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Sour Cream and Scallion Mashed Potatoes

Making Mashed Potatoes

Start things off by making the mashed potatoes. While the potatoes are cooking, you can put the Shepherd's Pie base together to cut down on prep time. I'm sure you know how to make mashed potatoes, but I also know that some people out there don't, so I'll walk through this first step for them. For the potatoes, use 4 to 5 fist-sized russet potatoes. Peel them, dice them, and rinse them until the water runs clear. Put them in a pot with hot, salted water, bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Pour the potatoes into a strainer, add 2 tablespoons of butter and a ¼ cup of cream to the pot, and put it back on the burner until the butter melts and the cream just starts to boil. Using a food mill, ricer, or masher, mash the potatoes into the cream and butter.

Flavouring The Mashed Potatoes

Add 2 tablespoons of full-fat sour cream (I said this was delicious, not healthy) and 3 diced scallions to the potatoes. Season the with salt and pepper to taste. The potatoes should be creamy but not watery, and they should have a fresh onion flavour. You have to use full-fat sour cream so that it doesn't split in the oven.

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Prepping The Shepherd's Pie Filling

While the potatoes are cooking, thinly slice half a red onion and dice half a red and green bell pepper. In total, you want about half a cup of each. If you have a little more or less, it won't hurt anything. Also, dice one jalapeno. You can remove the seeds if you don't like too much heat.

Cooking The Shepherd's Pie Filling

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil (canola, olive, peanut, grape seed, avocado...). Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onions start to soften. Add the pulled pork (about 500g or just over a pound) along with 1 cup of water and 1 cup of barbecue sauce of your choice. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

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Assembling the Pulled Pork Shepherd's Pie

Pour the pulled pork mixture into a small roasting pan or casserole dish. I use the small roasting pan from IKEA, which is about 8-by-10-inches. Spread the mixture out into an even layer so that it covers the bottom of the dish. Top with the mashed potatoes and finish with about ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese.

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Baking and Serving the Pulled Pork Shepherd's Pie

Bake the Shepherd's Pie in a 425°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and starts to brown. Take the Shepherd's Pie out of the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a side salad...or don't.

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The Wrap-Up

When I had originally conceived this recipe, I meant to put corn and black beans in it, but I completely forgot and left them out when it came time to cook. I'm glad I did because I don't know that they would have added to the dish, and in fact, may have taken away from it. I think it is great as it is, but you be the judge. Feel free to play with the recipe, change out of the protein, add whatever you want to it, and really, make it yours.