BBQ Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

7 slices of Smoked Brisket
1 1/2 lbs Russet Potatoes
4 Tbs Butter
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 Tbs grated Horseradish
1/2 cup Chives sliced thin

2 Tbs Canola Oil
3 Carrots cubed
2 cups of Sweet Peas
1 large Yellow Onion Cubed
1 cup of BBQ Sauce
1 cup of Beef gravy
Salt
Pepper

Shepherd's Pie is a tasty and very easy dish to put together. It is very rich and fits perfectly on cold winter evenings. ​In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat of any kind, and the pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top. And that is exactly how we will make it in this recipe using leftover Smoked brisket. You can easily switch out the brisket with ground beef, tri-tip or even turkey.

Start by cutting the onion and the carrots in to same sized cubes. The smaller you make them, the better they will mix in the pie. Try to make them the same size as the peas.

Chop the brisket into small cubes as well. If the brisket has good texture when you smoked it, it will come apart very easily during the cook. If the brisket is tough, you might want to pre-cook it until it is tender. Slice the chives and set aside for use later.

​Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Mix the grated cheese and horseradish and set aside. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the butter, salt and pepper, cheddar/horseradish mix  and continue to mash until smooth. 

​While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the BBQ Sauce and the Beef gravy and stir to combine. Add the brisket, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 4-5 minutes. Finally, add the green peas and cook until hot.

Butter an over-proof baking dish and ​spread the brisket mix evenly on the bottom. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Set in oven on broil. 

Broil on high until browned. Sprinkle chives on top. Serve immediately. Like I said, a very easy but very tasty dish to put together. If you like, you can also add some garlic, corn, or bell peppers. Start experimenting - soon you will have your own favorite mix. Until then, enjoy mine!! Bon Appetit!!