I have no idea how braising big hunks of beef in red wine can go wrong, but my first attempt at cooking short ribs failed. I used a highly rated recipe from Epicurious.com as a guide, adding carrots, leeks, celery and parsley to the braising liquid to improve the flavor of the sauce. The cabernet-based sauce was indeed delicious, but the meat was not melting-off-the-bone tender as I had anticipated. My dining companions had to use serious knife skills to pry meat from bone and were greeted with a forkful of flavorful but chewy beef.
What happened? Did I get bad beef? Is something wrong with my oven? Did storing the dish overnight in the fridge dry out the meat? All of these scenarios seemed unlikely. Instead of getting to bottom of the mystery (I’ll save that for another day), I got down to the business of getting rid of the inevitable leftovers. My choices were A) fattening up our dog Bruno or B) using the short ribs to make new meals. To Bruno’s disappointment, I decided on the latter.
First up was a three-meat pizza with chopped short ribs, Italian sausage and a bacon-infused tomato leftover from last month’s pasta all’amatriciana. William and I almost always eat vegetarian pizzas so this fat-oozing pie was a special treat. Even better than the pizza was shepherd’s pie with red wine gravy and cheddar mashed potatoes. Up to now, I have always started shepherd’s pie with leftover potatoes. I tend to make a quick and dirty version with ground beef, vegetables and a little stock. Basing the dish on higher-quality beef and vino-infused sauce yielded my best pie to date.
I didn’t go too gourmet with the pie. I simply sauteed carrots and onions in beef fat rendered from the ribs, threw in the beef and some flour, poured in wine, and added sprightly frozen green peas. I smashed yukon gold potatoes with cream, butter, parsley and a handful of sharp cheddar. The pie filling had an intense beef flavor, and the extra cooking time and liquid erased any hint of the ribs’ dryness. Married with cheesy potatoes, this dish is comfort food at its best.
It’s my hope that you won’t have to endure beef failure before you can enjoy this shepherd’s pie. Leftovers from your next pot roast or steak or short ribs will work just as well. But William and I enjoyed our second-chance short rib dinners so much I wouldn’t mind screwing up another batch.
Shepherd’s Pie with Leftover Beef and Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
2 pounds yukon gold potatoes
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup whole milk or cream
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon beef fat or extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
2 1/2 cups chopped cooked beef
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup red wine (or beef stock)
1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375º.
Place unpeeled potatoes in a medium pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Add a heavy dose of salt, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Drain the water. Return pot and potatoes to the stove on low heat for two to three minutes, allowing excess water to evaporate. Turn off heat. Add butter, milk, cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash with a potato masher until the mixture reaches a desired consistency.
Meanwhile, heat beef fat in a large frying pan. Add onions and carrots, and cook until the vegetables begin to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add beef, and cook three minutes more. Sprinkle flour over the beef mixture and stir, cooking for two minutes. Pour in wine, bring to a boil, and stir until the mixture thickens. Add peas, and season with salt and pepper.
Pour beef mixture into a deep dish pie pan or 9″x9″ baking dish. Spread potatoes evenly over the beef, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Serves 6
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