Oudtshoorn Shepherd’s Pie

This traditional English dish has become part of South African culture. A quick and easy family meal, which can be served with your favourite vegetables or salad.

Prep time

Preparation Time

30min

cooking time

Cooking Time

4hr

Prep time

Servings

4-6

Oudtshoorn Shepherd’s Pie

INGREDIENTS

  • 1,5 kg Ostrich Tailbone
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 2 sticks celery, with leaves, chopped
  • 250 ml dry red wine
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 15 ml dried origanum
  • 15 ml dried thyme
  • 1⁄2 t ground cloves
  • 500 ml good quality chicken stock
  • 2 tins whole peeled Italian tomatoes (425g)
  • 115g tomato paste
  • Flour to dust
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Pre prepared mash from your favourite recipe

DIRECTIONS

METHOD

  1. Season the meat with salt and pepper and dust with the flour.
  2. Heat 100 ml of olive oil in a heavy based pot and brown the meat in small batches until it
    is brown all over. Remove from the pot.
  3. In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, and celery, stirring frequently, cooking until soft.
  4. Return the meat to the pot, together with all the juices from the meat, and add the red
    wine. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated.
  5. Add the stock, bay leaves, origanum, thyme and more salt and pepper if needed.
  6. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the ground cloves.
  7. Cover the pot with aluminium foil, then with the lid and place in a pre-heated oven of
    180oC for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to 150oC for another hour. Reduce the heat further to
    120oC for one more hour. By now the meat should be falling off the bone.
  8. Remove the meat from the pot then remove the bones from the meat (the easiest way is
    by hand, as some of the bones are really small). Shred or pull the meat.
  9. Remove the bay leaves and lightly mash the vegetable stock left in the pot. (At this stage you can scoop off some of the fat if thereis too much for your liking or be brave and add a spoonful of butter for a decadent, rich and glossy stock).
  10. Add some of the vegetable purée to the meat to moisten and loosen it up. Take care not to make the meat so wet that it will ruin the mash layer about to be placed on top.
  11. Prepare the mash and scoop the mash over the meat, spoon by spoon,
    starting from the outside working your way into the middle. Beat 2 large eggs and 15ml of milk and brush the top with the egg and milk mixture.
  12. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180oC for 45 min until the top is lightly browned.
  13. Thicken the remaining purée to serve as a gravy with the shepherd’s pie.
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