Redneck pie – Redneck Cooking

Shepherd's Pie is a traditional English dish. check out my Redneck pie version that will quickly be a tradition in your house too.

I was browsing through previous posts here on CliqueClack and came across this Shepherd’s pie recipe. This got me thinking about my version of a Shepherd’s Pie. My Redneck pie is based off of the traditional Shepherd’s pie, but I have added my own twist to kick up the flavor a notch or two. I don’t add corn or peas to my Redneck pie, but I do add bacon and cheese.

This is really a simple recipe to make and it is another good use of leftover mashed potatoes as well. And the part I like best is I make the whole thing in one pan so fewer dishes to do after dinner. My dogs do not appreciate this because there are not enough dishes for them to lick afterwards. They think that it is their job to pre-wash all dishes before they go in the dishwashers and they are dedicated to their job.

Redneck Pie

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Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bacon
1 medium onion, diced
leftover mashed potatoes
salt
pepper
1 packet Brown Gravy Mix
1 to 2 cups shredded cheese. Use what ever is your favorite. I like the Fiesta blend myself.

Directions:

In a large cast iron skillet fry the strips of bacon and set aside.

Pour the bacon grease out of the pan leaving a few tablespoons in the pan. Add the onions and cook until the just start to turn translucent. Add the ground beef and cook until done.

Add in the packet of gravy mix and just enough water to allow the gravy mix to blend in with the meat. I never measure this part exactly so I would suggest starting with about 1/4 cup. If there is still dry gravy mix add a little more water. The secret to this is not to add too much water. If you turn the meat mixture into gravy the mashed potatoes will just soak into the gravy while baking. You will end up with a good mashed potatoes and beef gravy for dinner, but not a Redneck pie.

Crumble the bacon and mix into the ground beef. Leave on a medium low heat for about 5 minutes to give the gravy time to infuse its flavor. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees while the meat is simmering.

Remove the skillet from the heat and spread the mashed potatoes over the top. Spread the potatoes out evenly and smooth the top. Sprinkle on the shredded cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are a nice golden brown. This will take about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

You can add the corn and peas to this dish or any other vegetables you like. You could also replace the bacon with bacon bits and use extra lean ground beef if you are trying to reduce your fat intake.