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Cottage Pie - Pix Intensive

jfm0830
jfm0830 Posts: 987
edited November 2012 in EggHead Forum
What is Cottage Pie? Well it is simply the "technical" name for a Shepherd's Pie made with beef, not lamb. This recipe came from the Dec. 2012 issue of Cooks Illustrated magazine and looked very interesting and like many CI mag. recipes it has several new takes on a classic recipe. I wanted to do some of it on the Egg. At first I was going to just finish it on the Egg indirectly when I added the potatoes, because this would allow me to add some smoke from Applewood chips. But I decided to do the filling in my Dutch oven too. I figured it would be a good lesson controlling temps with just the lower draft door. 

The first change CI did was use ground beef instead of chunks of beef (or lamb). The beef was 93 percent lean beef so the pie wouldn't be greasy. To make up for the lack of flavor in 93 percent beef they added some sauteed veggies and used their flavor to flavor the pie. They used milk as opposed to heavy cream to keep the potatoes lighter. They also used sliced scallions to keep the potatoes from being as sticky. I'm not so sure about their last goal: to make the recipe take a lot less time. They said it took a little over an hour. For me it took just under four hours, now granted I could probably knock off 30 or 45 minutes for pictures, but  their time was very optimistic. I started an hour earlier than I thought I had to and finished an hour and a half later. 

Let me just say it was worth the extra time and wait. I lucked out and managed to get the amount of wood chips just right-everyone noticed the smoke, liked it  and thought it was subtle enough. This was extremely tasty and I was thinking it was perhaps the best Shepherd's Pie/Cottage Pie I'd ever had. About thirty seconds later my dad said it was the best one he'd ever had. My mom and wife quickly agreed. Anyway onto the pix.
 

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Before I cleaned out the Egg and topped it off with more lump, I tried out my new Spider which arrived earlier this day. Can't wait for my wok to arrive.



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The first step was to mix up the ground beef together with black pepper, salt, water & baking powder.



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The 2 1/2 pounds of Russet potatoes were boiled and drained. They went back into the pan and were heated another minute to dry the excess moisture. 



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I used a food mill to help mash the potatoes and get them nice & silky smooth.



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Butter, milk & an egg yolk were added next.



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Salt, black pepper & scallions were added next.



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The finished mashed potatoes. They were covered and set aside for now.



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While the potatoes were being made I got the ingredients for the filling ready. The filling used diced mushrooms, carrots & onions, port, garlic, bay leaf, beef broth, baking soda, all-purpose flour, thyme sprigs & the ground beef mixture plus tomato paste, water, salt, pepper & Worcestershire sauce.



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Everything is out at the Egg and the Dutch oven has been been on Egg for 10 minutes. The Egg has been set up for direct grilling with the s/s grill grate & had been stabilized at 350 degrees. 



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The first step was to add the onions and mushrooms and sautee them for 6 minutes. Since the lid was going to be open for quite a bit of this next phase I dialed the lower draft door down to 50 percent of what I was using to prevent the coals from running away on me.



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Some tomato paste and minced garlic were added next.



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The pan has been deglazed with some port to get all of the brown bits mixed in with the sauteed veggies.



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Flour was added in and the mixture was cooked for an additional minute.



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The carrots, beef broth, bay leaves & time were added & the mixture was brought to a simmer.



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The ground beef mixture was added in in 2 inch chunks. The lid was put on the Dutch oven and the mixture was simmered for 12 minutes.



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This is what the filling looks like after being simmered for 12 minutes. Midway through the ground beef was broken up with a fork. It is now time to bring the Dutch oven inside and add the potato topping. I also added the plate setter legs up and brought the Egg up to 550 degrees legs up. 



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The potatoes have been added & the top surface was scraped with a fork to give it more surface area.



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The Dutch oven is back on the Egg which is at 550. The recipe called for 8-15 minutes under a broiler and it took far longer on the Egg. I am not exactly sure why-I can't imagine the broiler in an oven gets much hotter than 550.



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After 30 minutes the top was browned and the potatoes had pulled away from the sides of the Dutch oven. I did this indirect part with the DF Metal Cap off and I was able to shine a flashlight inside to see what was going on. Other than when it was time to remove the Dutch oven at the end, I never had to open the lid.



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The Cottage Pie was cooled for 10 minutes before serving. It is finally time to eat. I started at 2:00 PM it is now 6:00 PM.


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This was an excellent meal that was fortunately worth the wait. Plus it was a great learning experience on controlling the temperatures on the Egg via just the lower draft door. It is a good day when you can turn out some great food while learning more about using the Egg.

Jim
Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.

Comments

  • Looks OUTSTANDING. Thanks for the photos. One tiny question. Baking powder in the ground beef? What does that do?

    Thanks.
    LBGE
  • Wow looks great! Awesome job.
    Kind Regards...Papa C
    Peachtree City, GA
    2-XLBG's E...Webber 22" kettle, Retired Gas Grill
    Roll Tide!!!
  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    DocWonmug said:
    Looks OUTSTANDING. Thanks for the photos. One tiny question. Baking powder in the ground beef? What does that do?

    Thanks.
    Double checking on the answer to that solved another question I had. The folks at CI said they had recently discovered that adding baking soda raises the PH of the meat and helps keep it tender. I think this also explains why the meat mixture was set aside for 20 minutes-probably to let the baking soda have time to do it's thing.
    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Hi Jim,  Looks tasty.  I've used baking soda to pre-treat stir-fry meat before - gives it a silky texture/taste.  Interesting application. 
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Dayum that is one great comfort food cook.  I too have been eyeing this recipe.  I was wondering how the potato topping would brown on the egg, but your pictures have answered my question.  Thanks for the in depth post.
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • Bookmarked.  Thanks!
  • Also bookmarked. I love the fork scraping technique. Not only does it have the practical purpose (surface area) but its also very attractive visually. I bet a piping bag would take it even further. Awesome!
  • There were two mistakes in the previous posts...baking soda and baking powder terms were used. Baking soda I can understand but baking powder would do NOTHING for meat. In the picture you showed baking powder.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    The active ingredient in baking powder is baking soda.  2nd paragraph.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baking_powder
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    Ooops ~X( . My bad. I grabbed the wrong ingredient. I was supposed to use baking SODA not powder. Glad that there is some baking soda in the baking powder. Good catch.
    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.
  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    edited November 2012
    DawgDays said:
    Also bookmarked. I love the fork scraping technique. Not only does it have the practical purpose (surface area) but its also very attractive visually. I bet a piping bag would take it even further. Awesome!
    Actually the recipe had you put the potatoes into a large zip lock bag and then cut a one inch piece of the corner off to make a DIY piping bag. After you piped it you smoothed it out with a spatula or spoon and then scored it with the fork. In this case I didn't see the need for the piping bag where I was going to smooth it out anyway. I ladled several big dollops of taters on and used a spatula to smooth it out.


    Dayum that is one great comfort food cook.  I too have been eyeing this recipe.  I was wondering how the potato topping would brown on the egg, but your pictures have answered my question.  Thanks for the in depth post.
    Well just beware: at 550 indirect with the grate on the legs of the plate setter (level with the gasket) it took me 30 minutes not the time mentioned in the recipe.  One advantage I had  on this cold day (high 30’s):  I was cooking with the cap off and could shine a flashlight in to monitor the progress without having to raise the lid. I'd still look in at the time called for in the recipe, but I'd expect it to take longer.
    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.
  • GLW
    GLW Posts: 178
    What a great post. Thanks for the pics and all the details.
    When in doubt add more pepper.
  • ETBee
    ETBee Posts: 46
    That looks awesome!
  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,429
    jfm0830 said:
    The Dutch oven is back on the Egg which is at 550. The recipe called for 8-15 minutes under a broiler and it took far longer on the Egg. I am not exactly sure why-I can't imagine the broiler in an oven gets much hotter than 550.
    Jim
    Heat is transferred in three ways, radiation, convection, and conduction.  In an Egg, convection is the primary heat transfer method when you're cooking indirect; direct, you're also getting a lot of radiation (think the difference between putting your hand over the top and feeling the hot air rush past during an indirect cook (convection) versus putting your hand near the red hot coals (lotsa radiation).
    Now, there is some radiation that bounces off the top of the Egg onto the potatoes, but its nowhere near what a red-hot broiler coil can deliver with direct line-of-sight to the "burner".
    Now, how can you expose the mashed potato top to the red-hot coals in an Egg?
    Ya got me... ^#(^  
     
    Thanks for the great writeup and pics!  I haven't gotten the December issue yet, will have to try this!  
    _____________

    "I mean, I don't just kill guys, I'm notorious for doing in houseplants."  - Maggie, Northern Exposure


  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Another outstanding cook, @jfm0830 !! ^:)^

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    Thanks to everyone for looking and commenting. 

    @Griffin I am a fan of your outstanding cooks too: both from the BBQB board and this one. I was happy to see you were here when I came to this board. BTW I've fully disengaged from the other one.

    Jim


    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.
  • Zick
    Zick Posts: 190
    Awesome job. Fantastic details and photos. I have been wanting to make one for years. This is the recipe for the real,first snowy football morning. I will let you know how it comes out. I am excited.
    When was the last time you did something for the first time? - Zick Boulder, CO
  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    edited November 2012
    image
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


  • Looks great, fantastic job and excellent photos. My to cook list is getting to be as long as my honey do list!
    LBGE
    Go Dawgs! - Marietta, GA
  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    Very good post. Thank you
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • jfm0830
    jfm0830 Posts: 987
    Thanks again guys.
    ... My to cook list is getting to be as long as my honey do list!
    I hear you. This board is WAY more active than the board I came from. I don't think I'll ever get to the end of the "To Cook" list I'm developing since being on this board.
    Website: www.grillinsmokin.net
    3 LBGE & More Eggcessories than I care to think about.