Dutch Oven Shepherd’s Pie
This simple Dutch Oven Shepherd’s Pie is the perfect meal choice for a cold-weather dinner. It’s one of our Dutch oven camping recipes that has been made easy for outdoor cooking and requires minimal prep work.
Why I Love This
This recipe reminds me of growing up in the Midwest where warm and hearty meat and potato meals made a regular appearance on our dinner table. One pot casseroles were especially satisfying during cold winter nights. I made this version easy to prep and bake in the wilderness using different types of cooking equipment.
Meat Choices
Some shepherd’s pie recipes are made with a roast that uses beef broth and a stewing process to make it tender.
- Other versions use ground lamb.
- The more common meat used in America is ground beef.
- In other parts of the world, when hamburger is used, the dish is called Cottage Pie.
- All versions of these dishes are topped with mashed potatoes and baked like a casserole.
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Recipe Prep
We’re using instant potatoes to make this one of our easy camping meals.
- No peeling potatoes is required.
- You’ll only need to chop some onion and garlic.
Cooking Methods & Equipment
If you are making this as one of our easy campfire recipes, you’ll need to get your fire going to create coals for about 45 minutes of cooking time. You can also use charcoal briquettes.
Alternatively, you can make this as one of our camp stove recipes. You’ll need to use a Dutch oven dome and heat diffuser plate for this method.
Dutch Oven Dome & Heat Diffuser Plate
Not familiar with this piece of equipment? Check out my YouTube video: How To Use A Dutch Oven Dome (To Bake Over A Camp Stove).
Recipe Steps
Step 1. Prepare your ingredients, heat source and equipment as directed.
- For baking at an oven temperature of 350 F degrees, you will need 25 total coals = 17 for the top of the lid / 8 below the bottom if you are using a 12-inch Dutch oven.
- If you are using a different oven size, check our Dutch oven temperature chart to see how many coals you will need.
Step 2. Prepare potatoes and set aside.
Step 3. Brown hamburger in bottom of Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Use a spoon to break meat into crumbles as it cooks. Remove excess grease from pot.
Step 4. Add veggies. Stir into the pot with the hamburger: onion, garlic, celery and mixed vegetables. Continue cooking until the meat is fully browned and veggies are softened.
Step 5. Mix in Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Cook with the beef mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated.
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Step 6. Add layer of mashed potatoes over the hamburger mixture.
Step 7. Bake at 350 degrees F about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are slightly browned on top.
Step 8. Add cheese over the potatoes, broil until the cheese melts, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat, let stand about 5 minutes before serving.
Substitutions
Any ground meat works well for this recipe. You can use ground beef, lamb, pork, chicken or turkey. For leaner meats you may need to add a bit of oil to the pan before browning to prevent sticking.
What To Serve With This Recipe
This is one of those camping dinner recipes that includes meat and veggies all in one pot. For these meals, I usually like to add a simple side salad and possibly some dinner rolls on the side.
Meal Planning
Use my camping menu planner to stay organized when planning meals for your next trip. It’s FREE and you’ll get it delivered instantly to your inbox!
Scaling Servings
This recipe serves 4 but can easily be scaled to feed more people. If you double the recipe, the cook time will increase if you use a 12-inch Dutch oven but will remain almost the same if you increase to a 14-inch Dutch oven.
Leftovers
Leftovers should be kept refrigerated, then, reheated for serving.
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Dutch Oven Shepherd’s Pie
Equipment
- 12-Inch, 6 Quart Cast Iron Camp Dutch Oven (if cooking with coals or on a camp stove) (for a thicker pie, use a 10-inch Dutch oven)
- Lodge 13-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet (if cooking in a conventional oven or RV oven)
- Camp Chef Dutch Oven Dome (if cooking with camp stove)
Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 2 celery stalks roughly chopped
- 1 (12 oz) package mixed vegetables with frozen peas, carrots, sweet corn and green beans removed from freezer to thaw before cooking
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instant Mashed Potato Topping Ingredients
- 1 (4 oz) package instant potatoes, prepared according to package directions (see Note 1).
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- If using instant potatoes: Prepare instant potatoes according to package directions, then set aside.If using fresh potatoes: Start preparing the mashed potatoes by placing the cubed potatoes in a large pot of water. Cover pot with lid and place over high heat to bring to boil. Cook until tender, then drain, mash and mix in butter, salt and pepper. Then set aside.
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for frying using bottom-only heat. Place hamburger in the oven to brown, use a spoon to break-up the meat into crumbles as it cooks.
- Some grease is fine but if there is a large amount, just use a paper towel to soak up most of the liquid and discard.
- When the meat is still slightly pink, stir the onion, garlic, celery and mixed vegetables into the pot. Continue cooking until the vegetables are softened and meat is browned.
- Mix in the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, stirring until combined. Cook the beef mixture over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Spread the mashed potatoes over the hamburger mixture creating an even layer.
- Place lid on Dutch oven and arrange coals for baking at 350 degrees F (25 total coals = 8 below the oven / 17 on the top of the lid.) Turn the lid and oven in opposite directions every 10 minutes to ensure even baking (see Note 3).
- Bake 20 minutes, then, check the potatoes. They should be turning a nice light golden-brown color on top. If not, transfer all of the coals from under the bottom of the oven to the top of the lid to create a broiler, and, continue baking until they reach a golden-brown color (see Note 2).
- Sprinkle the cheese over the potatoes, cover with lid and continue to broil until the cheese melts, about 5 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
- Store leftovers in a tightly-sealed food storage container in the refrigerator or cooler.
Notes
- If you prefer using fresh potatoes, you’ll need about 4 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into evenly-sized cubes, about 2-inch pieces, 1 tablespoon butter, salt & pepper, to taste.
- If using a Dutch oven dome and propane stove, remove lid from Dutch oven and continue baking under the Dutch oven dome with the Dutch oven lid removed. It is difficult to get a deep golden-brown color using this method so you’re looking for a slightly browned color on the potatoes.
- For different oven sizes, use the proper number of coals according to this Dutch Oven Temperature Chart. https://www.campingforfoodies.com/dutch-oven-temperature-chart/
What do you think?
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