Editor's February Pick #16: Shepherd's Pie Upside Down

Editor's note: For the last selection of the week I've continued on the 'winter warmer' theme, which after the weather of late seems very fitting! This post is for SPUD - Shepherd's Pie Upside Down. As I've always said, reinventing a meal is easy when you know how! I need someone to say "Psst... how about doing this?".

Here's SPUD

… aka Shepherd's Pie Upside Down.

SPUD

Shepherd's Pie Upside Down

940g braising steak – 1kg will do it doesn't

have to be precise

980g beef stock - ditto

Glug of rapeseed oil

salt and pepper

2 x beef stock pots

salt and black pepper

I zoomed to the butchers and bought 3 x trays of cubed braising steak for £10. A good start! A little patience is required here – using a large frying pan heat the rapeseed oil, place braising steak in the pan – it should sizzle – season with salt and pepper. Don't overload the pan, brown the meat and then set aside in your slow cooker making way for the next batch and repeat until you've browned all the meat. If you insist in ramming it all into the pan it will turn grey and stew – it's not a good look.

Add a litre of water to the juices left in the frying pan, bring to the boil then add the stock pots – stir until melted – pour carefully into the slow cooker with the meat. Pop the lid on and slow cook for four hours.

Switch off, cool and then divide the stock between two “pour and store” freezer bags and divide the meat between two in strong freezer bags.