Venison Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato Topping

Ingredients

• Topping:
• 1 large sweet potato
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons milk, or more as needed
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon dried sage
• 1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• Filling:
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 (8 ounce) package cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 pound ground venison
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas

Step 1

Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). While it warms up, poke the sweet potato a few times with a fork, wrap it in foil, and pop it on a baking sheet. Roast it for about 70 to 90 minutes until it’s nice and tender when pierced with a fork. Once done, take it out and let it cool for a bit until you can handle it comfortably.

Step 2

Turn the oven down to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. To catch any drips, set the pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet.

Step 3

Peel the skin off the sweet potato and mash the flesh in a large bowl. Add butter, milk, salt, pepper, sage, and a pinch of nutmeg, then beat everything together until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in the Cheddar cheese and set this aside.

Step 4

Warm some vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, seasoning with a bit of salt. Cook until the veggies soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the venison along with thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and sage. Break the meat up as you cook until it’s no longer pink, which should take another 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 5

Sprinkle in the flour and cook it for a minute to get rid of that raw taste. Pour in the white wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Let it bubble away for a couple of minutes to reduce slightly before adding the broth. Bring everything to a simmer and cook until it thickens up, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the peas, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Take it off the heat and let it cool just a little.

Step 6

Spoon the venison filling into your prepared pie dish, then spread the sweet potato mash over the top, covering it nicely. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until the topping is set and the filling is bubbling around the edges. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.