Sweet Potato and Venison Shepherd's Pie

Full of hearty, warming, comforting flavor, this ground venison shepherd's pie is perfect for hunting season.

• Preparation Time: 45 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 358 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon dried sage
• 1 pound ground venison
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• ⅔ cup dry white wine
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons milk, or more as needed
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 (8 ounce) package cremini mushrooms, sliced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Pierce the sweet potato several times with a fork and wrap in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet.

Step 3

Roast in the preheated oven until sweet potato is fork-tender, 70 to 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool enough to handle, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and place on a rimmed baking sheet to prevent bubbling over.

Step 5

Peel skin off the sweet potato and place flesh into a large bowl. Add butter, milk, salt, pepper, sage, and nutmeg. Beat using an electric mixer until ingredients are combined. Mix in Cheddar cheese gently. Set aside.

Step 6

Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt. Cook until vegetables have softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add venison, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and sage. Stir to combine, breaking up any large pieces of venison. Cook until venison is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 7

Stir flour into the pot and cook for 1 minute. Pour in white wine and stir to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until wine has reduced slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in broth. Allow mixture to come to a simmer; continue to cook until filling has thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in peas. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as necessary. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Step 8

Pour filling into the prepared pie plate. Top with sweet potato mixture and spread gently across the top, covering most of the filling.

Step 9

Bake in the preheated oven until top is set and filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.