Video summary

This Cheap Cut Makes the BEST Cottage Pie

Main summary

Key takeaways

Cooking

Presenter / Channel

Rick — Backyard Chef Farm

Ingredients (with quantities / substitutions mentioned)

Meat

  • Shin and a bit of chuck (cubed; exact amount not given)
    • Tip: Cube slightly larger than stew, since the pressure cooker will finish cooking it.

Vegetables / aromatics

  • Onion, carrot, celery (already diced)
  • Garlic (minced; quantity not specified)

Seasoning / seasoning boosts

  • Salt and pepper
    • To season the meat (and salt the potato-boiling water as well)
  • Mixed herbs: a good pinch
    • Optional specifics: ~1 tsp thyme and ~1/2 tsp rosemary
  • Bay leaves: “a couple”
  • Optional: Dijon mustard (not required)
  • Marmite (umami/“yeast extract” booster): 1 tsp
  • Ketchup: about 1 tbsp
  • Henderson’s / Worcestershire
    • A “splash of both” (amount not specified)

Flour & thickening

  • Flour
    • For dredging/sealing the meat and later for thickening
  • Note: After flour is added, it’s cooked out to remove rawness and improve gravy flavor.

Tomato

  • Tomato paste / tomato purée: a couple of tablespoons

Liquid

  • Beef stock: about 500 ml
    • From cubes/granules/homemade (use what you have)
  • Optional alternative mentioned: red wine ~150 ml to deglaze
    • However: he uses stock instead.

Potatoes & mash topping

  • Boiled potatoes (quantity not given)
  • Butter (amount not specified)
  • Cream: “a little bit”
  • Milk: “a little bit”
  • Seasoning: salt and pepper (qualitative)
  • Cheese: “some cheese” (for cheesy mash)
  • Egg yolk (added to mash)

Extras

  • Frozen peas (set aside in some water)

Equipment / prep

  • Instant Pot (pressure cooker)
    • He specifies not using sauté mode for control preference
  • Pan for traditional browning
  • Instant Pot liner
  • Lid on Instant Pot, then manual pressure release
  • Tray/dish for baking
  • Potato mashing bowl

Prep

  • Cube meat (shin + chuck)
  • Dice veggies; mince garlic
  • Boil potatoes; then air dry (don’t mash with warm ingredients)

Step-by-step method (key timings / technique cues)

  1. Cube & season meat

    • Cube shin/chuck.
    • Salt and pepper the meat.
    • Dust/chuck with flour and mix to coat.

  2. Brown for flavor (traditional pan sear)

    • Heat oil in a pan.
    • Sear beef in two batches.
    • Let it settle, then stir—aim for a brown crust (not fully cooked).
    • Transfer browned meat to the Instant Pot liner.

  3. Soften veg + lift fond

    • Add onion, celery, carrot to the pan for ~4–5 minutes.
    • Season to taste and add a bit of salt to help dry moisture.
    • Let the fond (browned bits) lift off the bottom into the veggies.

  4. Add aromatics & tomato

    • Add garlic.
    • Add mixed herbs (pinch; optional thyme/rosemary amounts).
    • Stir in tomato paste/purée (~2 tbsp).
    • Cook ~1 minute, stirring occasionally.

  5. Build gravy base

    • Add beef stock (~500 ml) to loosen everything.
    • If it starts sticking, stir until loosened.
    • Add more flour to help thicken; cook out the rawness.
    • Flavor boosters he uses:
      • Marmite: 1 tsp
      • Ketchup: ~1 tbsp
      • Henderson’s and/or Worcestershire (splash; he uses both)
    • Optional: Dijon mustard (not required)

  6. Pressure cook filling

    • Transfer pan contents into the Instant Pot (with browned meat).
    • Add bay leaves (“a couple”).
    • Instant Pot: High pressure, 45 minutes
    • After 45 minutes:
      • Naturally release for 15 minutes
      • Then manually release pressure
    • Texture goal: meat should be very soft and fall apart.

  7. Mash prep (cool / warm handling technique)

    • Potatoes are boiled, then air dried.
    • Mash with cold/not-warmed components:
      • Butter
      • a little cream
      • a little milk
    • Season lightly (water was already salted).
    • Mash until creamy or lumpy (as desired).
    • Stir in cheddar/cheese and egg yolk for cheesy mash topping.

  8. Assemble

    • Transfer filling to a tray/dish.
    • Keep gravy in; spread meat/veg on top.
    • Add frozen peas by placing them with the mixture (no thawing noted).
    • Spread cheesy mash over the top:
      • Push mash down, fill the edges, and expect bubbling/possible boil-over.
      • Optionally add more cheese so it melts into crevices.

  9. Bake (oven stage)

    • Bake until bubbling and nicely set, with a cheese sheen.
    • He notes it “didn’t bubble as much as expected,” implying baking time/placement can affect bubbling.

  10. Rest & serve

    • Let it cool down to warm before cutting/serving.
    • Serve to highlight:
      • beef packed throughout
      • gravy with meat bits
      • creamy cheesy mash with egg yolk

Chef tips / common mistakes (as stated)

  • Cube size matters: larger than stew because pressure cooking will finish it.
  • Browning is crucial: aim for a caramelized crust and deeper beef flavor from flour + searing.
  • Old-fashioned cuts work well: shin/chuck provide “massive amount of flavor” versus minced/ground meat.
  • Don’t over-rely on warming dairy: he uses no warm cream/milk, since the dish is baked/cooked after topping.
  • Pressure release timing: 15 minutes natural release, then manual release.

Variations mentioned (concise)

  • Meat choice: shin only, chuck only, or a combination (he uses both for max flavor)
  • Alternative cooking methods: stove-top or slow-cooker possible, but would take hours
    • He stresses Instant Pot timing: 45 minutes
  • De-glazing option: optional red wine (~150 ml) instead of relying on stock
  • Flavor boosters:
    • Optional Dijon mustard
    • Umami alternatives suggested: veggie mic or boil
      • He uses Marmite: 1 tsp
    • Henderson’s vs Worcestershire: he uses both

Plating / serving suggestion

  • Serve warm slices straight from the dish; let it rest until warm for easier cutting and a set top.

References / linked sources (from subtitles)

  • Mentions using a British mixed herbs recipe from the channel (link in description).

Original video