"Although they are similar, there is a significant difference between the two: A cottage pie is filled with minced beef, while shepherd's pie is traditionally made from lamb, as its name suggests. When making it at home, however, I sometimes break away from tradition by using a combination of beef and lamb in the recipe. Turns out, using a ratio of 60% beef to 40% lamb is a genius idea for many reasons."
"When using 60% beef mince and just 40% lamb, you mitigate the gamey taste of lamb, which might turn some people off, without sacrificing flavor, adding richness to the otherwise bland beef. Simply swapping some of the meat in your shepherd's pie recipe will yield a tastier dish all around. Availability and price are further arguments for the swap. While most supermarkets in the UK stock ground lamb regularly, that may not be the case in the U.S."
Traditional British savory pies include cottage pie and shepherd's pie, made from ground meat, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. Cottage pie uses minced beef while shepherd's pie traditionally uses lamb. Using a 60% beef to 40% lamb mince blend reduces lamb's gamey flavor while adding richness and overall flavor. This ratio can be more economical and practical where lamb is less available or pricier. Recipes benefit from ground meat with about 20% fat for juicier, more flavorful results. Cottage pie recipes appeared in 18th-century cookbooks as a way to repurpose leftovers; the name shepherd's pie first appeared in an 1877 English cookbook linked to Scotland.
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