Shepherd's Pie vs Cottage Pie.

What is the difference between shepherd's pie and cottage pie?

The difference between shepherd's pie and cottage pie is the meat. Shepherd's pie uses lamb or mutton, which is where the shepherd comes in: shepherds look after sheep. Cottage pie uses beef. The method is the same for both. Meat is browned with onion and usually carrot, simmered into a thick gravy, spread in a baking dish, covered with mashed potato and baked until the top turns golden.

Both dishes are British in origin and both are classed as savoury pies even though neither has pastry. The mashed potato does the job a pastry lid would do: it seals in the filling, holds the steam, and gives you a crisp, browned surface to contrast with the soft meat underneath.

Which came first, cottage pie or shepherd's pie?

Cottage pie is usually said to be the older name. Food historians commonly date it to the late eighteenth century, when potatoes had become a cheap staple for rural families in Britain and leftover roast meat was minced and stretched with a potato topping. The "cottage" refers to the modest homes of the people who ate it.

Shepherd's pie is generally dated to the middle of the nineteenth century. For a long time the two names were used loosely and interchangeably, whatever meat was in the dish. The tidy rule that shepherd's pie means lamb and cottage pie means beef became the accepted convention later, and it is the one most cookbooks and British menus follow today.

Is a beef shepherd's pie wrong?

A beef shepherd's pie is not wrong, just loosely named. Strictly speaking it is a cottage pie, and a British pub that put "shepherd's pie" on a beef dish would probably get a comment or two. In practice the phrase "shepherd's pie" has become the umbrella term for any meat-and-gravy dish under mashed potato, especially outside the United Kingdom.

Singapore is a good example. Diners here search for and order "shepherd's pie" far more than "cottage pie", and bakeries and caterers name their trays accordingly. If a menu lists a shepherd's pie without naming the meat, ask. It may be lamb, beef or chicken. For a sense of the range on sale, Pie Singapore keeps a round-up of where to find a good shepherd's or cottage pie in Singapore, with lamb, beef and chicken versions side by side.

Where does a chicken shepherd's pie fit?

A chicken shepherd's pie is neither a shepherd's pie nor a cottage pie in the strict sense, because it contains no lamb and no beef. It borrows the format: a savoury filling in gravy, a thick mashed potato top, baked until golden. Some cooks call it a "chicken cottage pie" or a "chicken and mash pie", but "chicken shepherd's pie" is the name most people use.

In Singapore the chicken version makes a lot of sense. Chicken is the meat most households cook every day, it suits peppery and soy-led seasoning, and it carries no lamb smell, which some diners avoid. Our own guide to the chicken shepherd's pie explains how DonChef's kitchen builds one with a black pepper chicken filling, and there is a home chicken shepherd's pie recipe if you would rather make your own.

Does lamb or beef taste better under mash?

Neither tastes better in any objective sense; they taste different. Lamb has a sweeter, richer fat and a slightly gamey edge, which is why classic shepherd's pie recipes add rosemary or mint and go easy on strong spices. Beef gives a deeper, more savoury gravy and takes well to tomato purée, thyme and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

The mash matters as much as the meat. A dry, floury potato such as a russet mashes light and browns well. A waxy potato gives a gluey topping. Butter and warm milk make the mash rich; an egg yolk beaten in helps it hold ridges and colour in the oven. Raking the top with a fork creates the crisp brown ridges most people look for.

How do Singapore menus use the two names?

Singapore menus mostly use "shepherd's pie" for everything and add the meat as a qualifier: lamb shepherd's pie, beef shepherd's pie, chicken shepherd's pie, sometimes beef rendang shepherd's pie or a plant-based version. "Cottage pie" appears less often, usually on British-leaning menus. Shepherd's pie here is also mostly sold as a whole tray for sharing, ordered ahead for a party or an office lunch, rather than as a single portion.

If you are buying rather than cooking, the Shepherd's and Cottage Pie buyer's guide on donpieshop.com covers sizes, prices and what to ask before you order. It also helps to understand how a mash-topped tray differs from the pastry pies that fill most Singapore bakery shelves; Pie Singapore explains how Singapore, British and Aussie pies differ in one place.

Which one should you order or make?

• Choose lamb shepherd's pie if you like richer, sweeter meat and the dish as it is made in Britain. Check that everyone at the table eats lamb.
• Choose cottage pie for a deeper, beefier gravy and a crowd-pleasing classic. Note that some guests avoid beef.
• Choose chicken shepherd's pie for the widest table. It is milder in smell, familiar to children, and works with local seasoning such as black pepper.

Whatever the meat, the same rules apply once it is cooked. Keep it chilled, eat it within a few days, and reheat it until the centre is piping hot. Our guide on how to reheat shepherd's pie covers the oven, the air fryer and the microwave, and the party tray guide works out how many trays to order for a group.