How To Make Pork Shepherds Pie For Baby Led Weaning
Table of Contents
Pork Baby Recipe
Pork is an excellent meat choice for baby-led weaning due to its rich flavour and tender texture, making it easy for little ones to handle and chew.
It is also a good source of essential nutrients, such as protein, iron, and zinc, which are crucial for your baby's growth and development.
The versatility of pork allows for a variety of cooking methods, from roasting to slow cooking, offering a range of delicious recipes to introduce new tastes and textures such as this pork shepherds pie for baby led weaning.
Its naturally juicy nature can help keep your baby hydrated while exploring solid foods, encouraging positive eating habits early on.
Pork Mince For Baby
Pork mince is an excellent ingredient for baby-led weaning due to its versatility and flavour. It can be easily cooked in various ways, making it suitable for numerous recipes, from meatballs and patties to sauces.
Its naturally higher fat content compared to other meats provides a rich taste and helps keep the meat tender and juicy, which is ideal for little ones learning to chew.
Pork mince absorbs seasonings and sauces well, allowing parents to introduce a range of flavours and textures while ensuring that meals remain nutritious and enjoyable for their babies.
This adaptability makes pork mince a yummy option for creating wholesome and exciting comfort food during the weaning process.
Ingredient information
Butter - I have used unsalted butter for this recipe, if you prefer to use olive oil to make the recipe dairy free you can use as an alternative.
Pork - I have used pork mince for this hearty dinner, this is a great tasting pie and a great take on shepherds pie traditionally using lamb.
Onion - I have used a white onion for this recipe, you can use a red onion or a couple of shallots.
Carrots - I have used fresh carrots in the recipe, I have grated the carrots to make them cook easily with the onion and celery.
Celery sticks - I have used celery to add flavour to the pie.
Apple - I have used grated apple to add sweetness to the recipe, pork and apple are great together.
Garlic - i have used fresh garlic but you can use 2 teaspoons of garlic granules.
Oregano - I have used a little dried oregano, you can use mixed herbs instead.
Sage - Dried sage is a great herb paired with pork, adds great flavour to the pie.
Thyme - I have used fresh thyme but you can use a 2 teaspoons of dried thyme instead.
Stock cube - I have used a zero salt beef stock cube, you can use a zero salt chicken stock cube instead.
Cornflour - This is great if you need to thicken a sauce. Naturally gluten free too.
Potatoes - I have used white potatoes but you can use red potatoes or any potato that you may have. Sweet potatoes work well too.
Serving suggestion
The pork shepherd’s pie would be great served with cucumber, green beans or peas. You can even serve with a little apple puree on the side if you wish.
Frozen veggies such as mixed vegetables are a great option as a delicious side to the shepherds pie.
Feel free to sprinkle over a little grated cheddar cheese over the shepherd’s pie before popping into the oven mto cook.
Other recipes you may like: Cottage pie with lentils, Leftover turkey pie or My first fish pie for baby.
Storage instructions
You can keep the pie in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container, so great if you would like to portion up for dinners in the week, you could use small airtight containers to do this.
The pie can also be frozen for up to 3 months in the freezer, in airtight containers, large or small. If freezing, let the pie cool down to room temperature before popping in the freezer.
To defrost the pie, defrost in the fridge overnight, to reheat, transfer from your airtight container into an oven proof dish, pre heat the oven to 180 C or 350F and heat for 20-25 minutes and enjoy.
Once defrosted you will not be able to re freeze.
Equipment used to help with this recipe
Pie dish - A classic enamel pie dish is great for making individual pies and crumbles.I like these enamel dishes as there is even heat distribution, which means it's easy to achieve perfect crispy pie crusts. It even has a flat edge for a classic crusty rim. Also, it is suitable for oven or stovetop use, and is 100% freezer safe and dishwasher safe
Saucepan - So many pan sets out there but I particularly like to use pans with a non-stick surface for ease of cleaning and ones that are suitable for different types of hob surface.
Baking sheet - I have chosen to use a non-stick and BPA free baking sheet - they are easy to clean and, if you buy more than one, easily stackable and easily stored.
Airtight container - I much prefer the click-shut lids on these containers compared to others. They are also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free, so very suitable for food use.
Recipe | How To Make Pork Shepherds Pie For Baby Led Weaning
How To Make Pork Shepherds Pie For Baby Led Weaning
This is a great comfort food recipe for the whole family, great for baby-led weaning from 6 months old.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C or 350F.
- Start by melting the butter in a large saucepan on a medium-high heat.
- Turn down the heat and add in the chopped onion, carrot and celery (season with black pepper) cover and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes or so. Check that the vegetables are not sticking to the pan halfway through cooking.
- Cook the potatoes in a medium sized saucepan in hot water for 15 minutes until soft.
- Once the vegetables are soft add the garlic, oregano, sage, thyme and apple to the pan and mix together and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the pork mince to the pan and break up using a wooden spoon, cook the pork with the veggies for 5 minutes or so.
- Next add the beef stock cube to the pan along with 350ml of hot water and stir until combined.
- Mix together the cornflour in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Once dissolved add in to the pork and veggies.
- Cook the pork mixture for 10 minutes until you see the gravy sauce thicken.
- Drain the hot potatoes using a colander and pour back into the pan. Using a potato masher mash the potatoes, add in 2 tablespoons butter and the milk or cream or a bit of both. Mix together, I find it easier to stir using a rubber spatula.
- Spoon the meat mixture into a pie dish or baking dish. Remove the thyme stalks if using.
- Spoon over the mashed potatoes and smooth out using a fork.
- Pop the Shepherds pie onto a baking sheet and place into the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- Leave to cool before serving to your baby.
Notes
If you wanted to use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes for the potato topping this is a tasty way to elevate the recipe.
This recipe is gluten free, just check the stock cube you are using is gluten free.
©The Petit Spoon
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This is a great recipe for baby-led weaning. Perfect for teething gums. A great recipe for the entire family too if you make them into a bigger ice lolly.