cottage pie

JIL

Deeper dish, less gravy. You almost want the top layer of meat mixture to be more dry.

You could actually just add sliced potatoes to the top of the slow cooker mince, to save faffing 

-taff

You can cook the mince in the slow cooker,  then scoop out as much gravy as you like, enough for as above, to make a thick bolognaise texture when cold. Keep the gravy to one side for pouring later. You can jacket spud your mash if you like but you can also do it like you fancy. I usually steam my potaoes chopped quite small, say the size of quarter of an egg, in a saucepan on one of those fan folding steam things, then I ltake them out of the pan, heat some milk and butter [and cream cheese if I'm feeling particularly decadent] while I've opened the fan out to let the potatoes steam off for a minute or two, then rice into the pan and add salt and stir. I would add hot mash to the cold base because it's easier to work with when it's warm.

And pro tip, if you do use a ricer for potatoes there are always tiny lumps in it because forcing it through doesn't completely mash smooth but half an hour covered well in an oven on low will dissolve any tiny lumps.

JIL

My tip for the best mashed potatoes is a big pan, then in with the food mixer. (Big pan as it can get messy) no lumps just creamy mash.

Nadiya puts mayo in her mash. 

CapricornLass

I'm with KatieHound - Cottage Pie isn't a slow cooker dish, although you could cook mince part in the slow cooker, ready to transfer to another dish the next day.

I also use JBG1955's method of adding potato.  Do it in small dollops, maybe a desertspoonful at a time, and go round the edges, smoothing it out a bit as you go, and then round again, spiralling in towards the middle.  Its a bit of a faff, agreed, but it does work.

Emmia

I presumed the OP was doing the filling in the slow cooker, and then finishing off with the potato in the oven...

JIL

Emmia said:

I presumed the OP was doing the filling in the slow cooker, and then finishing off with the potato in the oven...

From reading all the posts I think that's what the op is saying and the advice offered is also along the same lines?

I think what most people are saying is that the mixture when made in the slow cooker is probably too runny, and the suggestion of draining much of the liquid/gravy, adding mash in a number of dollops to the pie mix, baking in the oven and served separately will probably be the best method.

Hope it turns out well, lots of brown sauce.

Pollycat

JIL said:

My tip for the best mashed potatoes is a big pan, then in with the food mixer. (Big pan as it can get messy) no lumps just creamy mash.

Nadiya puts mayo in her mash. 

I tried this and it just made the mash gloopy.

I do a big pan of mash and freeze it.
I just add a little bit of Olivio spread at that time and then when I get it out to use, I add more depending on what I'm using it for.
For a topping on mince, I'll not add much more.

JIL

Pollycat said:

JIL said:

My tip for the best mashed potatoes is a big pan, then in with the food mixer. (Big pan as it can get messy) no lumps just creamy mash.

Nadiya puts mayo in her mash. 

I tried this and it just made the mash gloopy.

I do a big pan of mash and freeze it.
I just add a little bit of Olivio spread at that time and then when I get it out to use, I add more depending on what I'm using it for.
For a topping on mince, I'll not add much more.

I do think the potato variety makes a difference. I only ever use maris piper, king Edward's or roosters. 
Any potatoes that boil into the water do go gloopy. 

I made my batches of cottage pies yesterday for the inlaws freezer. 
I was in a hurry and didnt cool either the potatoes or the mince mix. I did as I always do and put the mince mixture in without the gravy, then added gravy just to cover the bottom of the tinfoil dish. Then added the potatoes. No issues at all. 6 pies in inlaws freezer.