Holding a Shepherd's pie until dinner

I made a Shepherds pie for dinner, its assembled and ready to bake. I'd like to hold off for a few hours though, maybe 4-5 hours.

I have no room in my fridge and I don't want to leave it on the counter, so I think the oven is my only option. The instructions say to bake it at 450 for 30 minutes. Should I bake it as instructed, then hold it at 200 until ready to eat? Are there any other methods to do this?

Thanks

cooking-time

Best Answer

Yes, keeping it in a 200F oven will keep it safely outside the bacterial danger zone, but it may also dry out a bit. Covering with foil or adding a pan of water to the rack below may help that, though that may also make the crust soggy. You'll have to experiment a bit.

Pictures about "Holding a Shepherd's pie until dinner"

Holding a Shepherd's pie until dinner - Woman in White Tank Top Sitting Beside Table With Plates and Mugs

Holding a Shepherd's pie until dinner - Top View of a Family Praying Before Christmas Dinner

Holding a Shepherd's pie until dinner - Baked Orange Pie

How long can shepherds pie sit out?

SHEPHERD\u2122S PIE, FRESHLY BAKED Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 \xb0F and 140 \xb0F; shepherd\u2122s pie should be discarded if left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.

How do you keep shepherds pie fresh?

Freshly baked shepherd\u2122s pie will keep for about 3 to 5 days in the fridge; refrigerate covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

How do you keep shepherds pie from falling apart?

Use a large-enough oven-proof skillet or transfer the filling to a casserole dish. Drop spoonfuls of the mashed potatoes on top. The mash should be firm so the pie won't fall apart when serving.

Ghost Gets His Revenge on Shepherd

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Nicole Michalou, KoolShooters, Nicole Michalou, Cats Coming