John Torode reveals his unusual hack for the best shepherd’s pie you’ll ever have

John Torode has revealed the unsuspecting ingredient he likes to use when making a shepherd’s pie.

The MasterChef judge, 59, regularly appears on This Morning to present cooking segments on the ITV programme.

On Thursday’s episode of the show, he returned to share his shepherd’s pie recipe – but ‘with a twist’.

Instead of going down the traditional route, he topped the pie with hash browns rather than mashed potatoes (also advising viewers they could also use potato waffles or a bag of chips too).

‘I love the classics, and they are classic for a reason. But this is mince, and some veg made into something really cool,’ he said.

Although that seemed strange enough, it was another condiment he added into the meat mixture that left hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deely taken aback.

MasterChef judge John Torode has left many shocked with his secret shepherd’s pie ingredient (Picture: Ken McKay/ ITV/ Shutterstock)

‘I don’t flavour conventionally with salt and pepper. This is my nanna’s recipe. Instead, I use Vegemite,’ the Australian chef revealed.

As Cat burst out laughing, Ben exclaimed: ‘What?’

After she asked if the British breakfast spread Marmite could be used as an alternative, John said any ‘beafy yeast extract’ in the place of beef stock could do the trick.

‘But come on mate,’ Ben said looking nervous he’d have to take a bite soon.

‘It’s another ingredient that is going to divide people! Not a lot of people like it. It makes me nervous’ he added.

Before tasting the dish, Ben had also shared he wasn’t actually a fan of hash browns.

The Australian chef used Vegemite in the meat mix (Picture: Ken McKay/ ITV/ Shutterstock)

‘I think from junior school we had to eat hash browns that weren’t great and deep fried,’ he explained.

But he seemed to eventually been convinced when doing the taste test, even adding: ‘You can’t smell the Vegemite which is good.’

Giving his verdict, he said: ‘It is really lovely. I can see that is a way more delicious way having hash browns.’

Meanwhile Cat called it ‘spectacular’ and ‘absolutely delicious’.

However, some viewers were still unsure.

‘Hash browns do not belong on top of a Shepherd’s pie. It’s all kinds of wrong and no one will convince me otherwise,’ Sara posted on X.

Hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley weren’t convinced at first (Picture: Ken McKay/ ITV/ Shutterstock)

This isn’t the first time John has worked to convince the This Morning hosts about one of his ingredients.

In 2020 he accidentally served Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby coconut water that had gone off when making a coconut curry.

‘Yeah, I think the coconut’s off. That’s why it looks like that. I wasn’t going to say anything. But it took me a little by surprise when I tasted it,’ Phil said.

Picking up the coconut water and smelling it himself, John’s face said it all as he realised the hosts were right.

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV1.

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