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Lancashire hotpot
Slow-baked lamb and onion under a lid of crisp sliced potatoes
Lancashire hotpot was the slow supper of the cotton-mill towns of north-west England, left in a low oven while families worked long shifts, and it is still served in pubs and homes around Bolton and Preston with pickled red cabbage on the side. Chunks of lamb neck and lots of onion cook slowly in stock beneath overlapping slices of potato that turn golden and crisp on top and soft underneath. Chef's tip: brush the top layer with melted butter and take the lid off for the last 40 minutes; that is how the potatoes crisp.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the hotpot
- 2 ¼ lb boneless lamb neck fillet or shouldercut into 4 cm chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 onionsthinly sliced
- 2 carrotsthickly sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh thymeleaves
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups lamb or chicken stock
- 2 ¼ lb floury potatoespeeled, sliced 3 mm thick
- 1 ⅜ oz buttermelted
To serve
- 7 oz pickled red cabbage (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 325°F (275°F fan). Toss 2 ¼ lb boneless lamb neck fillet or shoulder with 2 tbsp plain flour, 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
5 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large ovenproof casserole over a high heat and brown the lamb in batches for 5 minutes each until well coloured. Lift out.
15 minStep 3: Lower the heat, add 3 onions and 2 carrots and cook for 10 minutes until soft and starting to colour. Return the lamb with 1 tbsp fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 cups lamb or chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
12 minStep 4: Arrange 2 ¼ lb floury potatoes in overlapping circles over the meat, like roof tiles, covering it completely. Brush with half the ⅔ oz butter and season.
10 minStep 5: Cover and bake for 1½ hours. Remove the lid, brush with the rest of the ⅔ oz butter and bake for 40 minutes more until the potatoes are golden and crisp and the lamb is very tender when pierced. A common mistake is slicing the potatoes too thick; they will not cook through or crisp.
130 minStep 6: Rest for 10 minutes and serve straight from the pot with 7 oz pickled red cabbage. Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge; reheat until piping hot.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lancashire hotpot take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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