Lancashire Hotpot

About This Recipe

Lancashire hotpot is a hearty northern English classic — neck of lamb slow-braised with onions, carrots, and Worcestershire sauce beneath a shingled roof of thinly sliced potatoes that crisp and turn golden in the oven while the lamb below becomes meltingly tender. It is simple, honest food that warms from the inside out on cold, wet evenings.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 glamb neck fillet or chops, cut into chunks
• 2 largeonions, sliced
• 2 mediumcarrots, sliced
• 700 gpotatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
• 300 mllamb or chicken stock
• 2 tspWorcestershire sauce
• 2 sprigsfresh thyme
• 1 tbspplain flour
• 30 gbutter, melted

Instructions

1. 1

   Layer the base

   Preheat oven to 160 °C (325 °F). Toss lamb in flour and season well. Layer the lamb, onions, and carrots in a deep casserole dish, seasoning between layers. Add thyme sprigs.

2. 2

   Add the stock

   Mix stock with Worcestershire sauce and pour over the lamb and vegetables.

3. 3

   Top with potatoes

   Arrange potato slices in overlapping layers across the top, covering the filling completely. Brush with melted butter and season with salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Slow cook

   Cover with a lid and bake for 2 hours. Remove the lid and bake for a further 30 minutes at 190 °C (375 °F) until the potato topping is crisp and golden. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add a layer of sliced black pudding for an extra-traditional Lancashire touch.

• •

  Use beef shin instead of lamb for a richer, beefier version.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 180 °C for 20 minutes. Freezes well for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions