Time To Dig Into A Lancashire Hotpot!

First, this is NOT a picture of my dish – I went online to find some gorgeous photos of a traditional “Lancashire Hotpot” to show you what it should be – before I tried to make it myself!

First, some history: my blogging friend Carol shared this recipe, a favorite dish of hers growing up. I told her I was going to make it and I did! I am sharing it again because there are many more of you following now and it’s a recipe worth repeating!

Lancashire Hotpot is from the Lancashire area of North England – it is thought to have originated in the 19th century. 

I put out most of the ingredients needed for the dish – except I made a strategic choice of protein: you see, this dish was originally made with mutton, stewed slowly over a low fire. 

I used boneless lamb chunks..many use it on the bone for more flavor, but I didn’t have that…more history of his recipe: family members would combine the ingredients and then allow them to cook over many hours. In the initial stages of industrialisation and urbanisation, both men and women of all ages had long, strictly-regulated work hours that made it impossible to cook food that required extensive attention and preparation time.  

A Lancashire hotpot, therefore, is a simple meal that would have been left to cook slowly all day, ready for the hungry workers at the end of their shift. 

As I sautéed some garlic and onion in olive oil, I followed Carol’s terrific recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1¼ lb lamb, diced (neck, shoulder, chops)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• lots of garlic
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 cups hot chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 1½ lb potatoes, peeled and cut into ⅛-inch thick slices
• 2 tbsp melted butter (for the top)
• 1-2 fresh thyme sprigs.

Preheat the oven to 350F/170C.

In a dutch oven/casserole on medium heat melt the butter and vegetable oil until heated through 1-2 minutes add the onions and cook for 4 mins stirring regularly.

Add the lamb then add the flour and cook for 3 minutes stirring.

Add the broth, bay leaves, salt, pepper, thyme sprigs and Worcestershire sauce and stir well to combine.

Note: I was out of Worcestershire, so used Sherry Pepper sauce instead.

Cover and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes then add the carrots and stir well.

My “Waterlogged” Meal?

I want to take a moment and tell you that I was a bit concerned: did I use too much stock in this? It seemed VERY WET! I took a deep breath and kept following Carol’s recipe.

Transfer the content to a suitable sized casserole dish and garnish with the sliced potatoes. depending on the shape of your dish you can start on the outside and work towards the centre or just layer the potatoes in lines down the dish.

Brush the tops of the potatoes with the melted butter and then I sprinkled the dish with thyme.

AND IT WAS STILL VERY WET!

I brushed the top of the potatoes with the butter and then stuck it in the oven.

Bake for 1 hr 30 minutes and then increase the oven temperature to 390F/200C remove the lid and bake again for 20-530 minutes until the potatoes are golden and crisp.

And how did my watery dish turn out?

Crispy Golden Goodness!

I am so happy to report that it turned out deliciously! The stock was all absorbed into he potatoes, leaving a delicious creamy sauce underneath!

I loved this dish: it was rich, hearty and flavorful! Big chunks of tender lamb in a creamy sauce with potatoes and carrots giving it a satisfying heft!

My thanks to Carol, who posts a ton of great recipes, as well as insight into our environment and what we can all do to protect the future of this planet…she recently published a holiday cookbook filled with dishes for all year round – so check it out here and get yourself a copy!

I have been trying to make different dishes – making things for the first time for better or worse, like a meat pie!

I loved using Chef Callum Franklin’s incredible cookbook and it was a blast to make – see the entire recipe here:

I also shared this Easter feast I make every year, thanks to the terrific Chef / Author Patricia Wells:

Once a year is not enough for a dish this good!

Click here to see this “Gigot D’Agneau” recipe in detail:

These are showstopper dishes to be sure, but in my quest to try new things, I also made a really fun burger with a truly unique bun:

Here’s the recipe for making your own burger – with homemade “oopsie” bread!

If you like these stories, PLEASE CLICK THE “LIKE” BUTTON SO I KNOW!

Also, why not sign up to receive emails whenever I post? It’s easy to do, I do NOT collect any information about you at all, there are absolutely NO ads of any kind, just stories food, food, food, travel and pop culture…

You can sign up by clicking on my blog here and see the note on the right!

https://biteeatrepeat.com

I you enjoyed this story, please share with friends on social media – thank!

Categories: Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Chef memoirs, Cookbooks, Eat This!, Fine Dining, Food, Food Pictures, Recipes, Wacky Food, World's Wildest Food

Tags: bacon-wrapped recipes, best Anthony Bourdain cookbooks, Best Anthony Bourdain recipes, best bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin recipes, best cheesesteak sandwich recipe, best lamb recipes, best Lancashire Hotpot recipes, best meat pie cookbook, best meat pie recipes, best new documentaries, best Osso Buco recipes, best Osso Buco recipes for home cooks, best philly cheesesteak, best potato recipes, best recipes, best Shake Shack burgers, best traditional British pork pies, Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Bite!Eat!Repeat! webiste, biteeatrepeat website, biteeatrepeat.com, biteeatrepeat.com website, biteeatswallow, Books / Media, cheeseburger recipes, cheeseburger sub sandwiches, cheeseburgers, cheesesteak sandwich recipes, chef Callum Franklin meat pie recipe, Chef Callum Franklin The Pie Room cookbook, cooking, dinner, food, food adventures, food review, how to make the perfect Osso Buco, lamb recipes, Lancashire Hotpot, Lancashire Hotpot recipe, making Osso Buco at home, Osso Buco recipe, perfect Osso Buco recipes, recipe, recipe for Lancashire Hotpot, recipes, Searching Fo rItaly Spaghetti alla Nerano recipe, Spaghetti alla Nerano, Spaghetti alla Nerano recipe, Stanley Tucci Spaghetti all Nerano recipe