Lancashire Hotpot (lamb and potato bake) is a simple, traditional British dish consisting of layers of lamb, onions, root vegetables, and potatoes, oven-baked until crispy and golden.
Recipe Intro
Lancashire Hotpot, a traditional dish from north-west England’s Lancashire county, is often regarded as a humble meal for the poor. However, its early days reveal a more complex story. Initially a simple dish of potatoes and meat scraps simmered over a fire, it later evolved to include mutton or beef, potatoes, onions, and dripping. Mutton, being an older sheep, has a richer, deeper flavour than lamb and was often used for its affordability. The dish gained popularity in the mid-19th century among the bourgeoisie, featuring at gentlemen’s clubs and dinner parties. The introduction of iron stoves allowed the dish to be baked, often with additions like lamb kidneys and oysters, which enhanced its flavour, marking its rise in status as a dish favoured by the upper classes.
For more on the history and evolution of this dish, read this article this detailed article.
image: Jonny Gios on Unsplash
Living in London, I had the opportunity to try many variations of Lancashire Hotpot, from casual pub versions to those served in more upscale restaurants, as well as supermarket-ready meals.
I completely disagree that British food is bland (or bad, if you like!). Lancashire Hotpot is one of those classics I could happily enjoy year-round, much like Cottage or Shepherd’s Pie. Give me only meat and potatoes, and I’m happy!
Make a large tray of Lancashire Hotpot so you have extra to freeze – it’s perfect for a quick, satisfying meal whenever you need it!
Lancashire Hotpot Ingredients
- lamb
- potatoes
- dripping
- root vegetables
- onion
Meat: The best cuts of lamb for this dish are shoulder and neck. These are perfect for slow cooking, as they become tender and develop a rich flavour with long cooking times.
In the old version of the recipe, lamb kidneys were added for a richer flavour. You can add some finely chopped kidneys for that traditional touch.
Potatoes: Stick with waxy potatoes like Maris Piper or Desiree. These hold their shape under slow cooking, giving you that perfect golden crust on top. If all you’ve got are floury potatoes like King Edward or Russet, don’t panic – they’ll break down more and give you a smoother, almost mashed texture.
Root vegetables: While the old recipe relied solely on meat, potatoes, and onions, adding root vegetables like carrots and parsnips has become a traditional part of the dish. It’s a great way to enhance the flavour and make it even more hearty, so it’s definitely the way to go for a more satisfying meal.
Onions: Use regular yellow onions.
Fat: Traditionally, dripping or lard was used. These fats were economical and provided rich flavour, helping to cook the meat and potatoes. You can prepare with dripping or mix of dripping and butter.
Optional: bay leaf – I’ve added a bay leaf for a personal touch, as I love it with both beef and lamb, but feel free to skip it if you prefer a more traditional flavour. You can also add rosemary, which pairs wonderfully with lamb, but again, it’s entirely optional.
How to make Lancashire Hotpot
Meat:
Cut the meat into even pieces. Season it with salt, pepper, and just a pinch of sugar – it’ll help bring out the flavour. Dust it in flour, making sure it’s well coated.
Heat some dripping in a pan then give the meat a quick sear, until it’s golden and caramelised. Don’t overdo it – you’re not cooking it through. Once it’s done, pop it to one side somewhere warm, ready for the next step.
Vegetables:
Slice the onions into thin or thick rings. Cut the carrots and parsnips into slightly chunkier slices. As for the potatoes, the traditional method calls for leaving the skins on – just give them a thorough wash and slice them thinly. If you prefer to peel them, that’s absolutely fine – whatever suits you.
Assemble the dish:
Grease a baking dish with dripping or oil.
Layer the ingredients: start with a layer of potatoes, followed by a layer of onions, then a layer of meat and vegetables. Add seasoning, salt, and pepper, and finish with another layer of potatoes, seasoning again if necessary.
Pour in enough water to just cover the ingredients, ensuring the liquid is just below the top layer of potatoes (it should not cover them).
For extra flavour, you can use homemade broth, ready-made broth, or a stock cube dissolved in water. Be careful with the seasoning to avoid making the dish too salty.
Some people add Worcestershire sauce to modern versions, but it wasn’t part of the traditional recipe.
Bake:
Brush the top layer of potatoes with melted butter. Cover with a lid or foil and cook.
Place in a preheated oven at 170°C. Bake for about an hour and a half. If you’re using mutton, bake for 2 to 2.5 hours.
Remove the dish from the oven, discard the foil, and return it to the oven for an additional 15 minutes, allowing the potatoes to become golden and crispy.
Serving Lancashire Hotpot (lamb and potato bake)
Serve Lancashire hotpot as a main meal with a side of greens or a simple green salad for added freshness. I served it with thinly sliced cucumber, but for a traditional touch, pair it with pickled beetroot or red cabbage. Tuck in!
✔️ While you are here, check out these delicious baked dishes from around the world:
Australian lamb, mushrooms and potato bake 🐑
Turkish lamb kofte and potato bake 🐑
Canadian Rappie pie: chicken and potato bake 🐔
Recipe Card
Lancashire Hotpot – lamb and potato bake
Ingredients
- 900 g lamb neck
- 3 large potatoes
- 2 large onions
- 1 carrot - medium size
- 1 parsnip - medium size
- 1 tsp sugar
- a few tbsp flour
- 30 g dripping
- salt, pepper
- 2-3 bay leaves - optional
Instructions
- Cut lamb into pieces, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar, then coat in flour. Sear in dripping until golden, then set aside.
- Slice onions into rings. Cut carrot and parsnips into chunky slices. Wash 3 medium potatoes thoroughly (or peel if preferred) and slice thinly.
- Grease a baking dish. Start with a layer of potato slices, followed by onions, lamb, and vegetables. Repeat the layers if you want, seasoning between each, and finish with a final layer of potatoes on top.If you want to add bay leaf or rosemary, place it over the vegetables before adding the final layer of potatoes.
- Pour water or broth to just below the top potato layer.
- Brush potatoes with melted butter. Cover with foil and bake at 170°C for 1.5 hours (2–2.5 hours for mutton).
- Uncover and bake for 15 minutes until potatoes are golden.
- Leave to rest for 20 minutes, then serve.