Lancashire-Style Lamb Hotpot with Potatoes and Carrots

Foodedo recipe

Lancashire-Style Lamb Hotpot with Potatoes and Carrots

Serves 4

195 min

Quantities are kept as written by the author.

A classic British hotpot of slow-braised lamb, onions and carrots, topped with thinly sliced potatoes and baked until tender and golden.

Ingredients

14 items

  • 800 gboneless lamb shouldertrimmed and cut into 3 cm pieces; neck fillet also works
  • 2 tbspplain flour
  • 1 tspfine sea saltplus extra to taste
  • 1 / 2 tspblack pepperplus extra to taste
  • 1 tbsprapeseed oil
  • 2brown onionsmedium, about 300 g total, halved and sliced
  • 300 gcarrotspeeled and cut into 1 cm thick slices
  • 2garlicfinely chopped
  • 1 tspdried thyme
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
  • 500 mlbeef or lamb stockhot
  • 900 gfloury potatoessuch as Maris Piper, peeled and sliced 2-3 mm thick
  • 25 gunsalted buttermelted or very soft
Recipe notes (2)
  1. Note: Lamb shoulder or neck fillet gives the best result here because it stays succulent during the long bake. Lean lamb leg is less suitable for a hotpot-style braise.
  2. Note: Slice the potatoes thinly and evenly so they soften in time; a mandoline is helpful, but use a guard and take care.

Method

7 steps

  1. Step 1. Heat the oven to 180C. Allow about 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients before you start: cut the lamb into 3 cm pieces, slice the onions, cut the carrots and slice the potatoes thinly. Keep the raw lamb and anything that has touched it separate from the vegetables, and wash your hands, board and knife after handling the meat.

  2. Step 2. Put the flour in a bowl with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp of the pepper. Add the lamb and toss to coat lightly. Heat the oil in a large 24-26 cm ovenproof casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in 2 batches for 4-5 minutes per batch, turning so it colours well all over; do not crowd the pan. Transfer each batch to a plate.

  3. Step 3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and carrots to the casserole with a small pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and starting to colour. Stir in the garlic and thyme for 1 minute. Add the Worcestershire sauce, then pour in the hot stock and scrape up any browned bits from the base. Return the lamb and any resting juices to the pan, add the bay leaves and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4. Take the pan off the heat. If your casserole is not ovenproof, transfer the lamb mixture to a deep ovenproof dish or casserole of about 2.5-3 litres capacity. Arrange the potato slices over the top in overlapping layers. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, then brush or dot over the butter. The liquid should come up to just below the top layer of potatoes; add a small splash of water if needed. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil.

  5. Step 5. Bake covered for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the lamb is nearly tender and the potatoes have started to soften.

  6. Step 6. Remove the lid or foil. Spoon a little of the cooking liquid over the potatoes and return to the oven for 40-45 minutes more, until the potatoes are fully tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, the top is golden at the edges and the lamb is tender enough to cut with a spoon. If the top starts colouring too quickly, lay the foil back on loosely.

  7. Step 7. Leave the hotpot to rest for 10 minutes before serving so the juices settle. Discard the bay leaves. Taste the sauce around the edges and add a little extra salt and pepper if needed, then serve straight from the dish.