Easy Lancashire Hotpot

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 04/26/21
Easy Lancashire Hotpot

The Spruce / Armando Rafael

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1101 Calories
52g Fat
112g Carbs
49g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1101
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 52g 67%
Saturated Fat 25g 126%
Cholesterol 150mg 50%
Sodium 677mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 112g 41%
Dietary Fiber 11g 40%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 49g
Vitamin C 48mg 238%
Calcium 112mg 9%
Iron 8mg 46%
Potassium 3150mg 67%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The Irish have their stew, the Welsh have cawl, and in Lancashire, they have hotpot. Lancashire hotpot is probably the most famous dish to come from the British county of Lancashire and is very simple and straightforward to make. The recipe calls for lamb chops, onions, potatoes, and carrots that are all cooked together in beef stock until tender and delicious. Traditionally, lamb kidneys are included, but you can leave them out if you like. A Lancashire hotpot is often served with pickled cabbage on the side.

Hotpot is a slow-cooked recipe, yet unlike many stews, it is still quite light and suitable for eating year-round (except perhaps on a scorching summer's day). Pop it in the oven, leave for a couple of hours, and you have a great supper dish ready and waiting for you. It tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to develop.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces beef drippings or lard

  • 8 bone-in lamb chops

  • 1/2 pound onions, finely sliced

  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces) unsalted butter, divided

  • 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 4 lamb kidneys, optional

  • 1 large carrot, thickly sliced

  • 4 cups beef stock, or chicken stock

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 F/200 C.

    Easy Lancashire Hotpot ingredients

    The Spruce / Armando Rafael

  2. In a large frying pan, melt the drippings or lard and heat until hot but not smoking. Quickly brown the lamb chops on both sides, remove from the fat, and drain on paper towels.

    lamb chops in a frying pan

    The Spruce / Armando Rafael

  3. Add the sliced onions to the hot fat and cook quickly, stirring constantly, until softened but not brown. Remove from the fat and drain on paper towels.

    onions in a frying pan

    The Spruce / Armando Rafael

  4. In a large ovenproof casserole, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Cover the bottom of the dish with half of the sliced potatoes and half of the onions. Season with salt and pepper.

    onions and potatoes in a pot

    The Spruce / Armando Rafael

  5. Lay the chops on the top of the onion (don't worry if the bones stick up, this is traditional in a Lancashire hotpot).

    lamb chops with onions and potatoes in a pot

    The Spruce / Armando Rafael

  6. Lay the sliced kidneys (if using) over the chops, add the carrot slices, and cover with the remaining onions. Season with salt and pepper.

    carrots and onions on top of the lamb chops in the pot

    The Spruce / Armando Rafael

  7. Pour in enough stock to come 2/3 of the way up the sides of the casserole dish. (If you have leftover stock, you can use it during cooking if the pan becomes dry.) Add the Worcestershire sauce.

    stock and Worcestershire sauce added to the lamb and vegetables in the pot

    The Spruce / Armando Rafael

  8. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the rest of the potatoes to the casserole, overlapping them to ensure the entire surface is completely covered. Brush the potatoes with the melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

    potatoes on top of the Easy Lancashire Hotpot ingredients

    The Spruce / Armando Rafael

  9. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 350 F/180 C and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Check from time to time to make sure the casserole isn't drying out; if so, add some stock or water. Remove the lid from the casserole and cook until the potatoes on the surface are brown.

  10. Remove the hotpot from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes.

  11. Serve and enjoy.

How to Store

You can make this stew a few days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, reheat it in the oven until hot; if you'd like the potatoes on top to be crispy, place the dish under the broiler, watching carefully so they don't burn. You can also freeze the hotpot (for about 1 month) once it has cooled, but keep in mind that potatoes retain water so when heated there could be additional liquid.

What's the History of Lancashire Hotpot?

Although this stew was enjoyed by residents in Lancashire for several years, it wasn't until the recipe was published in The English Cookery Book in 1859 that the hotpot became popular throughout the country. The dish originally included mutton, which is less expensive than lamb, making the stew an affordable dish, and one the laborers of the textile industry (specifically cotton) cooked and ate regularly. The name hotpot is thought to either have been derived from the earthenware cooking vessel the stew was cooked in, or was an adaptation of the word "hodgepodge" which referenced the dish's mix of ingredients.