Why You’ll Love this Lancashire Hotpot
There are three reasons why this Lancashire Hotpot deserves a spot in your recipe collection.
First, it’s deliciously simple—tender lamb and kidneys simmered with carrots and onions under a golden potato crust. Nothing fancy, just pure comfort food that fills your kitchen with mouthwatering aromas.
Second, it’s a true one-pot wonder. While the meat slowly tenderizes, the potatoes crisp up beautifully on top. Less washing up for you!
Third, this recipe is incredibly forgiving. Running low on lamb? Add more vegetables. No kidneys? Skip them entirely. Your hotpot, your rules.
What Ingredients are in Lancashire Hotpot?
Lancashire Hotpot is a classic British dish that relies on simple, hearty ingredients to create something truly magical.
The beauty of this recipe lies in its straightforward combination of tender meat, root vegetables, and potatoes—all coming together in one pot to create a meal that’s perfect for cold evenings.
While traditional recipes vary slightly from family to family, the core ingredients remain consistent across generations.
- 900g stewing lamb, cut into large chunks
- 3 lamb’s kidneys, sliced with fat removed (optional)
- 100g drippings or butter
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 25g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 500ml lamb or chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 900g potatoes, peeled and sliced
When shopping for your hotpot ingredients, quality matters.
Look for well-marbled lamb shoulder if possible, as it becomes wonderfully tender during the slow cooking process.
The kidneys add a wonderful depth of flavor but can be omitted if you’re not a fan of offal.
And while traditional Lancashire Hotpot uses dripping (rendered beef or lamb fat), butter works perfectly well for modern kitchens.
The potatoes should be waxy rather than floury varieties, as they’ll hold their shape better during the long cooking time.
How to Make this Lancashire Hotpot
Making Lancashire Hotpot is like taking a step back in time to the hearty kitchens of Northern England. Start by preheating your oven to 160°C (140°C for fan ovens or gas mark 3).
In a large shallow casserole dish, heat about 100g of drippings or butter until it’s shimmering. Working in batches—because overcrowding is the enemy of good browning—add the 900g of chunky stewing lamb pieces, turning them until they develop a rich golden crust. Once browned, lift them onto a plate and repeat the process with the 3 sliced lamb kidneys, if you’re using them. This initial browning isn’t just for looks; it’s laying down the foundation of flavor that makes this dish so comforting.
Next comes the vegetable layer. In the same pan, with perhaps a touch more dripping, gently fry 2 medium chopped onions and 4 sliced carrots until they begin to soften and take on a golden hue.
Now for a bit of kitchen chemistry—sprinkle 25g of plain flour over the vegetables and cook for a couple of minutes to remove that raw flour taste. A quick shake of 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce adds that umami punch we all crave, before pouring in 500ml of lamb or chicken stock. Bring this mixture to a gentle boil, then stir in your browned meat along with 2 aromatic bay leaves. The transformation has begun.
The crowning glory of any Lancashire Hotpot is, of course, the potato topping. Arrange your 900g of peeled and sliced potatoes in overlapping layers on top of the meat mixture, then drizzle with a little more dripping for that extra richness.
Cover the dish and place it in the oven for about 1½ hours until the potatoes become tender. For that irresistible golden finish, remove the lid, brush the potatoes with a touch more dripping, and either turn up the oven temperature or slide the dish under the grill for 5-8 minutes until the potato topping turns crisp and bronzed.
What emerges is nothing short of magical—tender meat and vegetables nestled beneath a protective layer of crispy potatoes. Who needs fancy cuisine when comfort food can taste this good?
Lancashire Hotpot Substitutions and Variations
While traditional Lancashire Hotpot remains a beloved classic, I’ve learned through years of making this dish that it welcomes adaptation with open arms.
You can swap lamb for beef or even chicken if you prefer, though you’ll lose that distinctive lamb flavor I adore. No kidneys in your fridge? Simply omit them or add mushrooms instead.
Vegetarians can use lentils and vegetable stock for a hearty meat-free version. Some of my family members love when I add leeks or turnips to the mix.
And those potatoes on top? Try sweet potatoes occasionally for a colorful twist.
What to Serve with Lancashire Hotpot
A perfect Lancashire hotpot deserves worthy companions on your dinner table. I always serve mine with pickled red cabbage, which cuts through the richness beautifully.
A side of buttered peas or steamed green beans adds a pop of color and freshness to balance the hearty stew.
For bread lovers, crusty bread or warm rolls are non-negotiable—perfect for sopping up that glorious gravy.
And what about drinks? A robust ale complements the lamb wonderfully, though a full-bodied red wine works too.
Final Thoughts
After spending time with this Lancashire hotpot recipe, I’ve come to appreciate why it’s stood the test of time in British cooking.
There’s something magical about those layers of tender lamb, kidneys, and golden potatoes that feels like a warm hug on a cold day.
I find myself returning to this dish when comfort is needed most. The simplicity of ingredients belies its complex flavors—that rich stock, the subtle Worcestershire tang, those crispy potato edges.
Isn’t that what great cooking is about?
Make this hotpot your own. Add rosemary if you like, swap vegetables, but never rush it. Good things take time.
Traditional Lancashire Hotpot
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan/gas mark 3).
- Heat the drippings or butter in a large casserole dish until hot. Working in batches, brown the lamb chunks until they develop a golden crust. Remove to a plate.
- If using kidneys, brown them in the same pan and set aside with the lamb.
- In the same pan, gently fry the onions and carrots until they begin to soften and turn golden.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and gradually pour in the stock, stirring to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Return the browned meat to the pan along with the bay leaves and stir to combine.
- Arrange the sliced potatoes in overlapping layers on top of the meat mixture. Drizzle with a little more dripping or butter.
- Cover the dish and place in the oven for about 1½ hours until the potatoes become tender.
- For a crispy finish, remove the lid, brush the potatoes with more dripping or butter, and increase the oven temperature or place under the grill for 5-8 minutes until golden and crisp.
