James Martin Lancashire Hotpot is made with tender diced lamb shoulder, rich lamb kidneys, sweet sliced onions, and a topping of golden Maris Piper potatoes. This recipe creates a traditional Lancashire-style stew where the meat slowly braises in a savory rosemary gravy until it falls apart, covered by a crispy, buttery potato lid. It is the perfect comforting meal for a cold winter evening or a filling Sunday family dinner.
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Why You Will Love This Lancashire Hotpot Recipe:
- The Crispy “Potato Lid”: Unlike Shepherd’s Pie which uses mash, a hotpot uses sliced potatoes. As they bake, the bottom layers soak up the rich gravy while the top layers turn golden and crisp. It provides a fantastic textural contrast.
- Melt-in-the-Mouth Meat: By using lamb shoulder instead of leg, the meat stays incredibly moist. The high fat content renders down during the 2-hour simmer, ensuring the lamb falls apart with just a fork.
- The “Secret” Ingredient: Even if you aren’t a fan of offal, don’t skip the kidneys. They break down into the sauce, adding an intense savory depth and richness that plain stock cannot achieve. You won’t taste “kidney,” just the best gravy you’ve ever had.
- Savory Umami Kick: The addition of Worcestershire sauce drizzled over the potatoes before baking adds a salty, tangy kick that penetrates the dish and seasons the potatoes perfectly.
- One-Pot Wonder: Once the browning is done, everything cooks in the same pot. It moves from the stovetop to the oven, meaning fewer dishes to wash and a kitchen that smells amazing for hours.
Lancashire Hotpot Ingredients
For the Lamb Filling:
- 2 kg lamb shoulder, diced
- 6 lamb’s kidneys, cleaned and chopped
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 3 large onions, sliced
- 500ml lamb stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4–6 sprigs of rosemary (optional)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Topping:
- 1 kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and sliced
- Knob of butter (for dotting on top)
How To Make James Martin Lancashire Hotpot
- Coat the lamb: Place the diced lamb shoulder in a bowl. Dust it with the plain flour and toss well to coat.
- Sear the meat: Heat the vegetable oil in a large casserole pan over medium heat. Fry the lamb in batches until browned all over. Season each batch with salt and pepper as you cook. Remove the cooked lamb and set it aside on a plate.
- Sauté the onions: Add the sliced onions to the same pan. Season again and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until they start to soften and pick up flavor from the pan.
- Simmer the stew: Return the browned lamb to the pan and add the chopped kidneys. Pour in the lamb stock and add the rosemary sprigs (if using). Season well and stir everything together.
- Slow cook: Cover the pan with a lid and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer very gently for 2 hours. The lamb is ready when you can pull it apart easily with two forks.
- Assemble the topping: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the lid from the pan. Arrange the sliced potatoes in layers all over the top of the stew to cover the meat completely.
- Bake: Sprinkle the Worcestershire sauce over the potatoes and dot the top with small pieces of butter. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the potatoes are tender and golden brown.
Recipe Tips:
- Don’t Skip the Kidneys: Lamb kidneys are traditional in a hotpot. They add a deep, rich flavor to the gravy that you cannot get from meat alone. If you are squeamish, chop them very finely so they melt into the sauce.
- Use Lamb Shoulder: Always use shoulder rather than leg for this recipe. Shoulder has more fat and connective tissue, which keeps the meat moist during the long 2-hour simmer. Leg meat tends to dry out.
- Potato Thickness: Try to slice your potatoes to a consistent thickness (about 3-4mm). If they are too thick, they won’t cook through in the 45 minutes; if they are too thin, they might burn.
- The Flour Coating: Dusting the lamb in flour before frying is essential. It helps brown the meat, but more importantly, it thickens the stock as it cooks to create a rich gravy.
What To Serve With Lancashire Hotpot?
Balance Lancashire Hotpot with tangy pickled red cabbage or beetroot to cut through the fat. Add a side of buttered garden peas for freshness and a slice of crusty bread to soak up the delicious gravy.
How To Store Leftovers Lancashire Hotpot?
- Refrigerate: Allow the hotpot to cool completely. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze the cooked hotpot. Wrap it tightly or place in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Note that the potato topping may become slightly softer upon thawing. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
How To Reheat Leftovers Lamb Hotpot?
1. The Oven Method (The Only Way for Crispy Potatoes)
- Preheat: Set your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Cover: Cover the dish (or individual portion) tightly with aluminum foil. This traps steam to heat the meat without burning the potatoes.
- Bake: Heat for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Crisp: Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes. This allows the hot air to dry out the potato layer and make it golden again.
2. The Air Fryer Method (Fastest for Slices)
- Temperature: Set the air fryer to 320°F (160°C). Do not go higher, or the top potato layer will burn before the meat is hot.
- Heat: Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Check: Ensure the meat is bubbling hot underneath the potatoes.
3. The Microwave Method (Avoid if possible):.
- Prep: Place a portion in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Cover: Cover with a microwave lid to stop the gravy from splattering.
- Heat: Heat on high for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Rescue: If you have a broiler (grill) in your oven, you can microwave the hotpot to get it hot, then place it under the broiler for 2 minutes to try and crisp up the top.
FAQs :
Yes follow steps 1 through 4 (browning meat and onions). Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker and cook on Low for 6-8 hours. Transfer to an oven-proof dish, top with potatoes, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to cook the topping.
James Martin's Saturday Morning
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Check Price: £12.50 »Traditionally, yes however, you can leave the skins on for a rustic look, just make sure to wash them thoroughly.
Yes, you can. If you omit the kidneys, you may want to add a splash of soy sauce or extra Worcestershire sauce to replace the savory depth they provide.
This happens if the stew is too runny. The flour in step 1 helps thicken the sauce, which supports the potatoes. Ensure the stew has simmered enough to thicken before adding the topping.
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📊Lancashire Hotpot Nutrition Facts :
Serving Size: 1 bowl (serves 6)
- Calories: 680 kcal
- Total Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Cholesterol: 210mg
- Sodium: 450mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 38g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Sugars: 4g
- Protein: 52g
James Martin Lancashire Hotpot
Course: Dinner, Lunch, MainCuisine: British, AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings30
minutes2
hours45
minutes680
kcal📌Tender diced lamb shoulder and kidneys are braised in a rich stock, then topped with sliced potatoes and baked until golden. Served with pickled cabbage.
Ingredients :
- For the Filling:
2kg lamb shoulder, diced
6 lamb’s kidneys, cleaned and chopped
3 large onions, sliced
500ml lamb stock (or chicken stock)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4-6 sprigs of rosemary (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Topping:
1kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and sliced
Knob of butter (for dotting)
Directions :
- Prep the meat: Place the diced lamb shoulder in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the plain flour and toss well until the meat is evenly coated. This helps thicken the stew later.
- Sear the lamb: Heat the vegetable oil in a large casserole dish or oven-proof pan over medium heat. Fry the lamb in batches until it is browned all over. Remove the browned meat and set aside on a plate.
- Sweat the onions: Add the sliced onions to the same pan (don’t clean it; the brown bits add flavor). Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes until they start to soften.
- Assemble the stew: Return the lamb to the pan. Add the chopped kidneys, rosemary sprigs (if using), and pour in the lamb stock. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and season well.
- Slow cook (Part 1): Cover the pan with a lid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 2 hours. The lamb should be tender enough to pull apart with a fork.
- Add the topping: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove the lid from the pan. Arrange the sliced potatoes in neat overlapping layers all over the surface of the meat.
- Bake (Part 2): Sprinkle a little more Worcestershire sauce over the potatoes and dot the top with small knobs of butter. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 45 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through and golden brown.
Notes
- The Cut Matters: James Martin recommends lamb shoulder because it has enough fat to stay moist during the long cook. If you use lean leg meat, it may dry out.
Don’t Fear the Kidneys: Kidneys are the traditional secret ingredient in a Lancashire Hotpot. They melt into the gravy, providing a rich, savory depth (umami) that you can’t get from stock alone.
Potato Slicing: For the best topping, slice the potatoes about the thickness of a pound coin (wpzoom-recipe-card/block-recipe-card coin). If they are too thick, they won’t cook through; too thin, and they might burn.
Crispy Edges: To get extra crispy potatoes, you can brush them with a little melted butter or dripping halfway through the oven cooking time.
