Hairy Bikers Lancashire Hotpot Recipe

This Hairy Bikers Lancashire hotpot from British Classics layers lamb neck with kidneys and black pudding under sliced potatoes in a Worcestershire gravy. And it serves six in just over an hour at around 780 calories, which is honest for a dish this rich.

Si and Dave say “a hotpot is too good to be kept captive in Lancashire” and they include black pudding because it “adds richness and flavour.” And the kidneys are listed as optional, so you can leave them out if they are not your thing without losing the character of the dish.

What you get from the layering is two completely different potato textures in one dish. The bottom slices cook in the meat juices and go soft and gooey, while the top ones crisp up golden in the butter.

Hairy Bikers Lancashire Hotpot Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:British Courses:Main Course

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 25 minutesCook time: 45 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour 10 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:780 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Si and Dave’s proper Lancashire hotpot from British Classics with lamb neck, kidneys and black pudding layered between sliced potatoes and baked in a thyme and Worcestershire gravy until the top crisps golden.

Ingredients

For the Lancashire Hotpot:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1kg neck of lamb, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 4 lamb kidneys, cleaned, trimmed and quartered
• 2 onions, sliced
• ½ tsp salt, plus extra to season
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 250ml lamb stock
• 1 thyme sprig
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 50g butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
• 1kg potatoes, sliced
• 2 × 250g black pudding rings, outer casing removed, thickly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Brown the meat: Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the lamb and kidneys for a minute or so on both sides until golden brown all over, then remove and set aside.
2. Make the gravy: Add the onions and salt to the same pan and cook for two to three minutes until softened. Stir in the flour until the onions are well coated, then pour in the stock with the thyme, bay leaves and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and simmer for eight to ten minutes until thickened slightly.
3. Layer the hotpot: Butter the inside of a lidded casserole dish and place a layer of potatoes over the bottom, seasoning with salt and pepper. Spoon in half the browned lamb and kidneys, then lay over half the black pudding slices and pour over half the gravy. Repeat with another layer of potatoes, the remaining meat, black pudding and gravy. Finish with a final layer of potatoes on top and dot with butter.
4. Bake: Cover with the lid and bake for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for a further 20 minutes until the potatoes on top are golden brown and crisp.

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FAQs

Can I make Lancashire hotpot in a slow cooker?

Brown the lamb and kidneys on the hob first and make the gravy as written, since a slow cooker cannot build that base flavour. Layer everything in the slow cooker the same way and cook on low for six to eight hours until the lamb is tender and falling apart.

The potatoes will not crisp in a slow cooker though, so put it under a hot grill for five minutes at the end or transfer to a 200°C oven. That extra step is what separates a proper hotpot from a stew with potatoes on it.

Can I make this vegetarian?

Si and Dave don’t have a veggie Lancashire hotpot in any of their books, but the method works if you swap the lamb for chunky mushrooms and root veg like swede, parsnip and carrot. Skip the kidneys, and if you can find veggie black pudding it is worth adding because the gravy needs that richness.

The important bit is keeping the Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay, since those are what make it taste like a hotpot rather than just vegetables under potatoes. And the layered potato technique works the same way no matter what filling you put underneath.

What about a corned beef Lancashire hotpot?

Si and Dave have one in Everyday Winners and call it “heaven from a can.” It swaps the lamb for thickly sliced corned beef, uses tomato puree instead of Worcestershire, and finishes with dried sage and thyme.

It is faster because there is no meat to brown, so you just make the onion gravy, layer everything and bake. Si and Dave treat it as the midweek version when you want the same crispy-potato comfort without the full Sunday effort.

What does the black pudding actually do?

It melts into the gravy during baking and adds a deep, savoury richness that lamb and kidneys alone cannot reach. Si and Dave recommend keeping it in, and once you have tried it you will understand why Lancashire folk insist on it.

Black pudding also thickens the gravy slightly as it breaks down between the potato layers, which stops the filling from being too liquidy. Buy it as a ring from the butcher rather than pre-sliced, since the slices hold their shape better during the bake.

What goes well with Lancashire hotpot?

Si and Dave say “some green veg” and that is honestly all you need. Steamed cabbage or buttered peas are what people in Lancashire have always eaten alongside it, because a hotpot this rich does not want a heavy side competing.

Pickled red cabbage is the other classic if you can get it, since the vinegar cuts through the black pudding and gravy. And if you want a lighter version of the same idea without the kidneys or black pudding, the lamb hotpot from Perfect Pies is the simpler take that Si and Dave call “a hot pot that thinks it’s a pie.”