Lancashire hot pot ....
 

What exactly is it .... I can remember my gran making it, but is there a standard recipe? No pictures please, I don't want to drool on my keyboard.;)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I make one regularly Eric, but what you put into it varies, I use Lamb chops, onions, potatos, stock cube and seasoning, other people put carrots and other veges in, but I like mine simple and it very tasty too

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Traditionally 'best end of neck of lamb' is placed on top of layered potato slices and onions.
No liquid (or very little) to be added because the potaoes and onions get basted by the fat as it melts down onto them.
Very slow cooking essential - traditionally left in a low oven all day to provide a ready meal on return from t'mill

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

It's 'orrible, about the only meal I did not enjoy as a child, who puts lamb chops in a casserole type meal ? Flabby fat.. yuk. I have never been a fussy eater (albeit not a large appetite), however the only bit of a hot pot I enjoyed was the crispy sliced potatoes off the top .. and the gravy.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

So if I wanted to make one .... lamb is the key; I don't think I could get best end of neck around here. Lamb is not very popular here, I think the scotsmen scared most of the sheep away:eek: But one butcher, a Greek, does do lamb chops and roasts, and stewing meat. How do you think it would do in a slow cooker?

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

When using a slow cooker it is recommended to place the meat at the bottom where there is most heat - that will remove the basting effect and you wont have a good hotpot.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I make it, but I don't eat it...i know that sounds daft, but hubby likes it and I don't.
I get Chump chops and choose them without too much fat...a little is essential for the flavour.......I flash fry them in a non stick pan(no added fat)........cook a couple of large onions in the same pan(picks up the flavour and any juices left in the pan)
I Slice three large potatoes and(old ones are best)......and bring to the boil in lightly salted water.......drain and then layer the onions and potatoes a couple of carrots in good size chunky pieces.....put the chops in the middle, and then put a layer of potato and onion over the top, add a 3/4pint of stock and roast in a low oven.........about 35 minutes before the stuff is to be served i brush the top with butter and move the dish up to the top of the oven and turn the heat up to pastry cooking heat(gas mark 7) to crisp up the top layer of spuds...keep an eye on the browning process...you want the top layer crispy but not cremated.
Hope that helps Eric.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

slow cookers are OK but you don't get teh crsut that makes it so yummy. You can put the lamb in high up as teh heat rises and teh hottest liqued is at teh top so it does work.

It doesn't want or need to be tender lamb as its cooked so slow and low. in fact teh scrag end was chosen because of its good flavour ( due to teh bones) and teh fact that you couldn't use it in any other meal.

Traditionally it also had Oysters in it round teh seaside (Blackpool/morecambe) as they were cheap.

just stick onion, spuds, carrots, salt pepper in and give it a help with a stock cube if you like. Leave it a good 8 or 9 hours on low or in an oven for about 2-3, leave teh top off for a nice crust.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I make my own variation of hotpot - more like meat and potato pie. I use lentils and pearl barley (boiled to softness) as well as potatoes and carrots (diced) and I prefer leeks to onions. I usually use neck of lamb, sliced and browned in a little oil, and a stock cube, salt and black pepper and a teaspoonful of mixed herbs. It works equally well with the left-overs from a lamb joint - the bone of which should also be added (but removed before eating, of course). I either put the lot in the slow cooker for about 6 hours or it can be done on the hob for 2 or 3 hours but you need a very heavy-bottomed pan.

To finish I either add more liquid (stock) if it's cooking in a pan and drop in a few suet dumplings, which cook in 20 minutes, or I put it in a casserole dish and make a suet pastry crust and put it in the oven til the pastry's golden brown. It's not the traditional Lancashire Hotpot but it's very tasty and it fills you up. ;)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Thanks for the advice y'all .... I think I'm going to try and make one .... I have the munchies just from reading these posts, and I'm not even stoned (yet).

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Those recipes sound yummy:)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

We always used to use skirt, potato's, onions and carrots. Add water and a little stock, a bit of salt to season. Cook slowly and add a nice thick short crust pastry crust.
Mmmm Delish.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Please, a recipe for suet pastry crust .... puhleese.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I usualy put mine on at about gas mark 4 for about 5 hours and its just right Margaret, I get hotpot chops from Accy Marked have been getting them from the same place for 20 years now

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

With pleasure, Eric, it's very easy.

For an average casserole dish you need about 8 heaped tablespoons of self raising flour and 5 of shredded suet (I never weigh or measure, these days, I just go by experience). Add a good pinch of salt and mix it all together then add cold water, a dribble at a time and continually mixing and blending, until you have a nice ball of not-too-sticky dough. Roll it out on a floured board then place it on your dishful of hotpot, with a slit in the middle to let the steam out. Brush it with milk and bake it at gas mark 6 for about half an hour until it's a lovely golden colour. Eat and enjoy!

Bon appetite. :)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Thanx .... I'm going to have to try this one; but, what is gas mark 6? Can you translate into temp? I don't have a gas stove, I have electric.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

200 degrees celcius, 400 degrees fareneight eric

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Oh sorry. I looked it up and gas mark 6 is 400' F, 204' C. I hope that helps. :)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

yeh, that helps a lot .... and now off to the butcher to talk about suet ....

Some things you guys take for granted are hard to get here:mad: Well, I guess it's my fault for moving to a foreign country;)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

You'll have to let us know how you get on.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Only if I'm successful:D If it fails there will be one happy dog around here:gooddog:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

We have Atora Suet here, it's in packets of 250 grammes. They do a vegetarian suet, too, but I'm not keen on it. I never thought about it being a peculiarly British commodity, I just assumed it was a world-wide thing.

I think, if I lived in Canada, I'd have to keep popping back to England to stock up on supplies. :D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

You most definitely would ... Canadians look at a steer and see steak, roasts, and hamburger, and that's as far as we go .... maybe stewing beef. Liver maybe .... but no one goes for the heart or the kidney's or the tongue .... you can get tongue only with difficulty, and I know of only one place in town where you can get steak and kidney pie. Lamb isn't very popular with the masses. There are no fish and chip shops in town .... yes, there is one .... The Rose and Crown has take out for fish and chips, but the R&C is owned by Eddie Walker from Preston, so maybe it doesn't count.

On the plus side, we live well, and food costs are low. And it looks like it might stay that way, as our economy will probably avoid the worst of the recession that seems about to hit the US and England.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

re. shreded suet, only 'fats' I can see on my grocery shelves are 20 different types of various cooking oils and tubs of Crisco , would Crisco work ? ( its white stuff like lard but has the substance/texture of Brylcreem :eek:)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Nah, don't think Crisco would work .... I'm going to have to talk to my butcher; he might be able to come up with something.:confused:

You still using Brylcream?????:eek:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Mine Always Looks O.k. But The Spuds Are Always Hard,,,,

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

have a tub of the stuff in the bathroom cabinet , date on the bottom says 93 , still smells and looks okay :eek: , use a small dab occasionally for lubing the blades on my hair clippers ;)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

There ya go; a little dab'll do it.:D

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The butcher should be able to help and he may even mince the suet for you.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Not cooked long enough, turn the temperature down and leave it longer. Also if you cover it for teh first 3/4 of teh cooking trime it will help 'steam' the spuds. Its also best using a powdery spud like a King edward.

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Just put one in the oven this morning, and its smelling wonderful at the moment, can't wait to get stuck in:cook38:

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Not really the weather to have the oven on all day:eek:

Parma Ham and melon, with a side salad for me, and fruit for afters

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I did get the lamb chops .... but no suet yet!!!! I'm working on it.

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aww.....should we organise a care package for Eric?

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Don't seem much wrong with that Margaret, very tasty;)

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The old world coming to the rescue of the new;):D

Starving Canadian will trade t-bone steaks for suet:eek::eek::eek:

It would make a good headline for the Observer:dancedog:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Do you want some sending over Eric??

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Well it would if it were a slow news week Eric:D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Can you believe it .... not a shred of suet to be had in the city!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: What a culinary wasteland we are.:( Well, I have the lamb chops, and the spuds, and the onions ..... if I like this, I may attempt a Canadian hot pot, using moose meat.;)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Wild meat doesn't have the fat needed to baste the spuds and onions.
Stick with the lamb chops and don't trim the fat off.
A suet crust on top is not the traditional way, so you aren't missing anything.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I wouldn't dream of putting a crust on mine Margaret, I just have a ceramic dish about 13" x 10" x 2" deep fill it with layers of meat, onions and spuds add a stock cube, then cover with foil, sorted

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I put a crust on mine because I like it that way. No, It's not "traditional" but it's delicious. ;)

Eric, I pity you living in a suet-poor country. There are all those suet puddings, as well, that you're missing out on. Is the steak pudding completely unknown in Canada? :eek:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Sad to say, the steak pud is largely unknown .... tried asking my friends, and the response is a blank look or, "do people in England really eat that"???? Same with black puddings and tripe.:mad: We used to have a Marks and Spencer's store in town, and you could get cans of steak and kidney pud there; but they mostly sat on the shelves gathering dust.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Eric, similar situation here in California , no suet to be found , just blank looks and does it have an "English name" ? .
Need to check with my Latino/Hispanic neighbours , they seem to use a lot of fat/grease in some of their recipes , they do something called an 'empanada' which is a lot like a cornish pasty so will ask how they do the pastry
Empanada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I don't know about that .... if a goat can make the headlines, why not the dearth of good old fashioned suet in the Great White North:confused:

I wonder if whale blubber would do?:D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Suet is the fat trimmed from around kidneys
Suet
so abbatoirs will have it - the link indicates that nowadays it is removed before the butcher gets the carcass

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Oh my word that was the worst job I ever had to do when I first started as an Apprentance (sp) Butcher when I left school. The sfuff used to flake all over the place and smell...........................:(

But is sold like hot cakes though (this was early/mid 70's)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

omg i'm gunna throw up!

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Always topped mine off with thin slices of potato that went crispy when done.Lovely jubbly!!

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I found suet:theband: .... and guess where? The pet food store! They have it in balls .... for the birds ... you hang the balls on the clothes line, or on a tree branch, and the birds just love it, especially in winter. Now, how do I shred the damn stuff .... witht a cheese grater or something like that:confused:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Keep thi heed Eric theres enough blubber on here as it is:D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

No its not traditional West Ender, but there's a lot of things in lanky that are not traditional but they're good. I love the crust on home made tatta pie, like mi granny used to make, and I'd die (not literally) for one of her steak puddngs in't rag.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Is it ok for you to eat? Would be a bit concerned about eating something from a pet store:eek:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

It does take a leap of faith doesn't it?
but when you think what junk gets served up for human consumption, I think I would risk it

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

witchered pie crust - mmmmmmmm

NIce steamed pudding is lovely, sweet or savoury I don't mind. :D

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Don't think I would somehow, would quite happily send some over rather than Eric taking a risk

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Just in the cause of Colonial cooperation Bernie:D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Posted via Mobile Device

At this rate we will be running food parcels to the bloke, goblin ,meat puds anyone? :D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Starving Canadians:eek: Need food packages .... that's kinda funny:D

But it is strange that one can get all kinds of ethnic foods here .... for example, if you are Portuguese (Kingson has a large number of people of Portuguese descent) you have no trouble getting large slabs of salt cod, or spicy sausage, or squid. Also Italian food, Greek food, East Indian food etc, etc .... but English "ethnic" ... forget it .... except for fish and chips. Can also get moose, deer, pemmican, buffalo ... but no god damned suet ..... unless you are a bird:mad:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

thats just the way i do it and it`s bloody good.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

kate, you dont know whats good for you, it sticks to your ribs,

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I don't think suet poses much of a risk ..... I ride my motorcycle on the MacDonald-Cartier freeway:eek: Now, that's taking a risk:dancedog:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Suet will be on the way in next couple of days:)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

the Royal Mail allows the posting of animal by-products ? would have thought completly illegal , could contain any type if disease , Mad Cow etc.
:confused: :confused:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Mad cow disease .... I don't think suet causes PMS:eek::hidewall:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I don't think we've got so much mad cow disease any more. Silly cow disease - yes, we've plenty of that. ;)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I think thats been around a longtime West Ender, Ive had two Mother in Laws:D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Suet has arrived .... August 12 will long be remembered as the day that Lancashire ethnic food arrived in Kingston .... I am now the suet master of Kingston .... all I have to do now is cook .... and select a fine wine to go with the meal:alright:

Thanx Bernadette, you are a sweetie:D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Bernadette is going to get some of my Karma for being an Ace ambassador for us.
Enjoy the suet eric, I love it, and its gorgeous in all sorts of stews as a dumpling, really easy to make too.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Your welcome Eric, could never have forgiven myself if you had got desperate and tried the stuff from the pet store:eek: Enjoy:)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

And now it turns out I can't get self rasing flour .... but I can make my own: 100g of flour, 3g of baking powder, and 1g (or less) of salt .... where would we be without Google:D And now it's time to get down and dirty in the kitchen:dancedog:

And just in case you guys think we are deprived over here in our backwoods little colony ... I have moose steak in my freezer:D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

[quote Eric]And now it turns out I can't get self rasing flour [/quote] Sorry Eric not posting bags of flour over:eek:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Sorry Eric not posting bags of flour over:eek:[/quote]

Pas probleme ... I can handle it .... we Canadians are resourceful .... but thanx for the thought hon;):D But tonite I think I will stick to cabbage rolls and perogies ... with an elegant wine .... Chateau Porch Climber 2008 (late June) served ice cold, drunk from the bottle in a brown paper bag:theband:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Pas probleme ... I can handle it .... we Canadians are resourceful .... but thanx for the thought hon;):D But tonite I think I will stick to cabbage rolls and perogies ... with an elegant wine .... Chateau Porch Climber 2008 (late June) served ice cold, drunk from the bottle in a brown paper bag:theband:[/quote]
Sounds delicious Eric:eek:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I think that moose steak sounds quite tasty too! :D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I have a wonderful recipe for moose:

Take one gun, (should have a caliber of at least .270, preferably .308), add ammunition, buy a hunting licence, find moose, (don't get too close, moose are really dangerous animals ... don't let the goofy looks fool you ... and they object to being shot) ... kill moose, field dress moose (I'll spare everyone the gory details) ... haul moose to a butcher, pick up when it's all cut up, cook and eat.:alright:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

..... and add a pinch of salt.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

cant you eat cabbage instead?

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

don't think i have ever tried it although it sounds yummy

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Cabbage rolls ... good Ukrainian food .... go well with moose.

Just chatting to a buddy of mine about this moose recipe. Dan is an expert on moose; he is a member of the James Bay Cree First Nation. His moose recipe is, he claims, the traditional Cree way of preparing moose. Kill moose, give moose to sqaw, drink beer until moose is ready, eat and enjoy. I got this recipe only by promising his wife wouldn't find out about it. If she does find out she will probably rip him a new one for using the "s" word;)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Now you've got your suet you can make moose stew with dumplings. :)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Funny you should mention that ... I have everything ready for moose stew and dumplings .... now I'm working on what wine would best go with it.;) Moose meat is actually very tasty .... but the moose should be shot standing, same with deer, if you shoot them running the meat is too tough and gammy. And don't worry about Bambi; the annual hunt benefits the general deer and moose populations. Since man put a lot of pressure on natural predators like wolves, the populations have been getting too large and unhealthy. There is a program in Ontario to reintroduce wolves and protect them. Some sheep farmers object to this, but the sheep are in more danger from wandering Yorkshiremen than they are from wolves:eek::D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I'm all for reintroducing wolves, beautiful animals who've had a bad Press for far too long. Anyone who lives with a dog is, in reality, living with a wolf with a different haircut.

I'm very fond of venison but it can be rather tough and needs a lot of long, slow cooking. Now I know, it was shot while running away (how unsporting).

Which wine? A nice, fruity, Cabernet Merlot would go down very well with a venison casserole so, presumably, a moose one too. Ooh, my mouth's watering now. :D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Ah, another wolf fan ... beautiful animals .... if you drive thro certain parts of Kingston, late at night (or very early in the morning if you prefer), you often see wolves, particularly close to the conservation areas. Sometimes you can see the occasional Coyote; but they are really shy. Lots of fox around this year too. I agree on the wine .... I'm off to the El Cabo to buy some. I think I'll go with the moose stew with dumplings, a sort of cross-cultural meal.;)

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

a tip I picked up in the middle east ....the best marinade for tough gamey meat , (Deer, Goat, Camel, wild pig etc. ) Pomegranate juice ;)

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Do you forment it first steeljack:D then drink the gravy:rolleyes:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Never thought of that when I cooked camels', erm, appendages in Saudi. :o Mind you they reasonably soft - and a bit spongey - quite nice, actually, if you didn't think about what you were eating. :D

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Ok so the moose stew was, if not great, at least tasty .... and the dumplings, not bad for a first effort. And the wine was fine. Burrrrrpp .... ah.:dancedog:

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Harrods are working on having amongest others a Lancashire Hot-pot flavoured ice cream. Who is going to volunteer to try it?:)

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Is that a wind-up or what Bernie:D

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No think it was in last nights Telegraph(not got it here to check), think a sausage and mash flavour was mentioned as well:eek:

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

just doing a search, gonna make a hotpot today, and being a bloke, unless its summat spicy where i get to throw loads of stuff in, i follow a recipe (well try)

missus has gone back to college doing catering, in her 2nd year, so she makes all of these wonderful dishes, that i wont attempt, but being in my nature, rather than just saying "oh thats good!", i end up saying "not enough seasoning for me, or have you thout about this to bring the flavour out of that"

so needless to say i get the same treatment when i try cooking, so anyway back to my point

i was gonna google and do one off bbd website or summat, but thought i would search accyweb to see if i could find one, so im gonna use margarets, first one i found.

will let you know results, to save me looking, does anyone know of a trad lancs recipe thread on here?

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

I hope you enjoy it.
I have never had any complaints about my efforts...and there is NEVER any left.

Here is a link to a picture of one of mine. Just so that you know what it should look like.

My glorious Lancashire hotpot | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

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will post a pic of mine later, i use ghee now instead of butter, its like intravenous butter lol

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

Oh, forgot to say I add a pinch of rosemary to the meat juices left in the pan......and swill the pan with a little of my stock. Just gives it a little added flavour, but it is optional.

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what and serve that over the top as a gravy?

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right, its in the oven!

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

No, I add it to the whole thing, it shouldn't need gravy, the liquor from the dish should be gravy enough. Serve the dish with a nice(preferably home made) pickled red cabbage...or beetroot. I hope you enjoy it.

Re: Lancashire hot pot ....
 

sometimes if there is any of the liquor left from the hotpot, I will dice up some veggies add a bit of barley and add it to the liquor to make a soup for the day after.
But my hungry husband often gets to the juice before I can do this.