Slow Cooker Lamb Hotpot

4.72 from 25 votes

Slow Cooker Lamb Hotpot – tender chunks of Welsh Lamb cooked with root vegetables in a rich gravy under a blanket of golden potatoes.

Prep Time20

Cook Time7

Total Time7 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Keyword: Lancashire Hotpot, Slow Cooker Lamb Hotpot

Servings: - 6

Calories: 621kcal

Start by seasoning your lamb with a few turns of the salt and pepper mil. Heat the oil in a pan and brown the lamb, in batches, over high heat. Set aside.
2 pounds (900g) PGI Welsh Lamb, salt and pepper, 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Add butter to the hot pan and sautée the onions and leeks until softened but not coloured.
2 tbsp butter, 2 onions, 2 leeks
Stir in the flour and a little of the stock to make a gravy then add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, garlic and cranberry sauce if using.
2 tbsp plain flour, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp tomato paste, ½ tbsp cranberry sauce or seedless raspberry jam, 1 tsp garlic paste or fresh minced garlic
Add the stock, lamb and the pan contents to the slow cooker and stir in the parsnips, carrots and bay leaves.
2 cups (480ml) lamb stock , 2 carrots, 2 parsnips, 2 bay leaves
Layer the sliced potatoes over the top, overlapping them slightly. Season with the salt, pepper and thyme. Cover and cook on the HIGH setting for 7-8 hours.
3 large baking potatoes
For a finishing touch, brush the potatoes with a little butter and brown under a hot grill in the oven for 5-7 minutes until slightly crispy at the edges. Sprinkle with the rosemary, serve and enjoy!
1 tsp fresh thyme, 1 tbsp melted butter for brushing, Rosemary sprig

Prep ahead: you can prepare the recipe in advance and add to your slow cooker without the final layer of potatoes. Keep this in the fridge until you are ready to cook the hotpot, adding the potato layer on top before turning on the slow cooker.
For a richer gravy you can use some red wine or port as well as the lamb stock – just make sure the liquid in the recipe makes 2 cups (480ml).
I used a 3.5L slow cooker in the recipe video. You can use a slightly larger one if preferred (it won't be as full) but you might need more potatoes for the topping.

TO COOK IN THE OVEN

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F (fan). Season the lamb with a few turns of the salt and pepper mil. Heat the oil in a casserole dish and brown the lamb, in batches, over high heat. Set aside.
Add butter to the hot pan and sautée the onions and leeks until softened but not colored.
Stir in the flour and a little of the stock to make a gravy then add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, garlic and cranberry sauce if using.
Add the stock, lamb an and stir in the parsnips, carrots and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
Layer the sliced potatoes over the top, overlapping them slightly. Season with the salt, pepper and thyme. Cover and cook for a further hour.
Take the lid off and brush the potatoes with a little butter. Turn up the heat to 200°C (400°F) and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the potatoes are browned.