The Edinburgh Castle ★ 4.6
Top 50 Gastropub in Ancoats, Manchester. Gabe Lea (Le Manoir, Northcote, Maya) runs the upstairs bistro; downstairs is a working pub with cask ales.
History
The Lancashire hotpot evolved during the cotton-mill era as a one-pot meal cotton workers could leave to bake while at work. Lamb or mutton, sliced onions and a layer of sliced potatoes were assembled in the eponymous deep, round pot and slow-baked. Manchester gastropubs from The Edinburgh Castle to Mr Thomas's Chop House still serve a winter version, often with red cabbage and pickled walnuts on the side.
Common allergens: Gluten
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 1kg diced lamb shoulder
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 500g floury potatoes, sliced 5mm thick
- 500ml lamb stock
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt, pepper
Method
- Toss the lamb in seasoned flour and brown in batches in a heavy casserole.
- Layer the onions over the lamb, splash with Worcestershire, pour over the stock.
- Layer the sliced potatoes over the top, overlapping like roof tiles. Brush with melted butter.
- Cover and bake at 160C for 90 minutes, then uncover and bake 30 more until the potato lid is crisp and golden.
Tip from the editors. Use floury potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward) for the lid; waxy varieties stay too firm.
Where to eat lancashire hotpot
Lancashire hotpot in Manchester
Mr Thomas's Chop House ★ 4.4
Manchester's 1867 Victorian pub and chop house on Cross Street, late kitchen until 23:00 every day. Cask ales, steak and kidney pudding, tilework all around.
Try: Steak and kidney pudding
The Black Friar ★ 4.4
1886 Salford pub, derelict for fifteen years, resurrected 2021 with chef Ben Chaplin. Pub classics, one AA Rosette, the best beer garden in the city.
Signature: Sunday roast, Pub classics
Order: Sunday roast with beef rib; the deep-fried mac and cheese starter.
Tip: Book the back-room dining; the front pub takes walk-ins for drinks and pies.
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