Lancashire Hot Pot...Recipe for an old fashioned baked casserole, with pickled red cabbage, pickled onions and pickled beets

The idea of this is that it cooks in the oven "all day"...(the old ovens of My Grandparents where attached to the fireplace and cooked all day from the heat of the fire) This recipe if over 200yrs old

Originally it was made with lamb neck bones, but as you can see it can be made with any meat...as it cooks a long time, even tough  cuts of meat work.

Feeds 4 - 6 as a main course

2-3 pounds meat (ground chicken, turkey, lamb, pork; small (1/2 inch) cubed- stewing steak, fresh leg or shoulder of pork, lamb chops, pork chops, chicken pieces with skin removed)

3 pounds starchy potatoes peeled and thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick = 4 cups)

3 cups sliced onions

salt & pepper

1/4 stick butter

2 pints beef/chicken  stock/gravy

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

method #1
with the ground meat ..saute in a saucepan with a little butter until no longer pink, then remove from pan.
Add the stock or gravy to the pan and cook for 10 mins.
set aside

PREHEAT OVEN 325F
Method #2
with the diced meats and bone in, lightly flour...saute in a little butter, in a large skillet until brown on both sides, remove and add 1/2 the stock to warm through, add to the stock in saucepan and bring to boil, season with salt & pepper, set aside.

Lightly butter a deep ovenproof  2-3qt casserole.
Add an overlapping layer of potato slices on base, top with some of the meat and onions and carrots, season then apply another layer of potatoes, continue until last layer is overlapping potatoes.

Top the whole with hot stock, salt & pepper. Add the butter to the top of the casserole and apply a tight fitting lid or foil.
Place covered casserole On a cookie sheet ..PLACE IN MIDDLE PREHEATED OVEN 

COOK FOR 2 HOURS TIGHTLY LIDDED

REMOVE LID AND BAKE A FURTHER 30 MINS until golden brown.

Test gravy/cooking liquor seasoning, remove excess fat, and serve in the casserole .

Top with 2 tbsp minced parsley (optional)

This is a complete dish ..may be served with pickled onions, beets and red cabbage.

Pickled beets...slice steamed/boiled , peeled beets into 1/4 inch slices and, add salt and pepper and cover with malt or red wine vinegar...serve after 2 hours marinating, in vinegar

Pickled red cabbage: as above, using raw thinly sliced red cabbage

Pickled onions: thinly sliced brown onion, marinated in malt vinegar 1 cup plus 2 tbsp brown sugar. Marinate for minimum 20 mins before serving.