Recipes / Pot
The old realm · main quest · Pot
Lamb & Barley Broth
The Shepherd's Broth
Browned lamb, pearl barley, leeks and the old roots, simmered slowly into a clear, savory broth with cabbage and peas. Barley broths with mutton are among the oldest pots of the northern British Isles. This is the leaner, quicker version.
At the table: In a slow cooker on warm, at 140°F or above, up to 4 hours. Add a splash of broth now and then.
Not yet table-tested. This recipe is written from standard, well-known methods and has not been through our test tables yet. The badge changes when it has.
Crafting formula
TrainsBladeFireTime
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As written: a one-pot broth.
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Sear the lamb harder, in three batches, until deep brown on every side, and finish each bowl with a spoon of mint and parsley chopped with lemon zest and a little olive oil.
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Roast 2 pounds of lamb bones until browned and simmer them 3 hours with onion, carrot and bay into your own stock, and bake barley bread to serve alongside.
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Serve it in two courses: the strained broth in warm cups first, then the lamb and roots plated neatly with crisp-fried leeks and herb oil.
Cooking at Hearth. The dish as written. Simple, honest, done well.
Stock your pantry to see what you are missing.
Why nowA little lamb goes a long way: a pound and a quarter feeds six once the barley and roots are in the pot.
Ingredients
As written: About 12 cups.
Kosher salt means Diamond Crystal. With Morton kosher salt, use about half.
Method
Pat the lamb dry and season it with ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the lamb in two batches, about 5 minutes a batch. Move it to a bowl.
Look forBrowned on two sides. It doesn't need to be cooked through yet.
Lower the heat to medium. Cook the onion, leeks and celery for 6 minutes, scraping up the browned bits.
Return the lamb and its juices to the pot with the barley, broth, bay leaves, thyme and the rest of the salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered for 1 hour, skimming off any foam.
Look forA gentle simmer, a few bubbles at a time. A hard boil toughens the lamb.
Add the carrots, turnip and cabbage and simmer 25 minutes more.
Look forA fork slides through the lamb, and the barley is soft with a little chew.
Stir in the peas for 3 minutes. Take out the bay leaves, spoon off any fat on the surface, stir in the vinegar and parsley, and taste for salt.
Make ahead
Keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes 3 months. Chill it overnight and lift off the fat that sets on top. The barley thickens it as it sits, so add water or broth and reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Holding
In a slow cooker on warm, at 140°F or above, up to 4 hours. Add a splash of broth now and then.
Allergens
Contains wheat/gluten (barley). Always check labels on packaged ingredients.
Notes
Gluten-free: swap the barley for ⅔ cup brown rice, added with the carrots.
Lamb shoulder is the cut to use here. Lean leg of lamb works, but it can turn dry in a long simmer.
Turnips and cabbage are the medieval vegetables. Potatoes work, but they came to Europe from the Americas after 1492.
Tavern Night
This dish's twist table (d6)
| 1–2 | The classic stands. No twist. Cook it as written. |
|---|---|
| 3 | Herb swap. Swap the parsley for chopped mint |
| 4 | Acid strike. A squeeze of lemon in each bowl instead of the vinegar |
| 5 | Plating challenge. Serve the lamb and roots on a board and the broth in mugs, the old way of eating a broth in two courses |
| 6 | Host's boon. The Host picks any twist above, or the table invents one. The safety rule still applies. |
Roll before you start cooking. No twist ever changes a time, a temperature or how done something must be.