Panacalty: Corned Beef and Potato Hotpot

Panacalty is a simple and delicious layered corned beef, onion, bacon and potato bake that is cooked in beef stock from North East England.

Cooking this dish takes a while, but if you use a mandolin, prep becomes much easier, then you just layer it up and throw it in the oven for a couple of hours.

British Panackelty Hotpot

Like so many regional British recipes, my take on a panacalty is a dish that has a multitude of names!

It is also known as panakelty, panaculty and even pannack. If you head down toward the Humber, you will find panaggie and in Northumberland, the pan haggerty, which adds cheese.

It is essentially a corned beef and potato bake, and unsurprisingly, in some places it is called a corned beef tattie pot.

Layers of potatoes are combined with layers of corned beef, carrots, cooked bacon and onions.

Then, beef stock is poured in, and the whole thing is cooked in the oven until it is all bubbly and cooked through. It is pure comfort food stodge, and it tastes amazing!

Tinned corned beef has started to appear here quite regularly since my return to the UK. It holds so many food memories from my childhood, and I love exploring them.

This recipe joins other "classics" like corned beef and potato pie, corned beef hash, corned beef fritters, corned beef and onion pasties, corned beef pasta bake, and a corned beef and baked bean stew.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this in advance?

Yes, this is one of the rare recipes that I always make with leftovers in mind, too, because it is awesome for breakfast.

You can layer up the dish, cover it with foil and then just pour in the beef stock mix when you are ready to cook.

Or you can cook it, chill it and then just reheat it in the oven when you are ready. It will be fine in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Why do you over-dilute the stock cubes?

I like to add a little Marmite to my beef stock to ramp up the umami flavours in the dish.

But as we have lots of salty elements like the bacon and corned beef, the dish rapidly becomes too salty. Adding extra water to the recommended stock dilution reduces the chances of this happening.

If you are not using OXO cubes, make up your stock but add around a third more water than it recommends.

Does the type of potato matter?

I think that this recipe is much better made with a floury potato like a Maris Piper or King Edwards, or a Russet if you are in the US.

You could use a medium potato, like a standard yellow baking potato or a Desiree red potato, too. But it is best to avoid waxy salad potatoes.

Is a mandolin really worth it?

I personally think so, yes! They reduce preparation time in a dish like this considerably, but they also provide exactly the same thickness of vegetable every time.

Just be careful to use the safety guide; they can mangle fingers just as easily as they do vegetables.

Serving Suggestions

This panacalty recipe is a hearty old dish and needs very little as a side dish.

I love to add a fried egg, especially if I am serving leftovers for breakfast.

Baked beans may seem like an odd combination, but my inner child comes out with food like this, and I love the combination. If you are visiting from the US, this British-style baked bean recipe will get you pretty close.

Another option is to double down on the carbs! Add some crusty bread; it is great for mopping up the juices.

I'd usually get a crusty loaf from the shop, but if you are a baker, knock up a quick soda bread, it is superb!

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/Stovetop.
• Oven.
• A kettle.
• Kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Mandolin, this is optional, but it really speeds up the preparation.
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
• 30cm or 12" frying pan, not nonstick if possible.
• 20cm by 15cm or 8" by 6" baking or casserole dish.
• Kitchen foil.
• Stirring and serving spoons.