Scotch broth is an old-school British/Scottish recipe with centuries of history, my version features lamb cooked with pearl barley & veggies.
Between soaking the broth mix and almost 3-hour cook time, this recipe is far from quick. But it does produce loads of leftovers and the actual hands-on cooking/preparation time is very short!
Scottish Lamb and Barley Soup
Scotch broth is a wonderful old Scottish dish that sits alongside a host of very "similar but different" British soups.
Cawl is a Welsh soup that dispenses with the pulses that are in abundance in this recipe, but you can clearly see the two share a common genealogy.
Then you have lobscouse, a beef dish from Liverpool which adds pulses, in the form of split peas, back into the mix. Although I base my lamb neck stew on a version of scouse that doesn't contain pulses.
Then you have another Scottish dish, cock a leekie soup, this time it features chicken, but pearl barley makes an appearance in this dish.
It's also very similar to a dish from our close neighbours, Ireland; my take on slow cooker Irish stew has a shared genealogy with this recipe.
Recipes for Scotch Broth date back a few hundred centuries, and references stretch even further back, and lamb was not always the "only fruit"!
But for me, lamb or mutton makes the nicest version of this soup, which is loaded with pearl barley, split peas, veggies and finished with kale or cabbage.
Whilst it takes a long time to make, this dish is incredibly easy, and most of the cooking is hands-off.
It will also happily sit in the fridge for a few days, ready to be warmed up whenever you need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will this store in the fridge?
This is a rare dish that I cook with leftovers in mind, and it makes 6 hearty portions. Leftovers are fine in the fridge if stored appropriately for up to 3 days.
Can I use different cuts of lamb?
Yes, this is often cooked with bone-in lamb and the lamb is cooked in water to make the stock for the soup. My version is a bit of a shortcut but it still packs in loads of great "lamby" flavour.
Everything from lamb shanks to lamb ribs or lamb belly to scrag end could be used to make a great stock if you want to go down that route.
Do I have to use lamb?
There are many folk that will tell you that Scotch broth "should" be cooked with lamb or mutton... and I'm one of them.
However, the oldest "recipe" that I have seen for this dish dates to the 1750s and calls for beef. It even suggests throwing in some raisins, which is something I can totally get behind!
Do I have to soak the pulses?
If you are using marrowfat peas, split yellow or green peas, then soaking them overnight is very much recommended.
However, if you forget, you can just use pearl barley, which does not need soaking.
Can I use store-bought "broth mix"?
Yes, absolutely! Most supermarkets have a mix of dried pulses called "broth mix", and it works wonderfully in this recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Scotch broth is a big old hearty bowl of soup, and it needs very little other than a big old hunk of bread on the side.
I'm not much of a baker because there are only two of us, and I can gorge on fresh bread. As a result, I usually pick up some small crusty rolls from the supermarket.
However, if I were to bake something to serve with this recipe, it would be soda bread.
Mainly because it is probably the easiest bread to make, but it is also a perfect match to the rustic and simple nature of the soup.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific 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.
- 24cm or 10" heavy-based saucepan with a lid.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A bowl for soaking the pulses.
- Sieve or colander.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, cups and spoons.
Scotch Broth Recipe with Lamb
Ingredients
- 100 g Pearl Barley ½ Cup
- 50 g Dried Marrowfat Peas ¼ Cup
- 50 g Yellow Split Peas ¼ Cup
- 2 Medium Onions 300g
- 3 Medium Carrots 300g
- 2 Sticks Celery
- 2 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- 300 g Lamb Shoulder 11oz (Mutton will also work well)
- 1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Salt As required, this will be defined by your stock
- 1½ Litres 6¼ Cups Lamb Stock
- 250 g Savoy Cabbage 2 Packed Cups
Instructions
- Pour the pearl barley, marrowfat peas and yellow split peas into a bowl of water and allow them to soak over night.
- Cut the onions in half, peel them and then cut them into a 5mm (¼") dice.
- Cut the carrots into a similarly sized dice as the onions.
- Chop the celery into cubes roughly the same size as the carrots and onions.
- Heat a 24cm or 10" heavy-based saucepan over a low-medium heat and when it is hot, add the cooking oil, followed by the onion, carrot and celery. Gently sweat the vegetables for 10-12 minutes without adding any colour.
- Cut the lamb shoulder into a rough 1cm (just under ½") dice.
- Once the vegetables have sweat down, add the diced lamb and black pepper, and stir to combine.
- Pour in the lamb stock and have a taste, adding salt as required, cover with a lid and simmer on low for 1 hour.
- Drain the pulses that have been soaking and rinse them until the water runs clear, then add them to the soup. Return the lid and cook for about 70-80 minutes or until the marrowfat peas are tender and cooked.
- Remove the woody stems from the savoy cabbage and then cut it into 1cm (just under ½") thick shreds, add it to the soup and cook for a final 10 minutes. Having the lid on or off for this section makes no real difference.
