Scotch Broth
A hearty traditional Scottish soup made with tender lamb, pearl barley, dried peas, and root vegetables simmered slowly into a rich, comforting broth.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 105 min
- Total
- 125 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 410 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-based stockpot
- •Chopping board
- •Chef's knife
- •Slotted spoon
- •Ladle
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- fat
- 17 g
- carbs
- 36 g
- fibre
- 7 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 410 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the lamb neck and cold water into a large heavy-based stockpot.
- 2
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat on the hob.
- 3
Skim off any foam or scum that rises to the surface using a slotted spoon.
- 4
Add the rinsed pearl barley and drained split peas to the pot.
- 5
Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 1 hour.
- 6
Remove the meat with tongs and leave on a plate to cool slightly.
- 7
Strip the meat from the bones, discard the bones, and return the shredded meat to the pot.
- 8
Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, neeps (swede), and sliced leek.
- 9
Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until the root vegetables and grains are completely tender.
- 10
Stir in the shredded savoy cabbage, fine sea salt, and black pepper, simmering for 10 minutes.
- 11
Stir through the fresh chopped parsley just before ladling into warm bowls.
Chef's tips
Soaking the dried yellow split peas overnight helps them soften at the same rate as the barley. Dice all your root vegetables to a uniform small size so each spoonful contains a balanced mix. The soup will thicken considerably as it cools, so feel free to loosen it with a splash of hot water when reheating.
Ingredient substitutions
- lamb neck or mutton → beef shin or ham hough (ham hock)
- neeps (swede) → turnip or extra carrots
- savoy cabbage → white cabbage or curly kale
Storage
Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan on the hob over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water if the broth has thickened too much.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the broth too rapidly, which makes the meat tough and clouds the soup.
- •Skipping the skimming step, resulting in a cloudy broth with a greasy film.
- •Dicing root vegetables too large, making them difficult to eat neatly with a spoon.
Serving suggestions
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