Equipment
Ingredients
Meat & Grains
- 700 g lamb neck fillet or shoulder (bone-in preferred), whole or large chunks
- 100 g pearl barley, rinsed
- 2500 ml cold water
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 leek, sliced into half-moons
- 200 g carrot, small dice
- 200 g swede (rutabaga), small dice
- 2 celery stalks, diced
Seasoning
- 1 dried thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 10 black peppercorns, whole
- 15 g fresh parsley, chopped
- salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 289 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 210 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 482 mg
- Calcium
- 71 mg
- Iron
- 2.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 46 mg
- Phosphorus
- 145 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 324 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 53 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 1.4 mg
- Folate
- 31 mcg
- Water
- 515 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the lamb, rinsed pearl barley, bay leaves, peppercorns, and dried thyme into a large stockpot. Cover with the cold water.
Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. As it approaches boiling, skim off any grey foam (scum) that rises to the surface to ensure a clean flavor.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 60 minutes. The lamb should be starting to tenderize and the barley will be softening.
Add the diced onion, carrots, swede (rutabaga), and celery. Continue to simmer for another 45 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the meat falls away from the bone.
Add the sliced leeks and simmer for a final 10-15 minutes. While the leeks cook, remove the lamb pieces carefully.
Discard the bones, bay leaves, and any visible peppercorns. Shred the meat into bite-sized chunks and return it to the pot.
Stir in the fresh chopped parsley. Taste and season generously with salt and black pepper. Serve hot.
Chef's Notes
- Lamb neck is the ideal cut for this soup; it contains enough bone and connective tissue to create a silky mouthfeel but offers plenty of flavorful meat.
- This soup is a prime candidate for making ahead. The barley continues to release starch as it sits, making the broth creamier and more flavorful the next day.
- If you cannot find swede (rutabaga), turnips are a decent substitute, though they have a slightly sharper, peppery flavor compared to the sweet earthiness of swede.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Flavor improves significantly after 24 hours.
Freezer: 3 months — Barley may soften slightly upon reheating; add a splash of water if too thick.
Reheating: Simmer gently on stove until piping hot (75°C/165°F).
Troubleshooting
Broth is too greasy
Cause: Lamb cuts were very fatty and fat was not skimmed during cooking
Fix: Let the soup cool slightly so fat rises, then skim with a ladle. Alternatively, chill overnight and lift the solidified fat cap.
Prevention: Trim excess fat from meat before cooking; skim regularly
Barley is mushy
Cause: Overcooked or reheated too many times
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the soup will still taste good, just thicker.
Prevention: Follow timing carefully; add barley later if using pre-cooked meat
Soup is bland
Cause: Insufficient salt for the volume of water and starch
Fix: Add salt incrementally until flavors pop; a splash of apple cider vinegar can also brighten it.
Prevention: Taste frequently at the end
Cultural Context
Scotch Broth is a traditional soup from Scotland, dating back centuries as a pot-au-feu style dish designed to utilize cheap cuts of mutton and hardy root crops that survive the harsh northern winters. It was historically eaten in two parts: the broth first, followed by the meat and vegetables.
