BrothsScottishEasy

Scotch Broth Base

Name: Scotch Broth Base
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 10 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) bone-in lamb neck, cut into 1½- to 2-inch (4–5 cm) thick slices, excess surface fat trimmed; 10½ cups (2500 ml) cold water; 1 whole (1 g) bay leaf; 4 sprigs (4 g) fresh thyme sprigs; 1 tsp (3 g) black peppercorns; ½ cup (100 g) pearl barley, rinsed under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear, then drained; 1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) dice; 2 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) dice; 1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise, washed well, and sliced ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick; keep the white/pale green parts separate from the dark green tops; 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A rich, mellow Scottish lamb broth built on bone-in lamb neck, pearl barley, onion, carrot and leek. It's hearty enough to serve as a meal and works as the foundation for any Scotch broth variation.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 2 hr 10 min
Wait: 25 min
Total: 2 hr 55 min
Makes: About 2 liters (8 cups) broth with barley, vegetables and shredded lamb (6 bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 lb (900 g) bone-in lamb neck, cut into 1½- to 2-inch (4–5 cm) thick slices, excess surface fat trimmed
10½ cups (2500 ml) cold water
1 whole (1 g) bay leaf
4 sprigs (4 g) fresh thyme sprigs
1 tsp (3 g) black peppercorns
½ cup (100 g) pearl barley, rinsed under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear, then drained
1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) dice
2 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) dice
1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise, washed well, and sliced ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick; keep the white/pale green parts separate from the dark green tops
2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy pot or Dutch oven with lid
Large fine-mesh skimmer or spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Fine-mesh strainer (for rinsing barley)
Tongs
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Ask your butcher for bone-in lamb neck cut into 1½- to 2-inch (4–5 cm) slices, or cut them yourself with a heavy cleaver.
Read the timing: the lamb simmers 1 hour on its own before the barley and vegetables go in, so don't add them early or they will turn to mush.
Leeks hold grit between their layers, so plan to wash them thoroughly after slicing.
Use a pot of at least 5 quarts (4.7 L) so the broth can simmer gently without boiling over.

1
Prep barley and vegetables
- Rinse the pearl barley in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water for about 1 minute, shaking, until the water runs mostly clear.
- Drain and set aside.
- Dice the onion and carrots into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces.
- Slice the leek, wash the slices in a bowl of cold water, swishing to release grit, then lift out and drain.
- Keep the pale parts and the dark green tops in two separate piles.
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Ready when: Vegetables are in even ½-inch pieces and the leeks are grit-free.
Tip: Lift the leeks out of the water rather than pouring it off, so the grit stays in the bowl.
2
Start and skim lamb
- Put the lamb neck slices in the pot and add the 2.5 L (10½ cups) cold water.
- Set over medium-high heat and bring slowly to a bare boil, about 10 minutes.
- As grey-white foam rises, skim it off with a spoon.
- Keep skimming for about 10 minutes, until little new foam appears.
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Ready when: The surface is mostly clear with only a few small bubbles of foam left.
Tip: Starting with cold water draws impurities out of the meat, giving a clearer broth.
3
Simmer the lamb
- Add the bay leaf, thyme sprigs and peppercorns.
- Reduce the heat to low so the surface only trembles with a few lazy bubbles.
- Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 1 hour.
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Ready when: The meat is starting to loosen from the bones and the broth smells savory and rich.
Tip: A hard boil makes the broth cloudy and the lamb tough, so keep it at a gentle simmer.
4
Add barley and vegetables
- Stir in the rinsed barley, onion, carrots, the pale leek slices, and 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt.
- Return to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid ajar, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice to keep the barley from sticking to the bottom.
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Ready when: Carrots are nearly tender when pierced with a knife and the barley is swollen but still slightly chewy.
Tip: Barley absorbs liquid as it cooks; if the pot looks dry, add up to 1 cup (240 ml) hot water.
5
Lift out the lamb
- With tongs, transfer the lamb pieces to a cutting board.
- Add the dark green leek tops to the pot and keep simmering on low for 10 more minutes.
- Let the lamb cool for 10 minutes while the barley finishes.
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Ready when: Barley is tender with a slight chew in the center and the lamb meat pulls easily from the bone.
Tip: Fish out the bay leaf and thyme stems now if you can see them.
6
Shred the meat
- Pull the meat from the bones, discarding bones, gristle and large pieces of fat.
- Shred or chop the meat into bite-size pieces, about ½ inch (1.3 cm).
- You should have roughly 2 cups (about 280 g) of meat.
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Ready when: Meat shreds easily with no resistance; internal temperature was about 190–200°F (88–93°C) before cooling.
Tip: Don't discard the marrow or small bits clinging to the bones; they add flavor if stirred into the broth.
7
Return meat and season
- Return the shredded lamb to the pot and bring back to a gentle simmer over low heat for 5 minutes to warm through.
- Taste the broth and add more salt, ¼ teaspoon at a time, until it tastes savory and well rounded.
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Ready when: Broth tastes savory and balanced, and meat is hot throughout.
Tip: Season at the end: the broth reduces slightly and barley absorbs salt, so early seasoning can mislead.
8
Rest, skim and finish
- Turn off the heat and let the pot stand for 10 minutes so the fat rises.
- Skim excess fat from the surface with a ladle or spoon.
- Stir in the chopped parsley and serve hot in wide bowls, or cool and store as a base.
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Ready when: Broth has only a thin film of fat on top and is rich, golden and full of tender barley and vegetables.
Tip: For easiest fat removal, chill the broth overnight and lift off the solid fat layer.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the simmer gentle throughout; a rolling boil emulsifies fat into the broth and makes it cloudy and greasy.
Dice the vegetables evenly so they finish cooking at the same time as the barley.
Chilling the broth overnight makes defatting effortless and deepens the flavor.
To use as a base for other Scotch broth variations, add diced turnip or swede and split peas along with the barley in step 4.

Make ahead

"Make the whole broth up to 2 days ahead. Cool quickly, refrigerate, and lift off the solidified fat before reheating. The barley will thicken the broth as it stands; thin with a splash of hot water when reheating."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) headspace (barley softens slightly after freezing). Reheat gently in a pot over medium-low heat until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), adding water to loosen; thaw frozen broth overnight in the fridge first."

Substitutions

bone-in lamb neck → Bone-in lamb shoulder chops or lamb shanks. Shanks may need an extra 20–30 minutes in the first simmer; shoulder chops are about the same time.
pearl barley → Pot barley. Pot barley retains more bran and needs 15–20 minutes longer, plus about ½ cup (120 ml) more water.
leek → Extra onion (½ large) plus 1 celery rib. Flavor is slightly less sweet and delicate but still good.
fresh thyme sprigs → ½ tsp dried thyme. Add with the bay leaf in step 3.