Leftover Roast Pork Hotpot Recipe: A Hearty Winter Warmer
Right, you’ve done your Sunday roast, you’ve got some pork leftover, and now you’re wondering what to do with it. Well, here’s a belter of a dish—my Leftover Roast Pork Hotpot. It’s not a traditional Lancashire hotpot recipe, but who’s keeping score? The idea is simple: take a classic Lancashire hotpot recipe and give it a twist using whatever you’ve got knocking about in the fridge. This Hotpot recipe is great because it’s basically telling you, “Get your filling sorted, then layer some potatoes on top.” That’s it. You could throw this into a pie, serve it with greens, or just eat it straight out of the dish with a spoon. No rules, just good food, like all of our Barrie Bro recipes.
A Quick Bit on Hotpot History
Hotpots have been around for centuries—proper, hearty food, built to warm you up on a cold day. The traditional Lancashire hotpot recipe uses lamb or mutton, slow-cooked with onions and potatoes until it’s melt-in-your-mouth good. This version? We’re swapping out the lamb for roast pork and adding cauliflower to soak up all those rich flavours. It’s a bit different, but trust me, it’s a winner. It’s a fantastic pork hotpot recipe. If you’re interested in other famous dishes from the northwest you can check out our Scouse Stew Recipe.
So, let’s get cracking.
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe
✅ Uses up leftovers – Stop wasting food, save some cash, and make something delicious.
✅ One-pot wonder – Minimal washing up, maximum flavour.
✅ Budget-friendly – No fancy ingredients, just simple, good cooking.
✅ Comfort food at its best – Creamy sauce, crispy potatoes… It's basically a hug in a bowl.
Ingredients
Leftover roast pork (or whatever meat you’ve got)
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced (more if you’re feeling bold)
1 small head cauliflower, cut into chunky florets
4 potatoes, thinly sliced (skins on—don’t make extra work for yourself)
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
300ml white wine
300ml cream
500ml stock (or a proper jus if you’ve got one knocking about)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp butter
Salt & white pepper, to taste
Step By Step Method: How to Make The Hotpot
Now we'll go through the step-by-step process to turn these simple ingredients into a stunning pork hotpot that saves on waste! Let's get cooking!
1. Prep Your Ingredients
Dice or shred the pork.
Slice the onions.
Thinly slice the garlic and then chop it finely.
Chop the cauliflower into chunky florets.
Top and tail the potatoes, then slice them thinly. Soak in water to remove excess starch.
Finely slice the tops and tails of the potatoes and set them aside. We'll use these with the pork later to avoid waste.
2. Build Your Base
Heat a pan on medium with a splash of oil.
Toast the fennel and mustard seeds until they start popping.
Add onions with a pinch of salt and slowly caramelise them. Start at high heat, then lower it once the bottom browns. Use the moisture from the onions to deglaze the pan. Take your time for consistent caramelisation and depth of flavour. On off, on off. You get the gist? You can see this part in the video.
Next, add the cauliflower and butter to the pan, letting them caramelise and form beurre noisette, adding richness and depth of flavour.
Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. We do this last to prevent the garlic from burning and becoming bitter.
3. Make the Sauce & Add The Fillings
Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the good bits.
Reduce the wine by half, then add stock, pork, thyme, and cream. Bring to a simmer.
Add the pork and potato trims, simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
Tip: The sauce should be the consistency of double cream; reduce if too thin, add water if too thick.
4. Assemble Your Hotpot
Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
Transfer everything to a casserole dish.
Layer the potatoes neatly on top, aiming for two layers.
Melt the butter, brush it over the potatoes, and sprinkle with salt.
Tip: If you take time to ensure an even coating of butter on your potatoes, they will crisp and brown beautifully.
5. Bake It Off
Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and crispy.
Let the hotpot rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Tip: The oven mainly cooks the potatoes as the filling is already done, so take it out when the potatoes are cooked.
What to Serve It With
Crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
A simple green salad, if you fancy being healthy.
Steamed greens—broccoli, kale, cabbage, whatever you’ve got.
the base of this lends itself as a pie filling also so have a play
Final Thoughts
This dish is proof that leftovers don’t have to be boring. It’s rich, creamy, crispy, and packed full of flavour. Plus, it saves you from binning perfectly good food. So next time you’ve got roast pork (or chicken, or beef, or lamb) left over, give this a go.
There you go—hotpot made simple. Now go and cook it!
And hey—if you make it, let me know how you get on. Better yet, subscribe to the channel. Go on, you know you want to.
Hotpot FAQ
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Absolutely. Roast chicken, beef, or lamb will all work just as well in a hotpot recipe.
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Knock up a bechamel once you have caramelised your onions. Add flour, then milk to thicken to a creamy texture, or just use extra stock for a lighter version.
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Nope. You can use a splash of cider, stock, or even water. Whatever you add will enhance the flavour layers.
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Yep. Assemble it, cover it, and keep it in the fridge. Just bake when you’re ready.
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Make sure they’re sliced evenly, soak them to remove excess starch, and brush plenty of butter on top.
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Of course! Use coconut cream or a dairy-free alternative, and swap butter for olive oil. Or just make a roux with flour and olive oil and add stock.
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Leave them out, or swap for caraway seeds, cumin, or even a pinch of dried herbs. Don’t be afraid to play.
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No, but it’s inspired by one. And it tastes amazing, so who cares?
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Stick them in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Easy—just skip the meat and add more veg. Mushrooms, lentils, or chickpeas would be great.
