Lancashire Potato Hash

Lancashire potato hash is proper comfort food. This old-school one pot dinner (often called tattie’ash, tayter’ash or potato ash) is made with minced beef, onions, carrots, potatoes and beef stock. It’s thrifty, filling and easy — the kind of budget dinner that feeds a family well.

This is the recipe my grandma used to cook when I was little. She’d simmer up a huge panful because there were eight of us in the house, and Lancashire potato hash was a low-cost way to fill everyone up. We’d have it with pickled red cabbage on the side and buttered white bread for dipping and mopping up the gravy. One spoonful and I’m right back there.

Quick Answer: What Is Lancashire Potato Hash?

Lancashire potato hash is a traditional northern minced beef and potato stew cooked slowly in one pan until the potatoes turn tender and the gravy thickens.

Cooking time: around 1 hour
Serves: 4
Method: hob (one pot)

Ingredients

• 15ml olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 500g beef mince
• 400g carrots, sliced
• 300ml beef stock
• 1kg potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 heaped teaspoon cornflour + splash of cold water (optional, to thicken)

Equipment Needed

• Large saucepan with a lid
• Chopping board + knife
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring jug

How To Make Lancashire Potato Hash

Step 1 – Soften the onions

• Add the olive oil to a large saucepan and sauté the onion over a low heat until softened.

Step 2 – Brown the mince

• Tip in the beef mince and brown it, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon.

Step 3 – Add carrots + stock

• Add the carrots and beef stock. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes.

Step 4 – Add the potatoes

• Stir in the sliced potatoes. Bring back to a gentle simmer and cook with the lid on for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Step 5 – Thicken the gravy if needed

• If the gravy needs thickening, mix cornflour with a little cold water and stir through. Simmer for a few minutes until thickened.

What Goes With Lancashire Potato Hash?

You can’t beat the classics:

• Pickled red cabbage or beetroot
• Buttered white bread (for mopping up the gravy)
• Brown sauce or ketchup

Veg on the side works too: peas, cabbage or broccoli.

Variations

Can I make Lancashire potato hash with sweet potatoes?

Yes — sweet potatoes cook faster, so reduce the potato simmer time by around 5–10 minutes and check for tenderness.

What meat can I make potato hash with?

Minced beef keeps it budget-friendly, but you can also use:

• Corned beef (for a corned beef hash style version)
• Lamb mince
• Stewing steak (allow extra cooking time)

How to make potato hash pie

Tip the cooked hash into a pie dish, top with pastry and bake until golden.

Lancashire Potato Hash FAQs

What is Lancashire potato hash?

Lancashire potato hash is a traditional northern one pot stew made with minced beef, onions, carrots, potatoes and beef stock, simmered until the potatoes are tender.

Why is it called tattie’ash or tayter’ash?

“Tattie” is a northern word for potato, and “ash/hash” refers to the simple stew-style dish — it’s a regional Lancashire nickname for potato hash.

Can you freeze Lancashire potato hash?

Yes. Cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.

Can I make Lancashire potato hash in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the onions and mince first, then slow cook with carrots and stock on low for 6–7 hours. Add potatoes for the last 2 hours so they don’t turn to mush.

How do you thicken Lancashire potato hash?

If the gravy is thin, stir in a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with a splash of cold water and simmer for a few minutes until thickened.

Updated March 2026 to improve clarity and cooking guidance.