Manx Broth (Broit)
Overview
Manx broth, broit in the Manx language, is the traditional thick meat and barley soup of the Isle of Man. Shin of beef, often with a marrow bone or a piece of mutton on the bone, is brought slowly to the boil in cold water and skimmed until the froth stops rising. Pearl barley, soaked overnight, goes into the pot with thyme and salt and simmers until soft, followed by finely diced turnip or swede, carrot, leek and celery, and finally shredded cabbage. The meat is either pulled from the bones and returned to the pot or eaten separately. The broth is thick, plain and filling, finished with chopped parsley, and some cooks add suet dumplings.
History
Broth was a mainstay of the old Manx kitchen. Dr John Clague's Manx Reminiscences of 1911 describes fowl, beef or mutton simmered with barley and chopped turnips, carrots and cabbage, and an old islander recalled that Sunday meant Manx broth. It was the dish of the Mheillea, the harvest supper, and of country weddings, where it was traditionally served in wooden bowls called piggins and eaten with mussel shells for spoons.
Main ingredients
Beef shin, mutton, pearl barley, turnip, carrot, cabbage. The soup is built on thick barley and meat broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.
Explore: Beef soups · Lamb soups · Cabbage soups · Barley and grains soups
Recipe
Method
- 1
Cover the meat with 3 l cold water, bring slowly to the boil and skim.
- 2
Add the barley, thyme and salt and simmer gently for 1¾ hours.
- 330 min
Add the turnip, carrots, leeks and celery and simmer for 30 minutes.
- 415 min
Add the cabbage and cook for 15 minutes more.
- 5
Take the meat off the bones, return it with the parsley, season and serve.
- ✓
Serve. About 3h 30m from start to bowl.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.
