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Shetland Reestit Mutton Soup Recipe

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3.9 from 8 reviews

Shetland Reestit Mutton Soup is a traditional, hearty Scottish soup made from reestit (leftover) mutton, vegetables, and stock. This comforting recipe involves simmering tender boiled mutton with onions, carrots, potatoes, and turnip to create a nourishing and flavorful broth, perfect for a warming meal. The inclusion of mashing some vegetables thickens the soup, adding a lovely texture that pairs wonderfully with buttered bread or bannocks.

Ingredients

Mutton and Stock

  • 200 grams reestit mutton (cooked and cooled weight; originally 2 lb uncooked with bone)
  • 2 pints water (or lamb stock)

Vegetables

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 200 grams carrots (about 4 medium carrots)
  • 300 grams potatoes (about two medium-sized potatoes)
  • 225 grams turnip (half a turnip)

Other

  • 25 grams butter (optional)

Instructions

  1. Boil the reestit mutton: Place the uncooked reestit mutton into a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then continue boiling gently for two hours until the meat is tender. Remove the mutton from the water and reserve a ladleful of the cooking liquid for adding to the soup later.
  2. Prepare the vegetables: While the mutton is cooking, chop the onion, carrots, potatoes, and turnip into small dice to ensure even cooking and blending of flavors within the soup.
  3. Sauté onions and carrots: In a large soup pot, heat the butter if using. Add the finely chopped onions and carrots, sautéing over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes until the onions soften and become translucent, which helps develop the soup’s flavor base.
  4. Add remaining vegetables and liquids: Add the diced potatoes and turnip to the pot along with the 2 pints of water or lamb stock. Also add the reserved cooking liquid from the mutton. Bring everything to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
  5. Thicken and combine soup: Use a potato masher to partially mash some of the vegetables in the pot to thicken the broth slightly, while leaving some larger chunks for texture. Shred the cooked mutton meat and add it back into the soup, heating through gently to combine all the flavors.
  6. Serve and enjoy: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve it alongside buttered bread or traditional bannocks for a truly satisfying meal.

Notes

  • Using lamb stock instead of plain water enhances the soup’s depth of flavor but is optional.
  • Butter can be omitted to reduce fat content or substituted with a dairy-free alternative.
  • Partially mashing the vegetables thickens the soup naturally without needing flour or cream.
  • This soup is traditionally served with buttered bannocks, a type of Scottish bread, but any crusty bread works well.
  • Leftover cooked mutton is ideal for this recipe, but fresh mutton can also be used if boiled accordingly.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/shetland-reestit-mutton-soup-recipe/