Name: Traditional Scottish Haggis
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 Sheep Stomach; 1 Heart; 1 Lung; 1 Liver; 350 g of Lard; 350 g of Oat Flour; 500 ml of Beef Broth; 1 Nutmeg; 4 tablespoons of Coriander Seeds; 2 tablespoons of Black Pepper; 4 tablespoons of Salt

Scottish Haggis is a recipe rooted in the farmhouse traditions of Scotland: a homemade pudding of various kinds of offal mixed with oatmeal and herbs, which is then boiled for a long time and served by the spoonful alongside a thick whisky sauce and two purees, one of turnips and one of Potatoes.

The Original Haggis Recipe uses a sheep’s stomach as the casing to be stuffed with the filling, but if you can’t find one you can also use pork casing. Its main ingredients are sheep’s heart, liver and lungs, to which various spices and herbs are added to round out the dish’s bold flavor.

As we’ll see, the Haggis Recipe isn’t particularly difficult, but it takes quite a long time, mainly because of the cooking of the offal and of the haggis itself, so you’ll need to plan your timing. Ideal for an unusual themed dinner, we’re sure its aromatic flavor and the different textures that make up the dish will win you over.

If you’re looking for more tempting Scottish Recipes, also try Scotch Eggs and the crumbly butter cookies known as Shortbread. If, instead, you’re looking for more Offal Recipes, try Liver and Onions or the version made richer with Apples.

Now let’s head to the stove and tie on our aprons: today we’re making a flavorful, traditional Scottish Haggis together.

Method

To make the Scottish Haggis, first wash the sheep’s stomach thoroughly, inside out as well, and leave it to soak in lightly salted water for a whole day. The next day, wash the offal very well too, then boil it in salted boiling water for about 2 hours, adding more boiling water as needed. As soon as it is done, drain it and remove any fat and cartilage.

Finely chop the cooked offal and transfer it to a large bowl together with the softened lard, the oatmeal, the spices and the Meat Broth, to get a soft but firm mixture. Stuff the sheep’s stomach with the filling and sew the opening closed with white cotton thread. Prick the whole stomach with a needle so it doesn’t burst during cooking, and transfer it to a pot of boiling water, where you’ll cook it for about 3 hours.

Once the cooking time is up, drain the Haggis and brown it in a skillet with two tablespoons of oil, turning it so it browns on all sides. Bring it straight to the table and serve your Scottish Haggis with its side dishes. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

If you like, you can flavor the Scottish Haggis with the spices and herbs you prefer, choosing from bay leaf, rosemary, cinnamon and dill as well. Following the same method, you can make Haggis with whatever offal you can find, including veal or pork offal. Haggis is typically served with Mashed Potatoes, Turnip Puree and Whisky Sauce.

Whisky Sauce for Haggis

Ingredients:

1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of flour
150 ml of whisky
1/2 teaspoon of fresh thyme
500 ml of chicken broth
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

To make the Whisky Sauce for Haggis, finely chop the onion and garlic and sauté them in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil until golden, then set them aside. In the same skillet, add another 2 tablespoons of oil and the flour and make a roux, letting it brown. Remove from the heat and drizzle in the whisky in a thin stream; once the mixture is creamy, return it to the heat and cook for about 1-2 minutes. At this point, stirring constantly, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and add the chopped onion and garlic and the fresh thyme. Let the sauce cook until it has reduced by half and is thick and creamy.

Turnip Puree for Haggis

Ingredients:

500 g of red turnips
50 g of butter
salt
pepper

To make the Turnip Puree for Haggis, first clean the turnips and dice them, then cook them in salted boiling water for about 20 minutes. When they are tender, drain them and puree them, then add the butter, season with salt and pepper and mix well to blend the flavors.

Tips

During cooking the filling will expand, so we recommend filling the stomach no more than 3/4 full. If you want to tone down the strong flavor of the offal even more, after boiling and chopping it you can brown it in a skillet and deglaze it with half a glass of white wine before combining it with the other ingredients.

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Traditional Scottish Haggis

Ingredients for 6 people