Homemade haggis is a traditional Scottish dish made with sheep’s offal (liver, heart, and lungs), oats, onions, and spices, all encased in a sheep’s stomach (or an artificial casing). It’s rich, flavorful, and full of history! Here’s a basic recipe to make haggis from scratch:
Homemade Haggis Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 lamb or sheep’s liver (about 1 lb)
- 1 lamb or sheep’s heart (about 1 lb)
- 1 lamb or sheep’s lung (about 1 lb)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup steel-cut oats (or medium oatmeal)
- 1/2 cup beef or lamb stock (for moisture)
- 1 teaspoon ground mace
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
- 1/4 cup butter (for frying)
- 1 sheep’s stomach (or sausage casing) (you can substitute with muslin or cheesecloth if you can’t find a stomach)
- 1/4 cup whiskey (optional, for serving or mixing into the haggis)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Offal:
- Begin by thoroughly cleaning the liver, heart, and lungs. Trim any excess fat, connective tissue, or blood vessels from the offal. You can ask your butcher to do this for you.
- Boil the offal in a large pot of salted water for about 2 hours, or until the organs are tender. Check every 30 minutes to ensure there’s enough water, and add more if needed.
- Grind the Offal:
- Once the offal is tender and cooked, remove it from the water and let it cool slightly. Then, finely chop or grind the liver, heart, and lungs using a food processor or meat grinder.
- If you want a more textured haggis, you can simply chop the offal by hand, but traditionally it’s ground.
- Prepare the Oats:
- In a separate pan, dry-toast the steel-cut oats over medium heat until they turn golden brown and start to release a nutty aroma (about 5-7 minutes). Set them aside.
- Cook the Onions:
- Melt butter in a pan over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion until softened and translucent (about 10 minutes).
- Combine Ingredients:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground offal, toasted oats, cooked onions, mace, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, allspice, thyme, and beef or lamb stock. Stir everything together until the mixture is well combined. You want it to be moist but not too runny—adjust with more stock if needed.
- Stuff the Haggis:
- Rinse the sheep’s stomach (or sausage casing) thoroughly under cold water. If you’re using a sheep’s stomach, turn it inside out to clean and remove any residual fat.
- Stuff the stomach (or casing) with the haggis mixture, pressing it down gently as you go. Be sure to leave enough space for the oats to expand while cooking, so don’t overfill.
- Once stuffed, sew or tie the open end of the stomach/casing tightly to seal the haggis.
- Cook the Haggis:
- Place the stuffed haggis in a large pot of boiling water (it should be fully submerged). Reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 hours. You can prick the haggis with a needle to let some of the steam escape during cooking.
- Keep an eye on the water level, adding more hot water as needed to keep the haggis submerged.
- Serve:
- Once cooked, remove the haggis from the pot and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Slice the haggis and serve hot, traditionally with neeps (mashed turnips) and tatties (mashed potatoes). You can also serve it with a side of gravy or even a dram of whisky for an authentic Scottish experience.
Tips:
- If you can’t find a sheep’s stomach, you can use muslin or cheesecloth as a substitute, though it will have a different texture and presentation.
- Be sure to keep the haggis moist during cooking, as the oats need liquid to soften and cook properly.
- Haggis is often enjoyed with whiskey, so don’t forget to pour a small glass as part of your celebration.
Enjoy your homemade haggis—whether you’re having it for Burns Night or simply trying out a new dish, it’s a rich and flavorful treat that’s a true taste of Scotland! Would you like to try any variations or side dish suggestions?