Scottish Haggis Traditional Dish (Printable)

A hearty dish blending spiced meats, oats, and root vegetables, showcasing rich Scottish culinary heritage.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Offal & Meats

01 - 1.1 lbs sheep heart, liver, and lungs (or lamb/liver mince substitute)
02 - 7 oz beef or lamb suet, finely chopped
03 - 10.5 oz lamb or beef mince (optional)

→ Grains & Binders

04 - 5.3 oz steel-cut oats, toasted

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

05 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped

→ Liquids

06 - 1 cup beef stock

→ Seasonings

07 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
08 - 1 tsp ground coriander
09 - 1 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - ½ tsp ground allspice
11 - 1½ tsp salt

→ Casing

12 - 1 cleaned sheep stomach or large sausage casing (or oven-proof pudding basin with foil)

→ Neeps & Tatties

13 - 1.1 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed
14 - 1.1 lbs turnips (swede/rutabaga), peeled and cubed
15 - 1.8 oz butter
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Rinse offal thoroughly. Place in large pot, cover with cold water, bring to boil. Simmer 1–2 hours until tender. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid if desired. Remove, cool, finely mince offal.
02 - In large bowl, mix minced offal, suet, toasted oats, chopped onions, and optional minced meat.
03 - Stir in beef stock and reserved cooking liquid if using. Add seasonings and mix until combined, moist but not runny.
04 - If using casing, rinse well and fill loosely with mixture, leaving room for expansion. Tie ends securely with kitchen twine. If using pudding basin, spoon in mixture and cover tightly with foil.
05 - Place casing or basin in pot of boiling water, water level below top. Simmer gently for 2 hours, monitoring water level.
06 - Boil potatoes and turnips separately until tender (20–25 minutes). Drain, mash each with butter, season with salt and pepper.
07 - Remove haggis carefully, let rest for a few minutes, slice open, serve hot with neeps and tatties.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It tastes infinitely more complex and rich than you'd expect, with layers of warmth from the spices that linger long after you've finished eating.
  • Once you've made it, you'll realize it's actually not scary at all—just careful cooking and honest ingredients that come together beautifully.
  • Serving it feels like you're sharing something genuinely special, not just another dinner.
02 -
  • Never fill the casing completely full—the mixture expands as it cooks, and an overstuffed haggis will burst and spill into the water, ruining both your haggis and your day.
  • Keep that water at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil; aggressive heat can cause the casing to split or the texture to become grainy instead of smooth.
  • Toast your oats before adding them; this single step transforms them from bland to nutty and adds a layer of complexity that guests always ask about.
03 -
  • Reserve the cooking liquid from the offal—it's flavorful and can replace some of the stock if you want a deeper, more authentic taste.
  • If a casing splits during cooking, don't panic; quickly wrap the area with foil or transfer everything to a pudding basin and keep going.
  • Make haggis a day ahead if you can; the flavors deepen as it sits, and reheating it gently in simmering water brings everything back to perfect temperature.
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