Haggis

Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish that resembles Pennsylvania Scrapple originally made by early German settlers in America.

Haggis Scrapple
sheep offal (heart, liver, lungs) pig offal (heart, liver, lungs)
oatmeal cornmeal
in casings (originally in sheep stomachs) meatloaf
boiled fried

Haggis was a popular meal for the poor, as it was made from cheap leftover parts of a sheep, the most common livestock in Scotland. Meats are minced with fat, onions, oatmeal, spices, meat stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal’s stomach for about threehours. Cooked Haggis is normally served with Scotch whisky.

Meats Metric US
sheep (or beef, pork) heart 500 g 1.10 lb.
sheep (or beef, pork) liver 300 g 0.66 lb.
suet (beef fat) or pork back fat) 200 g 0.44 lb.

Ingredients per 1000g (1 kg) of meat

salt 18 g 3 tsp.
pepper 4.0 g 2 tsp.
nutmeg 1.0 g ½ tsp.
coriander 1.0 g ½ tsp.
ginger 0.5 g 1/3 tsp.
steel cut oats 300 g 10.5 oz
onions, finely chopped 60 g 1 onion

Instructions

  1. Simmer hearts in hot water, 180º F (82º C) until tender. Simmer liver for 10 minutes. Save meat stock.
  2. Grind meats and fat through ¼” (6 mm) grinder plate.
  3. Bring stock to a boil and add all meats and other ingredients, stirring often.
  4. Stuff into beef caps or water proof plastic casings (Reynolds cooking bag is fine) and cook in water at 170º F (77º C) until internal temperature reaches 160º F (71º C).
  5. Cool and refrigerate.

Notes

Try to get steel cut oats (available in supermarkets) or Scottish pin oats from specialty stores for the traditional texture.