By Fraya Berg for Food Network Kitchen
In Scotland, haggis is so revered it’s the national dish. The Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote a poem for it in 1786 called "To a Haggis," and cemented its place in history. His birthday is celebrated every January 25th with parties featuring haggis and bagpipes and maybe a wee dram of Scottish whisky. But what, precisely is this dish? Read on for the answers.
What Is Haggis?
Haggis is a meat pudding made from sheep parts that are leftover after a sheep has been slaughtered and butchered - the heart, liver and lungs. Ground beef or mutton fat is mixed in along oatmeal and spices like onion powder and cayenne. The meat is then boiled in a sheep's stomach and traditionally served with mashed potatoes and turnips.
The dish dates back to ancient times, and although it is now a distinctly Scottish dish, there are records of it in English writings in the 1500s. Traditionally, Scottish butchers kept the leftover sheep parts (called offal) for themselves and made haggis; eventually, others realised it could be quite tasty, and the dish became popular. Today, in Scotland, you'll see all sorts of snacks flavoured like haggis including potato chips.
What Does Haggis Taste Like?
Haggis has an earthy, gamey flavour due to the offal; the oats give it nutty flavour as well. The liver in the mix also lends of bit of a classic paté flavour. Haggis is scooped out of the casing when served and has a crumbly texture. Even in Scotland, haggis is an acquired taste.
What is in Haggis?
The ingredients in a traditional haggis are the finely chopped offal (sheep's heart, liver and lungs) along with diced onion, steel cut oats, suet (a solid fat from sheep), broth and a variety of spices similar to pumpkin pie spice with the addition of black pepper. The mixture is packed into a casing much the same way sausage is. For haggis, the casing is a sheep stomach which has been thoroughly washed, cleaned and turned inside out before it is filled. The entire haggis in its casing is simmered to cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 175 degrees F, about an hour. In Scotland you can buy haggis at a butcher shop, and you may be able to order one from a restaurant that serves it. It’s also available canned, making it easy to serve for the Burns celebration. Curious about how to make haggis? Head over to Alton Brown's Haggis recipe.
Is there Vegetarian Haggis?
You can buy or make vegetarian haggis. The filling is often a mixture of the onions, oats and spices from traditional haggis, with lentils, white beans and chopped mushrooms standing in for the meat. Instead of a natural casing, some cooks bake it in a loaf pan, while others fill blanched savoy cabbage leaves and make individual portions of haggis.
What Do People Traditionally Eat with Haggis?
Haggis is served with tatties and neeps. Not familiar with tatties and neeps? Tatties are mashed potatoes, and neeps are mashed turnips. Haggis can also be served as one of the components of a traditional Scottish breakfast, along with eggs, bacon, sausage links, roasted mushrooms, tomatoes and a wedge of bannock (bread similar to a scone but with oatmeal in the mix). At fine-dining restaurants, you can find haggis as an appetiser, beautifully plated with a creamy sauce.
