Faggots

Traditional British Faggots

A classic British offal dish from the West Midlands and South Wales, faggots are savoury pork and offal meatballs slow-cooked in a rich onion gravy. Traditionally served with mash and peas for a hearty, old-fashioned supper.

Prep

25 min

Cook

90 min

Total

115 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) pork belly, minced, ask your butcher to mince it twice
• •200 g (7 oz) pork liver, minced, calf's liver is a softer substitute
• •100 g (3½ oz) pork caul fat (omentum), or fresh pork belly skin as a substitute
• •2 large white onions, finely chopped
• •100 g (1 cup) fresh breadcrumbs, from day-old white bread
• •1 tsp dried sage
• •1 tsp dried thyme
• •ground mace, ½, or nutmeg as a substitute
• •1 tsp salt
• •black pepper, ½, freshly ground
• •1 large egg, lightly beaten
• •30 g (2 tbsp) beef dripping or lard, for frying
• •500 ml (2 cups) hot beef stock, fresh stock preferred
• •1 tbsp plain flour, for thickening
• •1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, Lea & Perrins is traditional
• •1 tbsp Bovril or meat extract, optional but authentic

Steps

1. 1 Sweat the finely chopped onions in a tablespoon of dripping over low heat for 8-10 minutes until very soft but not coloured; let them cool completely.
2. 2 In a large bowl, combine the minced pork belly, minced liver, cooled onions, breadcrumbs, sage, thyme, mace, salt, pepper and beaten egg. Mix thoroughly with your hands until the mixture binds when squeezed.
3. 3 Lay the caul fat out on a clean board and cut it into roughly 15 cm squares. If using pork belly skin, stretch it flat and pound it slightly with a rolling pin.
4. 4 Divide the mixture into 8-10 equal portions (about 90 g each) and shape each into a tight ball.
5. 5 Wrap each ball in a piece of caul fat or skin, tucking the edges underneath so it holds together during cooking.
6. 6 Heat the remaining dripping in a heavy lidded casserole over medium-high heat. Fry the faggots for 3-4 minutes per side until well browned all over.
7. 7 Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits. Pour in the hot stock, add the Worcestershire sauce and Bovril, and bring to a simmer.
8. 8 Cover with the lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 75-90 minutes, turning the faggots once halfway through. The faggots are safely cooked when the internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F) on an instant-read thermometer and the juices run clear with no pink remaining.
9. 9 If the gravy is thin, remove the lid for the final 10 minutes to reduce. Check seasoning and serve hot with creamy mashed potatoes, mushy peas and a generous spoonful of the onion-rich gravy poured over.