Haggis

Haggis with Neeps and Tatties

Scotland's national dish, traditionally boiled in a sheep's stomach and served with mashed swede and potatoes on Burns Night.

Prep

45 min

Cook

180 min

Total

225 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1.1 lb) lamb liver, fresh
• •500 g (1.1 lb) lamb heart, fresh
• •250 g (9 oz) lamb lungs, fresh, if available
• •200 g (7 oz) beef or lamb suet, shredded, not rendered
• •150 g (5⅓ oz) medium oatmeal, pinhead oats also work but need pre-soaking
• •2 large onions, finely chopped
• •15 g (1 tbsp) salt
• •5 g (1 tsp) black pepper, coarsely ground
• •2 g (1 tsp) dried coriander, lightly toasted and ground
• •2 g (1 tsp) allspice
• •1 g (½ tsp) ground mace or nutmeg
• •250 ml (1 cup) beef or lamb stock, for the haggis casing
• •1 sheep stomach cleaned sheep stomach, see step 1 for cleaning; can substitute with a large sausage casing or baking dish covered in foil
• •900 g (2 lb) potatoes, for tatties
• •900 g (2 lb) swede (rutabaga), for neeps
• •50 g (3½ tbsp) butter, for mashing
• •100 ml (scant ½ cup) whole milk, warmed, for mashing
• •salt and pepper, to taste, for neeps and tatties

Steps

1. 1 SAFETY NOTE ON SHEEP STOMACH: Soak the cleaned sheep stomach overnight in cold salted water with a splash of white vinegar. Rinse thoroughly, then turn inside out and scrape the inner lining with a knife to remove any residue. Soak again in fresh cold water for 1 hour. If sourcing pre-cleaned stomach, still rinse and inspect.
2. 2 Place the liver, heart, and lungs in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 90 minutes until the meat is tender and a probe thermometer reads at least 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part of the heart. Skim any scum that rises.
3. 3 Remove the offal and reserve the cooking stock. When cool enough to handle, finely mince the meat (or pulse in a food processor in short bursts until coarsely ground, not puréed).
4. 4 Toast the oatmeal in a dry pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Set aside.
5. 5 In a large bowl, combine the minced offal, toasted oatmeal, suet, chopped onions, salt, pepper, coriander, allspice, and mace or nutmeg. Mix thoroughly with your hands, working in 250 ml of the reserved stock until evenly distributed. The mixture should be moist but not wet.
6. 6 Stuff the sheep stomach about two-thirds full (it will expand). Sew or tie the open end closed securely with butcher's twine, leaving a small gap to allow for expansion. Press out any air pockets.
7. 7 Place the stuffed haggis in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer - a rapid boil will cause the casing to burst. Simmer very gently for 3 hours, maintaining water temperature just below boiling (around 85-90°C / 185-194°F). Top up with boiling water as needed to keep the haggis submerged.
8. 8 Doneness cue: the haggis is ready when the casing is taut and a skewer inserted into the centre penetrates easily and the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). The mixture inside should be firm but moist.
9. 9 Carefully remove the haggis from the water and let it rest for 10 minutes before opening and serving, or keep it warm in the cooking water (kept below boiling) for up to 30 minutes.
10. 10 For the neeps: peel and cut the swede into 2 cm chunks. Boil in salted water for 20-25 minutes until very tender. Drain well and mash with half the butter and a splash of milk. Season with salt and pepper.
11. 11 For the tatties: peel and cut the potatoes into similar-sized chunks. Boil in salted water for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with the remaining butter and warmed milk. Season well.
12. 12 Traditionally, neeps and tatties are served separately rather than mashed together. Serve the haggis sliced, with a generous spoonful of each alongside.