Haggis Ingredients
A Mythical Beast
Scotland is home to the haggis. Some humorous myths exist about the haggis, Scots are very proud of the idea of the haggis as an animal, running wild through mountains, while kilted Scotsmen chase in hot pursuit ready for the kill. Some say that the haggis has two legs shorter on one side of the body than the other to enable it to run at speed on sloped terrain.
Poll
Have you ever eaten haggis?
A Wild Haggis?
Recipe for Haggis
Unfortunately, however romantic this may be is not true. Haggis is a food born out of poverty. In days when food was very scarce, every piece of a slaughtered animal was valued for food. Haggis may simply have been an invention to make the unpalatable seem slightly more palatable.
1 pair of sheep's lungs including windpipe
1 sheep's heart
1 sheep's liver
1 pound of coarse oatmeal, pre soaked
8 oz chopped suet
4 large onions
salt pepper
allspice
1 sheep's stomach
Boil the meat for several hours, once cool mince. Mix with the other ingredients and stuff into the sheep's stomach. Tie with string.
Boil in a pan of water for an hour.
Serve with mashed tatties and neeps- potatoes and turnips.
Despite the ingredients the result is surprisingly pleasant and flavoursome. There are other recipes, including a vegetarian variety made from beans and mushrooms.
Burns Supper
Although haggis is eaten all year round in Scotland, with even most schools serving it regularly on the menu, it is Burn's night when the haggis is traditionally eaten. Burns night is an annual tribute to Robert Burns Scotland's most famous folk poet.
The haggis is brought in with ceremony on a platter, while bagpipers pipe in tribute. The haggis is brought to the table and before serving the address to the haggis is spoken, a poem by Robert Burns.
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distill
Like amber bead.
Translation:
Fair is your honest happy face
Great chieftain of the pudding race
Above them all you take your place
Stomach, tripe or guts
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm
The groaning platter there you fill
Your buttocks like a distant hill
Your skewer would help to repair a mill
In time of need
While through your pores the juices emerge
Like amber beads
Comments
- Author
I can understand why Katie, I find it difficult to eat too.
yucki that is grose. yucky indgredens never going to eat it .
i learlie ate it then is saw it i lerlly puked:(
Very interesting. I knew what was in haggis ~ but wished that I didn't.
Sadly, I've never tried it and, because of the ingredients, I doubt that I ever will now :)
i think i would give it a try!
ewwwwwww this is really grosssssss!!!!!
I love haggis and never really wanted to know what was in it - still don't but this is an excellent hub for those who do.
- Author
Thanks
voted up!
thanks again for a unique and wonderful hub. i am curious to try haggis now, too.
- Author
Haggis is not often served in restaurants in Scotland, with the exception of some 5 star fine dining establishments strangely- which often cater to foreign tourists who are eager to try. There you will often find it served in small portions as as starter. It's also very popular as a type of street food sold with fries at the numerous fish and chip shops throughout Scotland. You can see many ordinary working people eating it as they walk along the street eating it piping hot from its newspaper wrapping.
There are some exceptional vegetarian haggis available in every supermarket, the two best are McSweens ( who do global mail order) and Halls.
Thanks for your comment.
I like haggis. I'm vegeterian but I ate haggis and liked to eat it as well :) In Scottland it isn't easy to find a restaurant which would serve haggis. Have you made the same experience?
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