The following recipe is for a traditional sized (3 lb?) haggis.
1. Advanced preparation.
Find a source of ONLY Steel cut oats OR (if available) Scottish pin
oats. Rolled oats will NOT provide the traditional texture, which is
something like that of rice. Steel cut oats can be had, or can be
ordered, from food stores specializing in organic foods, etc. You'll
need 2 Cups of Oats, but if you have to order them, get extra "for next
time".
Once you've found proper oats, you're ready to proceed. You'll need:
1 Cup of chopped cooked liver
1 Cup of chopped cooked heart (Or stew beef, or filet mignon)
2-3 Cups stock
Use Lamb if available, otherwise beef will work fine.
Cover the raw meat with salted COLD water, bring to a boil (gently, and
covered) for about 1 hour. Drain, (keep the stock) Cool the meat, and
remove any gristle, membranes, large vessels, then chop or grind the
meat (coarse, as for hash). Refrigerate the stock, and discard any fat
later, after it chills.
Mix the ground up heart and liver in equal proportions. You'll need
about 2 cups of this meat mixture for each haggis, but it can be
prepared in larger quantities, then refrigerated or frozen for later
use. For final assembly, the haggis can be completed when convenient.
2. Additional Ingredients:
1 Lb ground lamb (for "authentic" flavor -- replaces "other
stuff")
2 Cups medium to coarse-chopped onions
1 Cup vegetable oil (replaces suet)
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Oz. single malt whisky (Balvenie is quite acceptable)
2 tsp. salt or beef bouillon powder
2 Tbsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. grated nutmeg
Optional: (but recommended for a "special occasion" haggis)
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground mace
2 Tbsp. Parsley Flakes
1/4 Cup currants
Casing: Reynold's Oven Cooking Bag. These are Nylon roasting bags
that are available in most any grocery store. The traditional
sheep's stomach or a large sausage casing may be used for a "show"
haggis, but they are "old-tech". Boiling in oven cooking bags is
far more convenient, if you're preparing large quantities,
especially, and this process "reassures" your dinner guests.
3. Preparation
Put 2 cups of the thawed meat mixture in the oven cooking bag. Add
2 cups of (coarse) chopped onions, 2 cups of oats, and the other
dry ingredients and mix well. Set the mixture aside until it is at
room temperature.
In a covered saucepan or skillet, warm 2 Cups or so of the stock
(Be sure any fat has been removed. -- If more liquid is needed,
here or later, use bouillon or beef stock.)
Break up the ground lamb into the warmed stock; Bring to a slow
boil (covered) for 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat, allow to
cool briefly, and be sure the lamb is in small pieces.
Add the lemon juice and vegetable oil to the lamb & stock mixture.
Then combine the lamb/liquid mixture with the other ingredients in
the cooking bag, and mix well.
This should produce a moist, soft mixture that will still hold
together when pinched. (If it's too dry, add a small amount of
stock or bouillon.)
Boil the mixture IN the cooking bag:
Close off the bag using a nylon tie, but allow room below the tie
for expansion during boiling. Trim off the bag 3" above the tie. ,
and pierce the top of the bag, below the tie, but well above the
mixture, to allow steam to escape.
Use a 4 Qt. (or larger) pot with a rack at the bottom. The water
around the haggis should nearly cover the bag of mixture.
Periodically adjust the heat to maintain a slow boil for at least
1 1/2 hours. Add HOT water to the pot if needed.
Add 2 Oz. single malt whisky to the cook. (He/She deserves it!)
The cooking bag can be placed on a shallow pan and transferred to
a preheated oven (325 degrees F) for the last half hour. This
doesn't affect the flavor, but does add a bit of color, if
desired.
1. Advanced preparation.
Find a source of ONLY Steel cut oats OR (if available) Scottish pin
oats. Rolled oats will NOT provide the traditional texture, which is
something like that of rice. Steel cut oats can be had, or can be
ordered, from food stores specializing in organic foods, etc. You'll
need 2 Cups of Oats, but if you have to order them, get extra "for next
time".
Once you've found proper oats, you're ready to proceed. You'll need:
1 Cup of chopped cooked liver
1 Cup of chopped cooked heart (Or stew beef, or filet mignon)
2-3 Cups stock
Use Lamb if available, otherwise beef will work fine.
Cover the raw meat with salted COLD water, bring to a boil (gently, and
covered) for about 1 hour. Drain, (keep the stock) Cool the meat, and
remove any gristle, membranes, large vessels, then chop or grind the
meat (coarse, as for hash). Refrigerate the stock, and discard any fat
later, after it chills.
Mix the ground up heart and liver in equal proportions. You'll need
about 2 cups of this meat mixture for each haggis, but it can be
prepared in larger quantities, then refrigerated or frozen for later
use. For final assembly, the haggis can be completed when convenient.
2. Additional Ingredients:
1 Lb ground lamb (for "authentic" flavor -- replaces "other
stuff")
2 Cups medium to coarse-chopped onions
1 Cup vegetable oil (replaces suet)
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Oz. single malt whisky (Balvenie is quite acceptable)
2 tsp. salt or beef bouillon powder
2 Tbsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. grated nutmeg
Optional: (but recommended for a "special occasion" haggis)
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground mace
2 Tbsp. Parsley Flakes
1/4 Cup currants
Casing: Reynold's Oven Cooking Bag. These are Nylon roasting bags
that are available in most any grocery store. The traditional
sheep's stomach or a large sausage casing may be used for a "show"
haggis, but they are "old-tech". Boiling in oven cooking bags is
far more convenient, if you're preparing large quantities,
especially, and this process "reassures" your dinner guests.
3. Preparation
Put 2 cups of the thawed meat mixture in the oven cooking bag. Add
2 cups of (coarse) chopped onions, 2 cups of oats, and the other
dry ingredients and mix well. Set the mixture aside until it is at
room temperature.
In a covered saucepan or skillet, warm 2 Cups or so of the stock
(Be sure any fat has been removed. -- If more liquid is needed,
here or later, use bouillon or beef stock.)
Break up the ground lamb into the warmed stock; Bring to a slow
boil (covered) for 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat, allow to
cool briefly, and be sure the lamb is in small pieces.
Add the lemon juice and vegetable oil to the lamb & stock mixture.
Then combine the lamb/liquid mixture with the other ingredients in
the cooking bag, and mix well.
This should produce a moist, soft mixture that will still hold
together when pinched. (If it's too dry, add a small amount of
stock or bouillon.)
Boil the mixture IN the cooking bag:
Close off the bag using a nylon tie, but allow room below the tie
for expansion during boiling. Trim off the bag 3" above the tie. ,
and pierce the top of the bag, below the tie, but well above the
mixture, to allow steam to escape.
Use a 4 Qt. (or larger) pot with a rack at the bottom. The water
around the haggis should nearly cover the bag of mixture.
Periodically adjust the heat to maintain a slow boil for at least
1 1/2 hours. Add HOT water to the pot if needed.
Add 2 Oz. single malt whisky to the cook. (He/She deserves it!)
The cooking bag can be placed on a shallow pan and transferred to
a preheated oven (325 degrees F) for the last half hour. This
doesn't affect the flavor, but does add a bit of color, if
desired.
