Making haggis from scratch

[mclean]

Hi everyone!

In 23 days, I'll be making homemade haggis in DC at a friends house. I know that several of you have made haggis before, however I was curious whether anyone would be interested in a seeing photo tutorial documenting our haggis adventure.

After searching high and low for a good butcher or sheep farmer who might turn a blind eye to the ol' USDA ruling against selling lamb lungs in the US - we found one!

Not only is the farmer letting us keep all the offal we need to make authentic haggis, we're also getting the blood to make black pudding (we might as well honor the guy by putting every bit of him to use). We even found a friend who agreed to take the gross prime cuts of meat.

Most of the people I know are... well, disgusted... by this plan. I thought that some of you may be interested, though. There will be kilts, Burns, a bagpiper, and more!

Happy Kilting,

W. McLean

[Joshua]

Good luck!

While not a "seasoned" (ha!) haggis maker, I have made a haggi or two in my time. I've not been able to get lungs for mine, but honestly from what I understand they contribute little flavor to the party regardless.

My first haggis ended up dry and firm like a summer sausage, due to having too much oat and not enough fat. It was delicious, especially when sliced into "patties" and fried like a burger - but it was a far cry from traditional.

What I have learned:
You will need to get as much fat as you can from around the lamb's organs, and substitute beef suet if you can't get enough (I think it was approximately .5lbs of fat for every lb of meat, maybe even more due to the oats). I believe I used 4oz of steelcut oats for every pound of "meat" (beef heart and liver) that went into the batch, subsequent batches I've used less oat, and it's turned out more "crumbly", while remaining moist and delicious.

Use more onion than you think is necessary. The onion really cuts the "livery" flavor quite a bit and helps your "non-offal" friends in their "Journey Of The Haggi." Also, don't skimp on the cayenne... it really does add another dimension to the flavor... and the richness will ensure that it doesn't taste *that* spicy, just has some "bite" (all traditional Haggis recipes I've seen include cayenne pepper and nutmeg). I experimented with adding garlic and found it's flavor completely off and untraditional... like beer and fruit loops... so I don't suggest garlic.

There are only two ways to do the pre-cooking - either cook the everloving hell out of the organs (45min+ rolling boil), or just cook them enough to be done. Don't "meet halfway" or it just doesn't taste right. Personally, I do the longer boil and that gives me a more flavorful broth to add back to the haggis.

Finally, if you can pre-emptively make a good bone broth to boil the pluck in, by all means do it. Boil the onions too. And use that broth in the mixture as well.




*P.S. sorry I completely misunderstood your post regarding, I thought you were *looking* for advice, not *offering* it. In that case, I would *love* to see a video or pictoral series on making Haggis *

[JCheshire]

[QUOTE=Joshua;976245]Good luck!

I experimented with adding garlic and found it's flavor completely off and untraditional... like beer and fruit loops... so I don't suggest garlic.

...beer and fruit loops...GACK!!

[mclean]

Joshua-

You are amazing, and this is *fantastic* advice! Thank you so much!
With any luck we'll end up with something edible, or at least better
than the ice cream scooped cafeteria style haggis I had every
week in school. On the other hand, it may very well be a complete
disaster. In that case, we may be able to offer... a cautionary
pictorial tutorial ;)

Thank you so much again! Any advice from anyone else is appreciated
more that you could ever know!

Cheers,

William

[azwildcat96]

I would like to see an instructional thread about making haggis from scratch.

I was drawn for an elk hunt this October, and decided that if I successfully harvest an animal, that I would like to try to make a "North American haggis" from the elk organs.

[Ozark Ridge Rider]

I would like to see an instructional thread about making haggis from scratch.

I was drawn for an elk hunt this October, and decided that if I successfully harvest an animal, that I would like to try to make a "North American haggis" from the elk organs.

Deer heart and liver make excellent haggis (lungs ballisticly destroyed but I probably wouldn't have used them anyway). Elk should also.

[azwildcat96]

Deer heart and liver make excellent haggis (lungs ballisticly destroyed but I probably wouldn't have used them anyway). Elk should also.

I always eat the organs (heart, kidney and liver in big game, and even gizzards from birds), but have some reservations with the lungs. I may exclude these from a haggis if I attempt to make one. Is that wrong?

[BEEDEE]

I would like to see an instructional thread about making haggis from scratch.

I was drawn for an elk hunt this October, and decided that if I successfully harvest an animal, that I would like to try to make a "North American haggis" from the elk organs.

Check this out.http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-haggis-55264/ I've been using this recipe for three years with nothing but compliments.

Brian

[chrisupyonder]

1 each: sheep's lung, stomach, heart, liver
* 1/2 lb fresh suet (kidney leaf fat is preferred)
* 3/4 cup oatmeal (real Scots cut meal)
* 3 onions, finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
* 3/4 cup stock

Wash lungs and stomach well, rub with salt and rinse. Remove membranes and excess fat. Soak in cold salted water for several hours. Turn stomach inside out for stuffing.

Cover heart, lungs and liver with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Chop heart and coarsely grate liver. Toast oatmeal in a skillet on top of the stove, stirring frequently, until golden. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Loosely pack mixture into stomach, about two-thirds full. Caution, oatmeal expands in cooking.

Press any air out of stomach and truss securely. Put into boiling water to cover. Simmer for 3 hours, uncovered, adding more water as needed to maintain water level. Prick stomach several times with a sharp needle when it begins to swell; this keeps the bag from bursting. Place on a hot platter, removing trussing strings. Serve with a spoon after piercing with a sgian dubh. Usually served with "neeps, tatties and nips" -- mashed turnips, mashed potatoes, nips of whiskey after a rendition of Burns' "Ode to the Haggis."

Chris.

Ps. I have never made it myself cos our local butcher makes the best in the world.

[AKScott]

I have read that if you drape the trachea over the edge of the kettle while the lungs are boiling you get an eerie squeal sort of tone out of the moving air column.

If you can include that sound in the tutorial I would be much obliged.