Scottish Haggis Savory Pudding (Print View)

A hearty blend of spiced meats and oats served with mashed potatoes and turnips for an authentic Scottish taste.

# Components:

→ Offal & Meats

01 - 1.1 lb sheep heart, liver, and lungs (or substitute with lamb/liver mince)
02 - 7 oz beef or lamb suet, finely chopped
03 - 10.5 oz lamb or beef mince (optional)

→ Grains & Binders

04 - 5.3 oz steel-cut oats, toasted

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

05 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped

→ Liquids

06 - 1 cup beef stock

→ Seasonings

07 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
08 - 1 tsp ground coriander
09 - 1 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - ½ tsp ground allspice
11 - 1½ tsp salt

→ Casing

12 - 1 cleaned sheep stomach or large sausage casing (or oven-proof pudding basin with foil cover)

→ Neeps & Tatties

13 - 1.1 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
14 - 1.1 lb turnips (swede/rutabaga), peeled and cubed
15 - 1.75 oz butter
16 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Rinse offal thoroughly and place in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer 1 to 2 hours until tender. Remove offal, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid if desired, cool, and mince finely.
02 - In a large bowl, mix the minced offal, chopped suet, toasted oats, onions, and optional minced meat until well incorporated.
03 - Pour in beef stock and reserved cooking liquid if using. Add ground black pepper, coriander, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Mix thoroughly so the mixture is moist but not runny.
04 - If using casing, rinse it well and fill loosely, allowing room for expansion. Tie ends securely with kitchen twine. If using a pudding basin, spoon in mixture and cover tightly with foil.
05 - Place the filled casing or basin in a large pot of boiling water ensuring water does not cover the top. Simmer gently for 2 hours, monitoring water level.
06 - Simmer potatoes and turnips separately until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain, mash each with butter, and season with salt and pepper.
07 - Remove haggis carefully, let rest briefly, then slice open and serve hot with mashed neeps and tatties.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like Scotland itself—spiced, warming, and unapologetically bold in a way that lingers long after dinner.
  • Once you make it, you realize haggis is far more approachable than its reputation suggests, and that victory feels genuinely earned.
  • Serving it to guests who expect to be horrified only to watch them ask for seconds is a quiet kind of joy.
02 -
  • Don't skip the simmering step for the offal—rushing this or using raw offal will give you a grainy, unpleasant texture that no amount of cooking can fix.
  • The mixture should be moist but hold together when squeezed; if it's too wet, the haggis becomes mushy; if too dry, it becomes dense and crumbly.
  • Toast your oats in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes before adding them—this one small step transforms them from bland to nutty and makes a real difference to the final flavor.
03 -
  • If you're nervous about the stomach casing, a pudding basin is equally legitimate and removes one source of anxiety from your first attempt.
  • Make the filling a day ahead and refrigerate it; this allows the flavors to meld and makes the whole process feel less rushed.
  • Keep the water simmering gently, not boiling—a rolling boil can cause the casing to burst or the mixture to become grainy.
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