Have you ever tasted hagis?

Question

How did you like it? What are the ingredients?

Answer 1

I've never tried haggis, but it sounds very tasty.  I have no idea where I could get a decent dish in the US.  Guess I'll have to visit my ancestral home in Scotland.

Answer 2

NOpe

Answer 3

no, sounds interesting, I might like it.

It sounds simmilar to a pot-pie, but in a stomach instead of a pie crust, probably VERY tasty.

i can't stand when people like jehowell2000 just copy/paste anything they find on the net, and don't put a source, like they actually thought it up or something:

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/scottish/...

Answer 4

Several times

Haggis is a sausage made with a lot of barley and herbs. The sausage includes lots of organ meat and bits that make some people squeamish (stomach, lungs, etc). There are theories that haggis was sort of a leftover mash after the big bits of meat were butchered and cooked. Take the organs that are left and boil the heck out of them with herbs and barley so nothing goes to waste.

Well made haggis tastes like thick barley oatmeal with sausage and spices. It's quite heavy, but very savory and earthy flavored. You can add a bit of scotch whisky to spice it up.

Poorly made haggis is a taste horror.

I probably eat haggis once a year with a Scottish friend. He knows where to get the decent stuff, though. It's good, but I'm not all that pressed to eat it more often.

Answer 5

Yes; I've had haggis a few times whilst in Scotland.

It has a very earthy texture; the pepper, onion and oatmeal really come through quite powerfully as flavour.  If you didn't know what you were eating, you'd think of it as being a casserole of sorts.

Historically, like a lot of things, this wasn't made for the upper-crust set.  It was made by poor people.  Why?  Well, they didn't have the good cuts of meat; they had...well, organs and scraps.  So, as has been done for thousands of years, you take what you've got, and figure out a way to make the crappy stuff taste good.  It's not disgusting; it's what people ate because they didn't have any other options.  You used the whole animal; you didn't waste anything.  

If you think about it...not a bad philosophy.

Answer 6

thats disgusting how can someone eat that!?

Answer 7

Yes, several times and I liked it most of the times.  If its made by someone who really knows what they're doing its great; if not, its horrid.  Its barley and oats and organ meat and herbs in a sheep's stomach.  Its served with mashed potatoes and turnips.  Its very rich.

Answer 8

"Here's a recipe for the beloved Haggis of Scotland. In addition to the other naughty (read 'delectable') bits, the lungs are traditionally included in Scotland, but are omitted here as it's illegal to sell lungs in the U.S. (Any clues as to why, anybody?). Some folks also think that liver shouldn't be used ..."

1 sheep's lung (illegal in the U.S.; may be omitted if not available)

1 sheep's stomach

1 sheep heart

1 sheep liver

1/2 lb fresh suet (kidney leaf fat is preferred)

3/4 cup oatmeal (the ground type, NOT the Quaker Oats type!)

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 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. Remember, 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. Ceremoniously served with "neeps, tatties and nips" -- mashed turnips, mashed potatoes, nips of whiskey.