Haggis

Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish that has been enjoyed for many years. It is made from sheep's heart, liver, and lungs, which are minced with chopped onion, oatmeal, suet, seasonings, and salt. All of these ingredients are mixed with stock and cooked in the animal's stomach, though today an artificial casing is often used instead. Despite its unusual ingredients, haggis is known for its nutty texture and delicious savoury flavour.

The dish has ancient roots, with similar foods being eaten since ancient times. The name "hagws" or "hagese" was first recorded in England around 1430, but haggis is considered a Scottish creation. It became the national dish of Scotland, largely thanks to the famous poet Robert Burns, who wrote a celebratory poem titled "Address to a Haggis" in 1786.

Traditionally, haggis is served with "neeps and tatties"—boiled and mashed turnips and potatoes—and enjoyed with a dram of Scotch whisky, especially during a Burns supper. This special meal celebrates the life and work of Robert Burns and features haggis as the main course.

History and etymology

Haggis is often thought to come from Scotland, but many countries have made similar dishes with different names. The earliest known recipes for a dish like haggis appear in old cookbooks from around 1430 in Lancashire, north west England. These recipes used offal, which are the inner parts of an animal, mixed with herbs.

Some believe haggis may have been created by the ancient Romans as a way to use less expensive cuts of meat. Others think it came to Scotland from Scandinavia long ago. The name "haggis" might be linked to old words meaning "to chop" because the dish is made by chopping up ingredients.

Folklore

Main article: Wild haggis

Because we don’t know exactly where haggis came from, many fun stories have grown up around it. One story says that long ago, Scottish cattle drovers who traveled from the Highlands to Edinburgh carried haggis with them. Women made it for them using ingredients they had at home, putting it in a sheep’s stomach for easy travel through the glens.

Another idea is that when a chieftain or laird had an animal killed for meat, workers got to keep the offal. There’s even a joke that haggis is a tiny Scottish animal with legs longer on one side, helping it run on steep hills. Some people in America even thought haggis was a real animal!

Modern use

Haggis is traditionally served at a special dinner called a Burns supper around January 25, the birthday of Scotland's famous poet Robert Burns. Burns wrote a poem called "Address to a Haggis" about this dish. Historically, haggis was a popular food among poor people because it used parts of the sheep that were often thrown away.

Today, haggis can be found in supermarkets across Scotland all year long. It is often sold in artificial casings instead of real animal stomachs. Some versions are made from pig instead of sheep, and there are even special kinds that follow Jewish dietary laws. Haggis can be enjoyed in many ways, such as fried in batter with chips to make a "haggis supper," in a burger, or even as a filling for a pizza.

Vegetarian haggis was first sold commercially in 1984 and now makes up a large part of haggis sales. Instead of meat, it uses various pulses, nuts, and vegetables, along with oats, barley, lentils, and other ingredients like mushrooms and onions.

Outside Scotland

Haggis is enjoyed by many people from Scotland who now live in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This is because Scottish traditions, such as Burns Suppers, are still celebrated in these places. While haggis can be made anywhere, sometimes it is specially brought in from Scotland.

In 1971, the United States made a rule that stopped people from bringing haggis from the UK into the country. This was because the traditional recipe includes sheep lung, which was not allowed. Even after rules about British beef and lamb changed in 2022, the rule about sheep lung stayed the same. Because of this, haggis is now made inside the United States, often by Scottish companies, using recipes that leave out sheep lung and use artificial casings instead.