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Greetings,

My first post here. I'm from Texas. I work frequently in England and have visited Scotland a few times. My trips to Scotland have inspired me to try making haggis from the next deer I take this winter in Texas. No point in spilling all the offals in the dirt this time. So here's some questions.

How much does a sheeps pluck (heart, liver lungs) weigh? Most recipes I find are based on the sheeps pluck. Depending on the size of the deer I take, I may have to adjust accordingly.

Any opinions on whether venison pluck (white tail deer) would be acceptable for haggis? Strong or bitter flavors?

What sort of flavor does the lung add? I am familiar with heart and liver of domestic animals, but not lung.

Admittedly, I will not be stuffing this in the stomach according to tradition, but rather stuff in hog casings.

Thanks for your help,

Todd K.

Hi Todd,

The lungs, (or lights as they are often reffered to) are traditionally included. Personally I would not use them out of a wild deer, (especially as if it has been shot the anaphylactic shok from the bullet will either bruise them or leave themwith a series of clots. I'm assuming you neck shoot the animal you will be using.

Some from here, have added breast of lamb to the mix if I remember correctly.

I'd be very interested in how you get on with this one, and what spices you decide on.

Rgds,
FB

This recipe would suggest you can just go ahead and use a deer pluck:

Haggis

1 deer or sheep paunch (stomach bag) plus the pluck (lights (lungs), liver and heart)

1 lb shredded beef suet, preferably kidney leaf fat

2 large onions, finely chopped

2 tbl. salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp Allspice

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground mace

2 lb dry pin oatmeal

2-3 cups broth (in which the liver, heart and lights were cooked)

Soak the stomach bag in salted water overnight. Rinse thoroughly until the water stays pretty clear and handling it does not produce much sediment.

Place the pluck (lights, liver and heart) in the canning kettle with 3 to 4 cups water with the windpipe hanging over the edge draining into another receptacle, to remove impurities. Bring to a boil and simmer the lung, liver and heart until tender, about an hour and a half. Let it all cool, and keep the broth.

Remove the windpipe and any gristle or skin. Chop the meat extremely fine; grate the liver. Mix the meats with the spices, onions, suet.

Toast oatmeal gently in a skillet on top of the stove, stirring frequently, until golden brown and crisp. Add to meat, etc and mix thoroughly.

Add 2 cups of the broth left from boiling the meat. See if when you take a handful, it sticks together. If it does, do not add the third cup of broth. If it is still crumbly and will not hold together very well,
add another cup of the broth and mix thoroughly.

Turn stomach inside out for stuffing (smooth side out). Stuff with the mixture, about one half to three-quarters full. Sew up the bag tightly or secure each end with string. Wrap it in cheesecloth and prick it all over with a needle so that it does not burst.

Wash out the kettle and bring about 2 gallons of water to a boil in it. Put in the haggis. Boil the haggis gently for about 4 or 5 hours.

Dave

Hi

I've made a few haggi or is that haggises and the additives EG the onions oats and other bits are there to bulk out the offal (make a poor mans dish go further) so if you want to add a bit more or less its all an experiment.

I tend to use hearts instead of lites and add some minced lamb shoulder.

You must add plenty of black pepper.

Tim

Thanks all. One more question. Since I will be stuffing hog casings, will the dry oats I add burst the casings when I simmer them for the final cooking?