Haggis

Burns night (January 25th) celebrates the birthday of Scotland's best-known poet, Robbie (Auld Lang Syne) Burns, and it is customary to serve haggis for dinner on this occasion. Burns himself wrote an ode to haggis, so that means that it's even more Burns-ey to have haggis on Burns night. You can also eat it at Hogmanay (New Years Day) or Tartan Day (April 6th). There isn't ever a bad day or time to eat Haggis as it's delicious for everyday meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Canned haggis from The Celtic Croft is very easy to heat on the stove in a pan or skillet, or microwave. For a traditional texture, heat gently and stir frequently. You can add a little water while heating if you like it very moist.

You can also serve haggis crispy, with crispy fried potatoes and a fried egg on top. This dish is a perfect everyday or hangover breakfast! While these aren't the traditional method of making haggis, canned haggis is the most convenient way to enjoy the dish regularly!

Your can of haggis will indicate a two-year shelf life, but don't let that fool you. Haggis is a durable dish and may last up to 20+ years if stored in a cool, dry, bomb-shelter.

Haggis is made from high-quality meat cuts of sheep or cows, and it tends to taste a little livery. However, it's mixed with pepper, spices, and oatmeal, all of which give it added flavor. The oatmeal can add a little nutty taste to it as well. Some people say it tastes a lot like corned-beef hash. Serve haggis with neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes), and wash down with whisky. The Celtic Croft offers four varieties of Haggis ranging from mild sirloin beef to "hardcore" lamb haggis.

You can easily freeze your haggis in handy serving portions, ready to heat and eat. Start by using a can opener and cut both ends of the can of haggis open. Push firmly on the lid on either end, and the tube of haggis will slide out still intact. Then, using a sharp knife, slice the haggis into personal serving portions (about 1/2 to 1 inch thick). Wrap the slices of haggis in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, zipper bags, or vacuum seal, and freeze.

You can safely store leftover haggis in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Make sure none of it goes to waste by eating the leftovers for a delicious and easy breakfast!

Traditionally haggis is made from sheep products, but other animals like cows have been used to create this dish. The Celtic Croft offers four varieties for taste buds' pleasure: Traditional Lamb Haggis, Sirloin Beef Haggis, Hardcore Haggis, and Highland Beef Haggis.

Traditionally, haggis is made from animal offal, which is the part of the animal that is hardest to preserve. So it needed to be cooked or prepared straight away. The liver, heart, and lungs are minced and mixed with spices and onions, although not essential, then cooked in the sheep's stomach.

History tells us that the Romans and Vikings might have enjoyed a haggis-type dish, but nothing is known for sure. The English are also believed to have eaten haggis in the 17th or 18th century. However, it is largely considered that the Scots were the actual inventors of this dish. It was an efficient and practical way of making the best use of the entire animal possible and making it palatable and tasty. Using the stomach as a sausage casing is not unique to Scotland, however. Historically, people across all cultures have used the animals' stomachs as casing for sausages and other dishes.