How to Cook Haggis

Ask the finest chefs how to cook haggis and they all agree – cooking haggis is simple. Just make sure you serve it piping hot.

Here is our step by step cooking instructions, plus Jo and James Macsween’s delicious recipe for Haggis, Neeps and Tatties with Whisky Sauce. Enjoy!

Step by step cooking instructions:

In the oven*

• Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4, remove the outer packaging of a 907g  haggis (serves 4-5), but don’t remove the tight casing.
• Wrap the haggis in foil, put in an ovenproof dish with some space around it, then pour in boiling water so it comes about 2.5cm (1in) up the sides of the dish.
• Cook for about 1 hour 45 mins until piping hot throughout (topping up water as needed).
• Remove skin and clips before serving.

*Timings vary according to the size and weight of your haggis. Please check the packaging for details

In a pan

• Prepare a pan of boiling water, remove the outer packaging but not  the tight casing, and submerge the haggis.
• Turn the heat down immediately. You don’t want the casing of the haggis to split as this will create quite a mess.
• Gently poach. As a guide, a 907g haggis (serves 4-5) takes around 75 mins but please check the packaging for detailed instructions.

In a microwave

• Remove the outer packaging and the tight casing
• Slice into manageable slices – around 1cm think and then place in a microwaveable dish.
• Cover and heat on ‘MEDIUM’ (see packaging for timings), stirring once during cooking and once before serving.

Haggis, neeps and tatties with whisky cream sauce

Follow this classic recipe by Jo and James Macsween to create the traditional Scottish dish of haggis, neeps and tatties for four. Reproduced with permission from The Haggis Bible (available here)

Prep/cooking time – 20 minutes
Serves – 4 guests

Ingredients

907g Macsween Traditional Haggis

1kg of turnips

1 large carrot

80g butter

1kg Maris Piper potatoes

100ml mik, warmed in the microwave

150g Macsween Whisky Cream Sauce

 Seasoning to taste

Preparation method

• Heat the haggis following the instructions on the pack. Meanwhile peel the potatoes and turnips, then dice the turnips and carrot into 1cm cubes and cut the potatoes into quarters.
• Gently boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water and the carrot and turnip in a separate pan of salted water for 20 - 25 minutes until soft.
• Drain each pan separately.
• To the potatoes, add 40g butter, the hot milk, salt and pepper to taste and mash well until creamy.
• To the turnips and carrots, add 40g butter, salt and pepper to taste and mash, retaining some texture.
• Reserve the mashed vegetables whilst you heat the whisky sauce according to the instructions on the pack, and then serve altogether with the hot haggis.

Chef's tip: When draining the potatoes and tunrip and carrot,allow all the steam and moisture to evaporate. This  will ensure creamy potatoes and turnips that are not watery.

Looking for more recipe ideas?

For our latest news, recipes and advice on how to organise Burns Night, take a look at the Haggis UK Blog.