Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish, consisting of different types of offal (heart, liver and lungs) mixed up with oatmeal, onions, suet and spices, and usually cooked stuffed into a sheep’s stomach (these days an artificial casing is more often used). There are many different ways of cooking and serving this well known dish, but have you ever wondered how to cook haggis in a microwave? We’ve got the best tips for you!
How To Cook Haggis In A Microwave
Offal tends to go “off” quicker than other parts of meat, so eating it as soon as possible was the key to avoid wasting food. It is thought that the parts of the animal contained in the haggis would be eaten at the site where the animal was killed.
These days, Haggis is generally eaten around Burn’s Night, January 25th, the anniversary of the poet’s death – although it is incredibly popular year round also. Interestingly, it is often more popular with visitors to Scotland than with the Scots themselves! The recipe has evolved with the times, and although it generally uses the same ingredients, you can now get vegetarian versions, and those which are suitable for just about any food allergy sufferers you can think of.
Haggis, despite its ancient history, actually lends itself quite well to modern cooking. You can use any appliance you like to heat it up to eating temperature – yes, even a microwave. You don’t just have to use it to heat up leftovers – let’s have a look at how to cook the whole thing in the microwave.
Basic Microwave Haggis
This is a supremely simple way of cooking haggis. Pretty much all you need is a haggis and a microwave!
What you’ll need:
- 1 haggis
- Water
- Knob of butter
- Bowl
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Microwave
What you’ll do:
Remove the skin of the haggis, cut it into slices, and place it into a microwave safe bowl.
Add a little water and a knob of butter, then cover the bowl and pop it into the microwave.
Zap it on full power for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl and stir the contents, then return to the bowl for a further 1-3 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the microwave, stir it and cover it, then allow it to stand for 2 minutes before serving it.
Traditionally, haggis is served with “Neeps and Tatties” (swede and turnip) and a shot (or several) of fine whisky. You can serve your haggis with green vegetables and mashed potatoes, or stick to the traditional method.
You can also use your microwave to heat up the leftovers of a haggis dinner – just zap it on full power until it is completely cooked through. You can heat up haggis from frozen using a microwave, as long as you heat it on full power until it is piping hot all the way through.
It is important to remove the haggis from the microwave partway through cooking, to stir the contents around and ensure that all areas are cooking evenly.
Adding a drop of water will prevent the contents of the haggis – which can be a little dry because of the oatmeal – from becoming too dry to eat. You can also add a knob of butter at this point if you like, for a bit of added flavour.
Tips For Microwaving Haggis
If you are thinking of going down the convenient route to cook your haggis, consider these tips for microwaving effectively and ending up with a delicious meal:
- When microwaving haggis, do not cover it with cling film. The heating oatmeal may explode through the plastic, so you need to cover it loosely with another plate or a lid.
- Always microwave haggis with a little water and an optional knob of butter, to prevent the mixture from drying out.
- If you are microwaving a whole haggis, you need to remove the outer casing and just microwave the insides. This makes this dish slightly less suitable for a fancy Burn’s Night dinner, but still just as delicious.
Microwaving haggis doesn’t interfere with the flavour or the texture of it, and it will ensure that the haggis is thoroughly cooked through and piping hot in the middle, which is exactly what you’re looking for when cooking meat. The only thing to remember is that when you microwave a haggis it must be broken up, so this is more suitable for using up leftovers, or for incorporating your haggis into other dishes.
- Read also: How To Cook Topside Beef So It Is Tender
Final Words
Haggis is a tasty dish, and if you have never tried it then you really should add it to your “food bucket list”. It is interesting, a bit different, and it will be sure to be a talking point at your next dinner party. And if you have a slow cooker, here is how you can do your haggis in there.
