Haggis is a great food; beloved to both Scots and the rest of the world! It can be tasty and delicious, plus it packs a nutritional punch too.
Haggis doesn’t have to only be eaten on Burns’ Night; you can rustle up this tasty dinner at any time of year, and know that it will be delicious.
In times gone by, haggis was served encased in the lining of a sheep’s stomach. These days, it is more usually wrapped in plastic – you may be wondering how to cook haggis wrapped in plastic. This is where we come in!
How Do You Boil Haggis Wrapped In Plastic?
Boiling haggis actually involves removing the plastic packaging before you boil it – just so you know! No one needs to eat food that is boiled in plastic – this will not do you any good at all.
- Firstly, remove the plastic bag surrounding the haggis.
- Wrap the haggis in tin foil.
- Place into a pan of water that is warming on the hob – do not allow the water to boil.
- Leave it in the pan for 45 minutes until it is fully cooked.
You can also “boil” haggis in the oven – this is not the same as boiling it on the hob, but the principle is the same!
- Remove the outer plastic packaging and wrap the haggis in tin foil.
- Place the haggis in tin foil and put it into a preheated oven.
- Cook it at 180C/gas mark 4 for one hour, until completely heated through.
If you fancy, you can even microwave your haggis:
- First, remove the outer plastic packaging and the skin of the haggis.
- Cut it into pieces then place on a microwave safe plate.
- Cover the plate and cook on full power for 8 minutes.
- Halfway through the cooking time, turn and mash the haggis pieces with a fork.
After any of these cooking methods, serve your haggis with its traditional partners – neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes), or any other veg that you like.
Do I Cook Haggis In The Plastic?
When you buy a haggis, it generally comes wrapped in a plastic packaging – as so much of our food does, these days (don’t get me started on this)!
As we all know, plastic is not food, and should be removed from all our food as far as is possible.
In the olden days, haggis could be boiled in its skin, because the skin was also edible (it was made of sheep stomach. High on the eeew factor!)
These days, haggis is usually wrapped in plastic, which is less edible than sheep stomach – would you believe it!
It is important to remove the outer plastic coating, to avoid health issues and a huge lack of deliciousness.
Always remove the outer plastic packaging, to ensure that your haggis tastes good, and you are not ingesting plastic with your food.
How Long Do I Boil Haggis For?
Cooking meat generally depends on your preference for how well done you like your favourite cut.
Haggis is slightly different though, as it is contains much more than just one type of meat, and it is not “just” meat.
Boiling haggis is a great way of cooking it, that will render the whole thing tender and delicious – and it takes very little effort on your part!
As a general rule, haggis should be cooked in a pan for 1 hour 15 minutes, until it is piping hot all the way through.
You will need to remove the outer casing of the haggis but not the tight layer as this will hold the haggis together whilst it cooks.
The haggis is already cooked, so you will be gently poaching it to warm it through – boil the water first, then turn it down to a simmer to finish off the cooking.
You may find that you need to top up the water during the cooking process; do this with water from a warm kettle to avoid reducing the water temperature.
Here is a useful video showing the best way to boil your haggis in a pot:
How Do You Cook Haggis In The Oven?
Haggis is a delicious food, that can be cooked in many different ways. Each different cooking method will highlight a different flavour of the finished product.
Oven cooking food can release a different side of food – oven cooking can offer a depth of flavour that is not always found in hob cooking.
Oven cooking your haggis will render it tasty and delicious, and can add a bit more of an interesting texture. Plus, it removes a lot of the effort from your cooking – just whack it in and wait!
- Start by preheating your oven. This will help the cooking process start as soon as you place the haggis in, rather than having to wait for the oven to heat up.
- Remove the outer packaging from the haggis, including the plastic coating.
- Prick it all over with a fork as if it were a baked potato, then wrap it in tin foil.
- Bake it in the oven for one hour. Check it at this point – it should be perfect, but if it not then you may want to leave it longer.
- Serve the haggis by removing it from the tin foil and either slicing or spreading it out.
- Serve it with neeps and tatties or your own favourite veggies.
Haggis is a unique, tasty dish that is not hard to prepare, and that can be served with a variety of different veg as well as its traditional partners.
If you’ve never tried it, get stuck in today! Vegetarian and vegan versions of this quirky favourite are also available, so the non meat eaters don’t have to feel left out!
