Exploding haggis

[Kenn]

As a devotee of "The Chietain o' the puddin' race," can any one explain to me why despite carefully forking the beastie before cooking it EXPLODES!
Now as far as I know there is no baking powder,no gunpowder,no dynamite or other explosives in the recipe.
Just what have the sheep been eating or do those that are sent over the border have a different ingredients? Like a WAKE up call for The English!

[Billy Boy]

lol a remember years ago ma pal asked me to put her haggis in the microwave for her, now i didnt pierce it wi the fork:roll: and boy did it explode and what a bang came of it :lol:

[Buttercup]

I just remove the skin and put the contents in a bowl, cover in cling film and microwave. Works fine.:D

[Kingetter]

As a devotee of "The Chietain o' the puddin' race," can any one explain to me why despite carefully forking the beastie before cooking it EXPLODES!
Now as far as I know there is no baking powder,no gunpowder,no dynamite or other explosives in the recipe.
Just what have the sheep been eating or do those that are sent over the border have a different ingredients? Like a WAKE up call for The English!


I think we're back on the methane thread again:lol: Have you never heard a haggis?

[pultneytooner]

As a devotee of "The Chietain o' the puddin' race," can any one explain to me why despite carefully forking the beastie before cooking it EXPLODES!
Now as far as I know there is no baking powder,no gunpowder,no dynamite or other explosives in the recipe.
Just what have the sheep been eating or do those that are sent over the border have a different ingredients? Like a WAKE up call for The English!
I think the lambs liver is swapped for C4 for the benefit of our english cousins[lol].

[grumpyhippo]

I think the lambs liver is swapped for C4 for the benefit of our english cousins.

I hear we're sending two ton of this haggis to North Korea to enable them to compare it with their nuclear weapon. I suppose its classed as humanitarian aid.:lol: :lol:

[golach]

As a devotee of "The Chietain o' the puddin' race," can any one explain to me why despite carefully forking the beastie before cooking it EXPLODES!
Now as far as I know there is no baking powder,no gunpowder,no dynamite or other explosives in the recipe.
Just what have the sheep been eating or do those that are sent over the border have a different ingredients? Like a WAKE up call for The English!
IMHO Lizz, you have cooked it wrong, try slicing the skin and put it in the microwave for 5 mins, thats the way Mrs G does it, tastes great

[JAWS]

LIZZ, have you stopped to consider that the poor thing was wreaking revenge for it having been wrenched away from it's poor wee Glen and dragged to the fleshpots of that heathen Country south of the Border?

As for slitting the belly of the poor wee thing and stuffing it in a microwave, what sort of savages are advising you? Poor Rabbie must be spinning in his grave at the very idea.

The Haggis is a more civilised cousin of black pudding and needs to be treated with respect. It should be placed in a pan of cold water and the temperature gently raised until the water is very gently simmering. At no stage should the procedure become what could be described as harsh, vigorous or violent otherwise the poor thing will explode with fear. You have to persuade it to allow itself to be gently ease itself into being cooked for the appropriate length of time.

Microwave indeed, next they will be telling you to lots and lots of fizzy rubbish into a decent malt. Oh the shame of being associated with such heathens, I can hardly bear it! [lol]

[Kenn]

Jaws did I mention a microwave? Did I say whether I was steaming the wee beastie. roasting it or frying it?
I think not..but still it EXPLODED..ma kitchen has a whole new decor..haggis blasted, do you reckon the trend will cach on?

[JAWS]

Sorry Lizz, it was the suggestions from this end that horrified me. For dyed in the wool Haggis Bashers to suggest slicing one open and micro-waving the poor thing alive I found shocking beyond belief. I fear I might need long term medical help in order to recover.

On the other hand, they are probably in a far better position than this ignorant Sassanach when it comes to the roasting of the Haggii. :roll:

I think I will escape from this one before the hole gets too deep. The correct term for such behaviour is pure unadulterated cowardice or more simply, I'm off while I'm still alive. ;)

[Murdina Bug]

So, how were you cooking it Lizz when it exploded? I don't think you actually said.

As Jaws described it you should put it in cold water and bring to the simmer and let it bubble along like that for a while depending on its size. I usually stick the haggis on then prepare my neeps and tatties for the clapshot. By the time they are cooked and mashed the haggis is usually hot throughout. Then you take it out and pierce the skin and it will split along the length of it. If you are using this method you should NOT pierce the skin before cooking!

Traditional, but reliable method I find.

[henry20]

That way works for me too - unless the hubby gets in the way and boils it frantically until it splits :lol:

Having haggis, neeps & tatties for dinner tonight. yum :D

[squidge]

I cooked two five pound haggis for burns night last year. I didnt have a pan big enough so i putt hem in the oven in a bath of water and covered them very tightly with foil. fantastic. it worked a treat - kept it very low and just let them cook through yummy

[Kenn]

Thanks folks for all the advice both the jocular and the serious.I have tried many ways of cooking the beast some with great results and others not so good.
Here's a thought, make a sauce of Drambuie and cream and serve over small portions of steamed haggis as a starter, it's delicious.