Haggis: Scotland's National Dish

Haggis is the Scottish food with arguably the worst reputation. Some people tend to criticize it even without attempting to taste it or giving it a chance. This is partly because of what the food contains, and how it is prepared.

While whisky, the Scotland’s national drink, is revered all over the world, the country’s national dish, haggis, is on the receiving end of the national joke. Why? A few decades ago (we’re are in 2018), if asked to explain what a haggis is, any Scot would typically give a response like, “It is a small creature with four legs, two of which are longer than the others, and it has the ability to run around mountains without falling over.” Because of this joke, many people would tour Scotland in the hope of catching a haggis. However, this fiction failed to stand the test of time, since these tourists would meet a completely different “animal.”

Haggis Explained

The truth about haggis is arguably more frightening than the fiction. To be honest, it may be difficult for any Scot to admit that a dice, innards-staffed sheep’s stomach is their national dish. To precisely describe a haggis, the food is made by combining a sheep’s minced heart, lungs, and liver; suet; oatmeal; spices; and salt. All these ingredients are mixed with a stock, before the mixture is boiled in the stomach of the animal, for approximately one hour. This may sound weird, but the fact remains that the product is a culinary masterpiece that anyone could pounce on. Typically, haggis is served with turnips and root vegetables. To know how haggis is cooked, one can watch this video.