Ultimate Burns Night Blunder??

**vmac3205** · 13th January 09, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Wompet

Victoria, that's a nice thought, but the Agriculture inspectors in Blaine or Seattle (or whoever inspects international mail at that end of the country) would have to seize it - no ovine meat from Canada may enter the U.S. in passenger baggage or through the mail. Macman had it right.
The USDA may have decided that Canada's cows aren't mad, but it considers your sheep moderately peeved.

Yes, what Jamie said. No international borders, no problems mailing it, no legal issues. Just good, clean Haggis. But what can you expect from a badger. Their geography is viewed from under the ground.

**Panache** · 13th January 09, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by vmac3205

Yes, what Jamie said. No international borders, no problems mailing it, no legal issues. Just good, clean Haggis. But what can you expect from a badger. Their geography is viewed from under the ground.

Victoria,

I think you meant Gary.

People often get we dashing fellows in our Highland attire confused with each other.

Odd that nobody ever mistakes Grant for anyone but Grant.

He must be very...

distinctive

Cheers

Jamie

**thescot** · 13th January 09, 08:45 PM

Make your own. We always make ours--sans the sheep's stomach because you can't get one around here. We use a boiling bag then run it in the oven for a few minutes before serving, and it turns out great.

Take a look at the haggis form 2007:

And this from 2008:

Bet it tastes better than that canned stuff, too. We use lamb, chicken livers, and a bunch of other stuff including real Scottish oats which you can find in any supermarket.

PM me for a recipe if you want one.

**Alan H** · 13th January 09, 08:47 PM

It' snot that hard to make yourself. Instead of a sheeps stomach, make it in super-sized sausage skins.

http://www.texastastes.com/p154.htm

Fibrous Casings for 4" X 22" Salami.
(Item # 632245)
(5 pk) - Casing measures 4" X 26". Each holds approximately 5 lbs of meat.. Includes hanging string and clips for sealing.
Price: US$4.99

There's a recipe for Haggis in the Joy of Cooking. I'm totally serious.

Here's how I do it.

get a pound of two of lamb liver, hearts and ground meat. If you simply can't get lamb liver, substitute beef hearts and liver with a lot of ground lamb. Get a pound of suet...not beef fat SUET. The butcher will probably give it to you for free. You'll need a couple of cups of oatmeal and a lot of spices like mace, turmeric, etc.

1. parboil the liver for a while. this means to boil it in water. Let it go for 45 minutes or so.
2. brown the ground meat for a while...like get it half-cooked. ditto for the beef/sheep hearts.
3. Now dice the liver into bits as fine as you can stand it. This will take a while, so settle in.
4. Put a small handful of suet through a cheese grater until you have a fist-sized pile of grated suet.
5. Mix oatmeal, browned meat, parboiled liver and suet in a big bowl. Really mix it up good.
6. Add seasonings...mace and Turmeric for sure, look at some online recipes for other suggestions. Don't under-season, you'll be surprised how much you can use. Mix it all together something fierce.

7. Take the big salami casings, and put a clamp on one end....they come with steel clamps and you mash 'em with pliars or a vice-grips. Now stuff a mess of meat and oatmeal into the casing, packing it in well. Make sure that you don't stuff too much, the resulting tube has to fit into your biggest pot without bending. You may have to cut your casings in half and stuff 2-3 casing-halves. Once stuffed full, use vice-grips or if you're out of wire, use galvanzied or copper wire to clamp the other end shut.

8. boil for 45 minutes to an hour.

9. Take it out of the water and bake it for another 45 minutes to an hour. Open up the over door every 10 minutes or so to let the steam out.

Voila! Haggis!

**vmac3205** · 13th January 09, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by Panache

Victoria,

I think you meant Gary.

People often get we dashing fellows in our Highland attire confused with each other.

Odd that nobody ever mistakes Grant for anyone but Grant.

He must be very...

distinctive

Cheers

Jamie

Sorry Jamie and Gary. It is the clothes......

**RamsayClanCommish** · 14th January 09, 09:50 PM

The haggis dilema has been solved!

Thank you all for your advice and thoughts. Good to know the board is full of helpful folk with great advice.

**1MUNK3** · 16th January 09, 08:11 AM

Hello,
Please do tell, how was the infamous Haggis dilema solved ? Who did you end up going with or are ye making it yourself ? I hope you along with everyone enjoys their Burn's Night / Dinner festivities.

**vmac3205** · 16th January 09, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by 1MUNK3

Hello,
Please do tell, how was the infamous Haggis dilema solved ? Who did you end up going with or are ye making it yourself ? I hope you along with everyone enjoys their Burn's Night / Dinner festivities.

Indeed. Inquiring minds want to know.

**Standard** · 16th January 09, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by RamsayClanCommish

The haggis dilema has been solved!

Thank you all for your advice and thoughts. Good to know the board is full of helpful folk with great advice.

Thank goodness, I had bad images in my head of the "Piping in o' the Roast Beef".

**Jack Daw** · 16th January 09, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by RamsayClanCommish

We have all but the haggis. And our butcher is at the chain supermarkets. Small town unfortunately.

Cantact Jim Walters, the owner, here. Maybe it's not too late for at least a platterful for ceremonial purposes, or for a small serving for everyone. Sometimes, it's served as an appetizer, anyway:

http://www.caledoniankitchen.com/catalog/

OOPS! I see that you have already solved your problem. I should have read ahead.