Pig’s Stomach | make your own haggis, soppressata or saumagen

The pig’s stomach has been used since ancient times, and has become quite popular since it contains no fat if cleaned properly, and is sometimes even used to prepare vegetables. It can be found all over the world; prepared in various ways including stewed, fried, baked, and broiled. Its most famous for haggis.

What is a pig’s stomach?

A pig’s stomach is the exterior muscular wall of the stomach organ (with interior, lining mucosa removed).

What do you use a pig’s stomach for?

Haggis is the most famous usage of the pig’s stomach. This typical Scottish dish is made from organ meat minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and cooked while traditionally encased in the animal’s stomach.The very similar German Saumagen uses a stuffing consisting of potatoes and pork, spiced with onions, marjoram, nutmeg, and white pepper, amongst others. After that, the Saumagen is cooked in hot water, slightly below boiling temperature to prevent rupture of the stomach. It is usually served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. It was the favorite dish of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

Another dish often prepared in a pig’s stomach is sopressata, the Italian specialty that is made with pieces of porkhead and skin.

The Chinese 猪肚 (zhūdǔ, “pig stomach”) is mostly served stir-fried with vegetables, while the Mexican “buche” and Puerto Rican “cuajos” use it with parts of pork.

This “en vessie” cooking technique is becoming popular to make savory vegetable stews uses pulses, nuts and vegetables instead of meat. Oats and barley may be included as may different types of lentils, split peas, adzuki beans, kidney beans, borlotti beans, peanuts, other nuts and mushrooms, onions, and carrots- healthy and delicious!!

Content

• 1 cleaned and salted pig’s stomach, packaged per unit
• Best before date of 6 months, but can be used well after, as with other casings

Instruction

1. Soak the stomach in water overnight in the refrigerator
2. If necessary, make the opening wider with a knife
3. Repeatedly fill the stomach with lukewarm water to stretch it further if needed

Buying a pig’s stomach?

Order your pig’s stomach at startercultures.eu, the European webshop for all your fermentation, sausage, and charcuterie needs. By Meneer Wateetons, renowned Dutch fermentation and meat expert and author. Order on weekdays before  3 pm and we’ll ship the same day.  Questions on the usage? Ask them in our chat, we’re here to help!

Online English spoken sausage making workshop

In this English spoken online workshop you will learn the theory and practice of making fresh sausages. What types of meat work best, where can you find your ingredients, what are the main pitfalls and what funny things can you do with casings. Foodwriter ‘Meneer Wateetons’, author of several books on fermentation and alternative food preparation techniques,  will teach you all about fermentation, curing salts, food safety, pH, starter cultures, molds, and drying conditions. Click here for more info.