Meldrum Potted Hough
Submitted by kidcooker
Traditional Scottish potted hough made from slow-simmered beef shin and marrow bones with allspice and bay leaves, set in its own natural jelly.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30COOK
READY
Potted hough is a traditional Scottish cold meat dish that dates back generations. Beef shin (hough in Scots) simmers for hours with marrow bones and knuckle bones until the meat falls apart and the natural gelatin from the bones turns the cooking liquid into a firm jelly when chilled.
The long, slow simmer is the whole point. Three hours breaks down the tough connective tissue in the shin into tender, shreddable meat and releases collagen into the broth. That collagen is what sets the dish into a sliceable mold without any added gelatin.
Allspice and bay leaves keep the seasoning simple and traditional. This is plain, honest Scottish cooking. The flavor comes from the quality of the meat and the patience of the cook, not from a complicated spice rack.
Kitchen Tips
- Ask the butcher to cut the shin into 2-inch pieces and split the bones. Exposed marrow releases more gelatin and flavor.
- Skim the fat after refrigerating, not during cooking. The fat cap protects the surface while the jelly sets, then lifts off cleanly once solid.
- Use small individual bowls for easier serving and a neater presentation. Larger molds are traditional but harder to unmold cleanly.
- Potted hough keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. The jelly acts as a natural preservative.
Variations
- Add a few whole peppercorns and a blade of mace to the simmering liquid for a more aromatic jelly.
- Stir in finely chopped parsley before pouring into molds for flecks of green throughout.
- Serve sliced on oatcakes with pickled onions and mustard for a traditional Scottish cold plate.
Ingredients
Directions
Have the butcher cut the meat in 2 inch pieces.
Put the meat and bones in a heavy aluminum or metal pan and cover with water (about 4 cups).
Add salt, pepper, allspice and bay leaves.
Bring water to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, until meat is tender, which will take at least three hours.
Remove bones and bay leaves and discard.
Take the meat from the pan and cut it into small chunks.
Put meat and cooking liquid from pan into a large bowl.
Skim off the fat that floats to the top of the liquid.
Refrigerate bowl for a hour or so, until its contents have molded firmly.
It can also be removed from the bowl after step eight and left to set in smaller bowls for individual use.
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