Cumberland hackin
The word ‘hackin’ is derived from the French word hache, meaning chopped. A hack pudding was made from a mixture of oatmeal, minced lamb, currants, suet, apples and spices not unlike a sweet version of haggis. This was mixed together with beaten egg and stuffed into a calf’s stomach and boiled. Traditionally at Christmas in Cumberland, if the Hackin was not on the kitchen table before dawn on Christmas Day, the cook or maid responsible for it would be paraded through the house and 'publicly humiliated'. Rather than going to the bother of preparing a sheep’s stomach, this recipe uses a cloth (cotton or muslin) but if you want to be truly authentic it might be worth talking to your butcher to see if you can purchase a prepared stomach.
Preparation method
Day 2
The next day, put all the ingredients into the large mixing bowl and mix with your hands for several minutes. Make sure the mix is evenly coated with the spices, milk and egg. If the mixture is a little wet add in some extra oats, if a little dry add in some milk. The mixture should be fairly loose. Set aside.
Cut the cotton or 2 layers of muslin to a square, 35x35cm.
Rinse the cotton or muslin under the tap and then ring out.
Lay the damp cotton or two layers of muslin on a work surface and dust generously with flour. Use your hands to spread the flour evenly over the cloth.
Lay the cloth in the colander and place the Hackin mixture in it.
Bring the sides up, smoothing the sides with your hands to make the mixture into a sphere.
Tie the fabric you have brought together at the top of the pudding with string.
Hang the pudding up on a hook for an hour to ensure the pudding stays as spherical as possible while cooking.
Fill the saucepan with water from a boiled kettle and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and submerge the pudding in the water.
Simmer for 3 hours, checking the level of the water so that it doesn't run dry.
Remove the pudding from the water and place in the colander placed in the sink. Allow to cool before removing the cotton or muslin. Place the Hackin on a plate and place in the fridge overnight.
If using a sheep's stomach
Prepare the Hackin mixture as above and spoon the mixture into the sheep’s stomach, (prepared by your butcher and soaked overnight in cold salted water) so it is just over half full and packed in very tight.
Sew up the stomach with strong thread and a sharp sewing needle.
Prick the stomach a couple of times with the needle, so it doesn’t explode while cooking.
Put the Hackin in a pan of boiling water (enough to cover it), reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours without a lid.
Keep adding more water to keep it covered.
