There is something delightful about pouring generous lashings of decadent and creamy Whisky Sauce over your Haggis, Neeps and Tatties for Robert Burns Day. It’s a Scottish match made in heaven that is so good you’ll want to eat it with a spoon!
And I know I’m Scottish, but I don’t drink Whisky and still adore this sauce! In case that’s a concern you have … trust me, you’ll love it!
The type of Whisky matters!
Much like wine in a recipe, the type of Whisky you use matters, because it translates straight into the flavour profile. And a huge part of this sauce is whisky, so make sure to choose wisely.
So if you like whisky to drink, then opt for that.
But if not, just make sure it’s a halfway decent one – the resulting sauce will thank you for it!
I opted for this lovely MCDXCIV from Lindores Abbey Distillery.
Whisky or Whiskey?
I have conversations about this a lot, and it kills me when I see a Scottish person spell Whisky like Whiskey! A tiny part of my Scottish heart hurts every time.
“The spelling of Scotch whisky (no ‘e’) is enshrined in law. The same applies to Canadian whisky, while Japan, England, Wales, the Nordics, Australia (you get my drift) follow that lead.
As you correctly point out, American and Irish producers use the alternate spelling, with the ‘e’. Mostly.
These spellings were, however, only fixed in the 20th century. Up until then, the extra ‘e’ was being flung around as if at a rave in the 1990s. Some distillers – be they in Scotland, Ireland, or the US – used the ‘e’. Others didn’t.”
excerpt from The Whisky Professor from Scotch Whisky Magazine.
Ingredients for Whisky Sauce (for Haggis)
Simple and few ingredients in this recipe for whisky sauce, and that’s why quality matters!
Salted Butter: you may find it ironic I’m using Irish butter with Scotch whisky, but Kerrygold is a great quality butter! Use any salted butter you like the taste of.
Whisky: I’ve already mentioned this above, but use something you like the taste of already or is good quality. We use 150ml of whisky in this recipe, so we want it to taste nice!
Beef Stock:
Mustard: I use dijon mustard as it provides a subtler heat than its English cousin. So keep that in mind and reduce the volume if using English mustard.
Cream: double cream is called heavy cream in the USA (albeit with a slightly lower fat content %). You can substitute for single cream if you prefer.
Salt + White Pepper
Method for Whisky Sauce
Melt butter in a pan & add whisky
Set whisky alight with either a long lighter or match and wait until all the alcohol cooks off. When the flames are dying down, shake the pan a bit, as you’ll find more of the alcohol catches alight when you do.
NOTE: if you don’t want to light the whisky, then simply cook the whisky off for a few minutes on high heat. This isn’t as effective at burning off the alcohol; it will result in a less glossy sauce, with a bit more of a punch of whisky still present. However, it will suffice if for some reason you don’t want to.
The sauce should look like the first photo below after the whisky has cooked off. Then add mustard and pour in the beef stock.
Whisk a little to distribute the mustard evenly, then pour in the double cream.
Simmer for a few minutes, season with salt & pepper, and then simmer until the sauce reduces a bit more (5 minutes)
If you allow the sauce to ‘sit’ and cool slightly for a few minutes after you’ve turned the heat off it will thicken some more, which is the perfect pouring consistency. Be prepared for your Burns Night Haggis to luxuriate in creamy Whisky Sauce!
Storage and Reheating
This Whisky Sauce will store in the fridge for up to 4 days (if stored below 4C).
To reheat – add the sauce to a pan on the hob and heat gently until piping hot throughout. Add a little extra milk, cream or stock to loosen if necessary (as the sauce thickens as it cools).
And finally…
If you do choose to make it, I hope you enjoy it!
Please leave me a comment below and tell me what you think. Or if you have any questions, leave it below and I’ll be sure to answer them.
If you love steak night at home and want more steak sauce recipes, then check out my Easy Peppercorn Sauce or Blue Cheese Sauce recipe.
Whisky Sauce (for Haggis) – 10 Minute Recipe
Ingredients
- 25 g salted butter
- 150 ml whisky
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 beef stock cube
- 100 ml water
- 200 ml double cream
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Melt 25 g salted butter in a pan then pour in 150 ml whisky
- Set whisky alight with either a long lighter or match and wait until all the alcohol cooks off (give the pan a shake to ensure all the alcohol ignites)
- Add 1 tsp dijon mustard and 1 beef stock cube dissolved in 100 ml water – stir to ensure even distribution
- Pour in 200 ml double cream and simmer for 5 minutes on medium/high heat
- Finally, season with 1/8 tsp salt & 1/8 tsp white pepper
- Note: if you allow the sauce to ‘sit’ for a few minutes after you’ve turned the heat off it will thicken further as it cools
5 responses
Simplest ever way to make a smooth delicious whisky sauce for our Burns night haggis. I used Highland Park Whisky.
Really enjoyed this as an accompaniment to a (bought) haggis!
Thank you!
Easy to make and delicious over a haggis, neeps and tatties pie! Thank you!
Made this delicious sauce with a store bought (M&S) haggis. So tasty and easy to make. Thanks a mil 🙂
Very easy and tasted great. I reduced the amount of Whisky by 1/3 as I was worried about it being too strong for guests who aren’t sure about whisky.
It was good like that if you want it more subtle, although with burning off the alcohol and adding the cream, I suspect they would have been fine with it stronger too.