Ingredients
Pudding
- 1 litrefresh sheep’s blood, strained
- 300 mlwhole milk
- 60 gfine breadcrumbs or oatmeal
- 2 tspsalt
- 1 tspground black pepper
- 2 tbspchopped fresh tansy or thyme
- wide natural casing, or a greased loaf tin
To serve
- butter, for frying
- tripe, simmered in milk and onion
- brown bread
Directions
- Strain the blood through a fine sieve to remove any clots — a clot becomes a hard lump in what should be an almost custard-like pudding.
- Whisk in the milk, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and herbs. Drisheen is far looser than a black pudding: it sets soft and quivering rather than firm, and that is what distinguishes it.
- Fill a wide casing loosely and tie the ends, or pour the mixture into a greased loaf tin and cover with foil.
- Cook in a water bath: stand the tin or the coiled casing in a roasting tin, pour in boiling water to come halfway up, and bake at 150°C (300°F) for about an hour.
- Alternatively poach the filled casing at 80°C (176°F) — barely a bubble — for 45 minutes. Either way it must never boil: blood sets hard and grainy above a simmer, and the soft set is the whole point.
- It is ready when a skewer comes out clean and the pudding wobbles as one piece.
- Cool completely and refrigerate. It will not slice at all until properly cold.
- Slice thick, fry gently in butter until browned on both sides, and serve with tripe simmered in milk and onion, and brown bread.
Technique
- Never let it boil. Drisheen is soft-set on purpose and a hard boil turns it grainy and coarse.
- Fresh sheep’s blood on the day it is collected. This is why few butchers still make it.
- It is much looser than black pudding. If yours is firm and crumbly, it was cooked too hot.
Substitutions
- Pig’s blood, which is far easier to source and gives a firmer, more conventional pudding.
- Thyme or mint in place of tansy, which is hard to find and bitter in quantity.
- Oatmeal in place of breadcrumbs, which is the older version.
Variations
- Served with tripe as tripe and drisheen, which is the Cork dish.
- Some versions add a little cream, which makes the set softer still.
History
A Cork speciality long sold in the English Market, traditionally eaten with tripe; few butchers still make it.
Frequently asked questions
What is Drisheen?
Drisheen is a charcuterie & cured from Ireland: soft blood pudding made with sheep’s blood, sliced and fried or served with tripe. A Cork speciality long sold in the English Market, traditionally eaten with tripe; few butchers still make it.
How long does Drisheen take to make?
Drisheen takes 30 min of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Drisheen?
Yes, within limits. Pig’s blood, which is far easier to source and gives a firmer, more conventional pudding. Thyme or mint in place of tansy, which is hard to find and bitter in quantity. Oatmeal in place of breadcrumbs, which is the older version.
What is the most important thing to get right in Drisheen?
Whisk in the milk, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and herbs. Drisheen is far looser than a black pudding: it sets soft and quivering rather than firm, and that is what distinguishes it.
