My favourite too. I've actually tried a bit of black pudding in the sausage meat mix. It was interesting, and I might try it again. Have you tried a bit of leek in the onions? I love it. I've tried all leek, but it really does need onions. I've developed a taste for paprika these days, but I find it doesn't add much to stovies. A little fresh spring onion chopped onto the final serving can be nice though.
I have come to the conclusion after watching many videos that Stovies are made with whatever meat is available and that there is no wrong way. I had Stovies while in Scotland cooked by my friend from the capital and they were made with mince. I've seen them made with all kinds of meat and I believe people make their mums recipe and I also believe they are all bloody LOVELY!!
Someone somewhere on YT posted that sausage meat stovies was a "southern thing." I spent a sabbatical in the Highlands and Islands a half century ago and just about lived on stovies - in B&Bs, restaurants, cafes and a couple of private homes. They were made of pretty much every kind of meat, even venison (wasn't all that impressed) but by far the most were made with sausage meat.
Gave you a thumbs up coz your so lovely. BUT my mammy always made stovies with square sausage ever since I was a wee boy. I am now much older and live in Australia but I had stovies tonight for dinner and I have to make my own square sausage. I have my Aussie born sons loving Scottish square sausage with me. Thanks for sharing and I will try link "snags" in stovies next time.
Sorry for the late reply, I must have missed you comment. Thank you so much for taking the time to get in touch. Stovies.....ah....likely the most controversial of Scottish recipes, there's been many a spat on Twitter over #StovieGate. I've got a friend that uses haggis. So many different varieties. Thanks once again H.
One of the problems where I currently live (SE Scotland) is that too few butchers know the difference between lorne and square sausage. The latter SHOULD be (but isn't always) just sausage meat, while lorne has a lot more rusk in it. I've often been sold lorne when I've asked for square sausage - ignorance rather than dishonesty I think. No butcher in my immediate area's will sell me uncased sausage meat - annoying because I also like to make my own sausage rolls. Good quality square sausage makes halfway decent stovies, lorne isn't so good (though I've been known to settle for it when desperate.)
Square or links, definitely. I'd say most of the folk I knew went for square as first choice but links were fine. 60's-70's Glasgow, this is. Some bams suggest mince or even cubbed steak(!?) - never known that to actually happen. Thanks for the video, this appears to be spot on and I'd love to have a bowl. Big spuds and white pepper - yup.
I loved making your stories the are so yummy! I am in Vancouver Washington. Ate a lot of my Scottish grans cooking but she passed . Now if I want that Scottish flare I have to cook for myself.
I always loved Stovies as a kid but could never get that lovely peppery taste. I tried it with your recommendation of seasoning each layer and it worked perfectly. My Mum always used the little round pork sausages but they don't sell them in England so I use link sausages and some little patties made out of pork sausagemeat. It tastes great so thanks for the tip.
Love your recipes Helen , first times I had homemade Stovies was last Hogmanay over at my caravan near Stranraer , it tasted delish , very warming and tasty , just the ticket , try Red Rooster Potatoes from Lidl or Coop , brilliant all rounder spuds , great flavour , love Bisto too , thumbs up , stay safe , hugs
Red Roosters are my favourite tattie, love their versatility, especially when baking as the red skins give a really dark colour once cooked. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. H
Ahh stovies, likely Scotland's most controversial of foods, everybody makes it differently. Have a go and let me k ow what you think. Thanks for watching and taking the time to get in touch. Hx
From this Helen to you Helen thank you for showing this recipe. Best tasting stovie was a wee cafe on Shettleston rd it's not there anymore but they where brill. I loved my ma's tripe and onion. She would make enough for just the two of us as I was only one that liked it.🥰
Thank you, so chuffed to hear from Australia. My Cullen Skink also got good feedback from down under. I must admit, it took a while to get used to hearing myself on film so I am delighted it sounds ok. H
im from Lanarkshire, and stovies were whatever we had on the stove.... it went into the pot.... but basic stovies is generally sausage, boiled potatoe, carrot and onion with salt and pepper.... evribdae's mammy did it hur ain' way n'at!!....hahaha ;)
I made Stovies exactly the same as your recipe. Me and my mate are Scottish living in Thailand so this was a wee treat from home if you like. My mate comes from Huntly and apart from me not including oat cakes and apparently pickled beetroot on the side? he said they were amazing. Crusty bread and butter and pure magic, like you the skinless sausages work a treat and I could for-go the gravy and content with Brown sauce but everybody as you rightly say has their own interpretations. Lovely presentation hen, the video I mean and more the power to you.
Awe slàinte, what a wonderful comment, you've brought tears to my eyes. If it's Scottish stuff you want there's a video for Cullen Skink,(your mate from Huntly may have something to say about it mind you lol) steakpie, stewed sausage and mince to name just a few. I started these to help people on a low income after I'd visited a food bank which is why so many of my recipes are pasta or low meat content based. Thailand, lucky you. Thanks again for a bonnie compliment, you've made my day. H
@@TheOrkneyNews Madame Helen I am delighted you found the time to reply and if I made your day then that also puts a wee lump in my throat. I applaud you also for thinking of the more needy and if I may say rustic or back to basic cooking, bugger it its wholesome is what it is right M8?. Funny reason why I was scouring U-TUBE about Scottish cooking just to get me in the mood for my tea the night. I have a Thai partner and a 12 year old son and its trickle feed them Scottish food as and when I can. Anyway a mate just came back from Manchester after seeing family over the Festive period, so I placed an order. I asked him bring me back 6 Haggis Puddings oot a can, yes the purists will moan M8 but its the only way you can safely guarantee getting it back into the country. So Haggis and tatties no Neeps, my Ma tried force feed me them as a kid hahahaha, so I blitz some boiled carrots keeping it a wee bit chunky instead. Again we have somethings in common going against the grain I reach for the cupboard and pull out the Bisto for the gravy hahahahaha. I like your comment about you remembering with your Father at his work and the sights, sounds and smells Scottish pies just make me drewl literally. I call them Jock pies and when I am back in Scotland at the local butcher he looks at me like i am daft?............I have only ever called them Jock pies before, anyway I to support local business when I can. I will be sure to check out your other offerings and also to subscribe. I have a mass favour ask you and dont be going out the way on my behalf but at some stage could you assist me in trying to replicate a relatively simple dish. Like many of us our Grannies soup was just the Bees Knees when she made lentil soup, think would be yellow not red, tatties, carrots, stock and sometimes would be made from a ham hock? some meat and the bone removed after cooking.............I have looked here but to no avail, so some of your experience or idea would be appreciated................Again its one of those soups where my Mum, Uncles, Aunts and me would descend on Grannies house on a Sunday armed with bags of bread rolls for dooking and one bowl never enough. Ps forgot say reference your Scottish pies and you all so skinny hahahaha, thats because we actually played outside hen till dusk back then and lastly I have never heard of a Dry potato before?. I have heard of floury, or powdery varieties of potato but never dry even if I knew what you meant. If I am wrong then you know what they say about smart Alec's hahahaha..............Again awe the best hen and and cheers for the reply. Scott.
@@scotty193 A dry tattie is a floury tattie. Councidently I was experimenting with lentil soup on Saturday in so far as, I always use ham hough, however they can cost well over £2 which for folk on a budget is a lot of money, so when I came across a pack of smokey bacon scraps I gave them a go. Yum yum yum, the video and recipe for this shall likely be a week Wednesday as I've promised a Dundee cake for this week. You are right re skinnyness as during summer hols. I'd leave the house at 7am to go work with horses, take a packed lunch and come home for dinner which would usually be left on a pot to stay warm. Re your dislike of neep and tinned haggis see attached link. Thank you for subscribing it means such a lot to me. H theorkneynews.scot/2020/01/22/helens-home-cooking-haggis-and-clapshot/
@@scotty193 Heh there, I've not forgotten you or the Lentil soup, I've just not been able to cook for a wee whiley, so apologies winging there way to you. I shall get to it soon hopefully. Anyroads I remembered I'd filmed a Lamb Broth one a while back so hoping it can keep you going in the meantime. H theorkneynews.scot/2018/05/02/helens-home-cooking-video-and-recipe-for-cheese-n-onion-bread-and-lamb-broth/
@@TheOrkneyNews Hello Treacle appreciate you may have been busy so nae worries. I also been busy at work but now back on some leisure time so will work my way through your videos and judge them accordingly hahahahahahah. All the best ya Busy Beaver ( that disnae sound right ) hahaha staying in. Look forward to yer version of the Lentil soup as and when Cheers Scott.
Thanks Helen and Kenny. As you say there are so many different ways to make stovies and all of them are right! 😝Your version is similar to my Dad’s but he just put it all in the pot. My kids would ladle tomato sauce on top so they became ‘orange stovies’. My hubby’s Mum made them with corned beef, tatties and gravy. We haven’t been able to replicate them so do our own version now. Either way they all get eaten in our house as it is a firm favourite for tea. 👍🏻
I always only put everything into the pot, started browning the sausages and onions in lard after sausages had a lot of the fat removed, which for me was what made it a winter warmer. H
Mmmm stovies, mince, beef, chicken, prawn oh so many ways to make it you could have different stovies every day of week. A good hearty meal in winter of summer (even spring & autumn) mmmm stovies
Weirdly, my brother and I (Scots living in the N.E of England) have different memories of of what Stovies are. My brother (who’s seven years older than me) remembers them as being made from mince and I remember them being made from slice (lorne/square sausage). We have both been vegetarian for over thirty years, so that doesn’t really help with keeping the memory straight. I also seem to recall that my Mum always made dough buoys (dumplings) with it too.
Stovies comes in many forms. It mainly means a one pot, stove cook meal. It was often made with left over roast beef and potatoes, a way of stretching out the Sunday roast. I've been told by a friend of mine that it works perfectly well with broken up vegetarian haggis too. H
@@TheOrkneyNews I started making my own slice a good few years back (when vegetarian mince became available that has a similar consistency to beef/pork mince) and so made slice stovies with dough buoys for my brother and I when he popped in. His face dropped when I said stovies and when I told him I’d made it with veggie slice, he was happy again. He doesn’t have particularly good memories of mince stovies where I remember asking my Mum to make slice stovies. Either way, they weren’t something my Mum made often, it’d be far more likely to get shepherds pie or corned beef hash and unfortunately she’s been gone for thirty years this year, my Dad remarried a few years later and now has dementia, so everything gets muddled up between which wife and which mother in law did what. (It’s unlikely that his Mum would have made stovies as she was from Shropshire) It is definitely a dish that no two people either make or serve the same though…which I think is great and definitely just makes it a catch all term for a thick stew made on the hob and traditional home cooking at its most comforting.
@@lynnejamieson2063 You're right about it not being a dish made often, it's the same in our house.....however when the nights draw in, the curtains are closed and the fire is roaring there's nothing quite like the comfort of stovies to heat you from the inside out. Thank you for taking the time to share with me some of your lovely memories it means so much when people do. I love that some of these old recipes evoke in folks tales sometimes long forgotten. H
as a line cook with long hair, before work when i take a shower and wash my hair after i put the conditioner in, i don't rinse it out, when i get home a quick rinse gets all the grease out of my hair works for me
Traditionally stovies were made as a means of using up leftover meat so those that get into arguments over how it should be made seriously don't know their tradition. Now of course we are a bit better off than having to make sure we use up all the meat that we can choose what meat we use and it's really up to the individual as to whether they use sausages, corned beef or left overs from a roast/casserole, I've even seen people use bacon but really there is no right or wrong recipe and the decision to use a gravy/stock is a personal choice.
Why thank you, how lovely of you to say this. It doesn't always need to be done this exact way. If you are in a hurry, use beef sausages for colour and layer everything in the pot raw. H
Stovies comes in many shapes and forms. What you describe I'd call a corned beef hash, but like I said, there are no firm rules, apart from it ultimately being one pot on a stove with everything inside. H
Eating the pies from the bakers straight out of the oven was a thing we always looked forward to. The juices running down your chin was the best part. As for stovies. You no had much money but this dish filled your belly more than once and kept you warm in the winter months. The english might call some of our ways of making Stovies bubble and Squeak. Where the original was far superior to that.
You used "Links" and mentioned someone else used Square sausage. I thought that Square slicing sausage was not common in the Highlands and Islands. Just my experience on holidays in Achiltibuie. Im a Scot living in england and good quality Lorne or Square sausage is impossible to get here. we get Lorne from small freezer shops but it is not brilliant. I totaly understand the "Controversy" :) regarding Stovies. Stovies and Panacckelty are along the same lines. Every family has a variation on the theme. Many thanks!
I completely understand! I'm 63 years old and have lived in the South in the United States. Recently, I was told I 'couldn't cook' southern because I did a certain step in a recipe. Total rubbish! Anyone from anywhere can augment a recipe. Even Martha Stewart will tell you that a recipe is simply a guideline for you to build on. You make Stovies your way! No doubt they are wonderful. Recently I've discovered I'm of 70% Scottish descent. No doubt Stovies are in my blood! ps...baking soda is quite gentle. My daughter had a skin condition as a child and her doctor recommend her soaking. It can be slippery, however. When my son was one his little friend smeared his lovely locks with petroleum jelly...and a ton of it. Dishwashing liquid wouldn't touch it. Baking soda was able to remove it all and left his hair and skin soft and lovely.
Stovies are like cage fighting."Nae rules..Made mine tonight with slice sausage,links.carrots and deep fryed tatties because unless you use homegrown tatties,shop bought have a very high water content,Oh,I did it in a slow cooker.....P.S. try a beer shampoo...Loved your earthy video..Nollaig chridheil agus bliadhna mhath ùr dhut
Bliadhna mhath ùr dhut cuideachd. We had Stovies last night, first time I'd ever used left over meat and gravy, it certainly made one portion of meat go far and tasted fabulous. I did still put in my sausage, however on retrospect the sausage wasn't needed. So pleased you are enjoying the videos, we shall get back to filming again soon 🤞🤞ps the Stovies video is our most popular one, goes to show anything Scottish does well. Thanks for the beer shampoo tip and for watching, it's really appreciated. H
Years ago, I helped with pre-internet snail-mail tourist enquiries for a Scottish county. Americans in particular seemed obsessed with the "authentic" way of doing everything Scottish. The "right" way to cook/serve haggis, stovies etc. My reply was always the same. Apart from the fact that an hour's drive gave you different recipes for every Scottish dish, most people I knew made them one way - the way THEY liked them. Usually the way their mother/granny had shown them. To many of an older generation, the very idea of a "recipe" was laughable - they used what they had. The magic of YT is of course we can these days see - and try - all the variants. In fact I see it as a duty (my excuse and I'm sticking to it.) My own favourite has always been sausage mince, though I often add leeks to the onions. I've attended posh formal dinners where I'd have swapped everything on offer for a plate of decent stovies. Though I did upset a local cafe when I declined their sad offering with "You shouldn't be able to POUR stovies, missus!" One thing I'm convinced of though. Haggis - however much I love it, comes second as the national dish of Scotland. In my opinion that title falls solidly to stovies.
What a wonderful comment and I agree wholeheartedly. Now however; I may be about to make your day. A couple of weeks ago I had occasion to address the haggis which was to be filmed in advance for a virtual Burn's supper. This was to be a new experience for me and with only 48hrs notice I was a little anxious. I took the precaution of having two haggis available just in case of any mishaps, none of which occurred thankfully. It did however leave me with an uncooked haggis that needed used. I turned it into stovies in much the same way as you would have used your minced sausage meat. It was the same recipe as my sausage stovies, I just crumbled through the haggis instead. It may not have won any beauty prizes but oh my goodness it was tasty. H
@@TheOrkneyNews I've had haggis in stovies too - though only in a mix of leftovers. Added to the list. Though I have to admit while I love Burns and haggis, I hate Burns Nights. What you may like even better. I once convinced an American tourist that, not only was there a hunting season for haggis, but that the plural was haggi.
@@MrMcCawber Thankfully the only Burns nights I've attended are all down to earth, nothing posh, just as well the way I addressed the haggis to be honest. Ha, haggis and haggi, we must have similar teasing instincts, I've even introduced breeding colonies, I'll try and find a way to share my favourite photos with you. H
I give up on "cooks" who simply can't grasp the very principle of stovies or allied folk dishes. Like so many traditional recipes around the world, it was a way of producing a meal from a measure larder. No "rules" applied beyond not going hungry. Most people had potatoes at least - even when money was short, my Irish Gran bought them by the sack. After which it was a search of the larder for whatever could be mixed - no holds barred. Mashed potato preferred because it could disguise so much in the mix. Vegetables? What we had. Got an onion? In it went. Got a carrot or two? In it went. Got...? Well you get the idea. I've had stovies full of the best ingredients - and I wouldn't have swapped it for a royal banquet. I've had it made with potatoes, an Oxo cube and larder remainders - and slept contented with my supper. Make your stovies how YOU like them, not somebody else. Though there's no harm in expetimenting. And if they're not quite the best of stovies - at least dwell on how much better they were - for generations - than an empty plate. Why do I watch these channels? Just talking, and I'm hungry already! Actually - it's not hunger. Given potatoes are involved - its withdrawal symptoms!
You can make stoves anyway you want it from all the Scot' s utube channel's I've come across all have there own recipes 👍My first ever attempt wasn't a great success dispiite it being put on a slow cooker on auto!!☹ it tasted more like a casserole than stoves 😐 But yours looks lovely!!!😊
fat is not fatning, sugar and starch is,also scotch pies were made from mutton so a bit more fat there, and also bakers used to use old bread as a filler but now they use rusk which soaks up the licquid more, great wee vidio again thanks
I'd never heard of stovies so I watched a few of these demos thinking they would be making some sort of scones! Where I come from in Northern Ireland any meat added to onions and veg and stewed is just stew! Am I missing something?! 🤔
For me stew is meat and gravy based 👇👇whereas stovies is a dry dish, steamed in only around one inch of water. It's closer to a hash than a stew but chunkier. Hope this helps. H ua-cam.com/video/O98wxEkzW1A/v-deo.html
I know what you have just cooked as white stovies whereas if you use minced beef then its brown stovies. My personal preference is to use beef sausage ( skinned) or the Lorne sausage. Best of both in my humble opinion. It doesn't need a debate really, just one of those recipes that every household has it's own variant. Vivre la difference 👍
And in regard to the difference in recipes for me as long as there are empty plates at the end of the meal then cook whatever variation you please, the arguments come from tradition stovies were traditionally made from leftovers so it would depend on what your family could afford as to what meat your family would likely use for the dish so if your family were poor then you'd grow up only having corned beef if they were a bit richer then you'd have the sausage variant and some people would only see stovies the day after an extravagant roast dinner so would have them less often but they'd be made with finer cuts of casserole meat and served with gravy.
dont precook anything for stovies, I have been making stovies since I was 18 I am now 77 and still make them at least once every couple of month and you certainly dont use lard or buuter. sausages taken out the casings and broken up along with diced onion and peeled potato salt and water and cooked til soft
@@TheOrkneyNews That is good it will make your lovely food so much easier to get ready, I'm definitely going to try this recipe, love potatoes and sausages (I live in Canada, by the way)
@@charleeb1467 let me know how it goes. Late to the party, but I am currently discovering the delights of Bruce Guthro (Ceap Breatain) as the front man of Runrig. So much back catalogue to get through. H
Me too, sausages have had too much fat removed. It's not a dish you eat every day so having the lip smacking feeling on your lips is well worth it in my taste process.
Sorry about that, the cameraman can get a little carried away. I'm copying in the written recipe which is free to view. Hope this helps. H theorkneynews.scot/2021/01/02/helens-home-cooking-video-and-recipe-for-stovies-2/
Enjoying your cooking but concerned for your safety the cooker seems too low down and could catch your clothes especially the red outfit when making mince and neeps be careful x
Think it's just because I'm tall, everything is standard height, however I shall take great care, especially now that we've got a new kitchen and I now have gas. I am really touched by your message, thankyou. We are hoping to get filming again soon, just needing to work out angles etc. H
Please invest in a good knife before you cut off a finger. If you have a nice sharp knife, you don't even have to push, it glides right through. So if you do start to cut a finger, you can stop because you're not bearing down.
Heh you know what they say about looks, but the taste..... Likely the most controversial of Scottish dishes as I said, but it's what I grew up with and my parents before me. It appears to have regional variations with tattie and onion being the common link. My folks are from Ibrox and Govan for context. Money was very tight growing up so drawing on my childhood experience when putting some of these recipes together was essential as they came about after visiting a foodbank with the hope of helping others make their money stretch, likely about to become even more important soon. Thanks for your comment though, they are all welcome. H
Hi Helen. Love your programmes hen however, I have but one wee complaint. The sound quality is nae sae guid! i'd love to hear the commentary but; old age at this end and the sound quality from your end is making that difficult. I have not had stovies since leaving Scotland many moons ago. Now that I am retired i love to make the things such as Lorne Sausage, Haggis and Colootie Dumplings that make me feel even more home sick than ever. Hope you had a smashing Hogmanay!
This was one of our earlier videos, we invested in microphones which I hope will make a difference to your later viewing, in the meantime I will link in the written recipe for Stovies, hope this helps 🤞🤞. H theorkneynews.scot/2024/01/02/helens-home-cooking-video-and-recipe-for-stovies-3/
Sausage stovies in my favourite out of all the versions. Pure braw 🏴❤️
I love it, for so few ingredients it's a magic taste. H
My favourite too. I've actually tried a bit of black pudding in the sausage meat mix. It was interesting, and I might try it again.
Have you tried a bit of leek in the onions? I love it. I've tried all leek, but it really does need onions.
I've developed a taste for paprika these days, but I find it doesn't add much to stovies. A little fresh spring onion chopped onto the final serving can be nice though.
I have come to the conclusion after watching many videos that Stovies are made with whatever meat is available and that there is no wrong way. I had Stovies while in Scotland cooked by my friend from the capital and they were made with mince. I've seen them made with all kinds of meat and I believe people make their mums recipe and I also believe they are all bloody LOVELY!!
Well we certainly like them, I've oft said that they are Scotland's most controversial dish. H
AYE PAL .
I MAKS MI GRANMITHERS WAY .
Correct
Someone somewhere on YT posted that sausage meat stovies was a "southern thing."
I spent a sabbatical in the Highlands and Islands a half century ago and just about lived on stovies - in B&Bs, restaurants, cafes and a couple of private homes. They were made of pretty much every kind of meat, even venison (wasn't all that impressed) but by far the most were made with sausage meat.
Bloody lovely seems to be almost a British Standard when it comes to stovies.
Gave you a thumbs up coz your so lovely. BUT my mammy always made stovies with square sausage ever since I was a wee boy. I am now much older and live in Australia but I had stovies tonight for dinner and I have to make my own square sausage. I have my Aussie born sons loving Scottish square sausage with me. Thanks for sharing and I will try link "snags" in stovies next time.
Sorry for the late reply, I must have missed you comment. Thank you so much for taking the time to get in touch. Stovies.....ah....likely the most controversial of Scottish recipes, there's been many a spat on Twitter over #StovieGate. I've got a friend that uses haggis. So many different varieties. Thanks once again H.
One of the problems where I currently live (SE Scotland) is that too few butchers know the difference between lorne and square sausage. The latter SHOULD be (but isn't always) just sausage meat, while lorne has a lot more rusk in it. I've often been sold lorne when I've asked for square sausage - ignorance rather than dishonesty I think. No butcher in my immediate area's will sell me uncased sausage meat - annoying because I also like to make my own sausage rolls.
Good quality square sausage makes halfway decent stovies, lorne isn't so good (though I've been known to settle for it when desperate.)
Square or links, definitely. I'd say most of the folk I knew went for square as first choice but links were fine. 60's-70's Glasgow, this is. Some bams suggest mince or even cubbed steak(!?) - never known that to actually happen. Thanks for the video, this appears to be spot on and I'd love to have a bowl. Big spuds and white pepper - yup.
I loved making your stories the are so yummy! I am in Vancouver Washington. Ate a lot of my Scottish grans cooking but she passed . Now if I want that Scottish flare I have to cook for myself.
So very glad you enjoyed them. My steak pie recipe has also gone down well, let me know if you try others and if you enjoyed them. H
I always loved Stovies as a kid but could never get that lovely peppery taste. I tried it with your recommendation of seasoning each layer and it worked perfectly. My Mum always used the little round pork sausages but they don't sell them in England so I use link sausages and some little patties made out of pork sausagemeat. It tastes great so thanks for the tip.
Thank you, I am so pleased that it worked for you, glad you enjoyed it. H
Love your recipes Helen , first times I had homemade Stovies was last Hogmanay over at my caravan near Stranraer , it tasted delish , very warming and tasty , just the ticket , try Red Rooster Potatoes from Lidl or Coop , brilliant all rounder spuds , great flavour , love Bisto too , thumbs up , stay safe , hugs
Red Roosters are my favourite tattie, love their versatility, especially when baking as the red skins give a really dark colour once cooked. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. H
Lovin' this show!!! Thank you soooo much! New for me!❤️😘‼️
Ahh stovies, likely Scotland's most controversial of foods, everybody makes it differently. Have a go and let me k ow what you think. Thanks for watching and taking the time to get in touch. Hx
From this Helen to you Helen thank you for showing this recipe. Best tasting stovie was a wee cafe on Shettleston rd it's not there anymore but they where brill. I loved my ma's tripe and onion. She would make enough for just the two of us as I was only one that liked it.🥰
You are quite welcome, glad you enjoyed watching it. I was never able to eat tripe as the smell put me off, Mum loved it though. H
Wonderful! My mum was from Shetland- almost Orkneys!
Lol, just don't say as much to the people of either Island group. Fierce competition between the Islands. H
Great video Helen, going to try it with S collins lorne arriving down south next week 😊
I’m from Edinburgh. This I how I make them too 😊 I’m in Australia now and loved the Scottish accent fix. Stovies for me today!
Thank you, so chuffed to hear from Australia. My Cullen Skink also got good feedback from down under. I must admit, it took a while to get used to hearing myself on film so I am delighted it sounds ok. H
im from Lanarkshire, and stovies were whatever we had on the stove.... it went into the pot.... but basic stovies is generally sausage, boiled potatoe, carrot and onion with salt and pepper.... evribdae's mammy did it hur ain' way n'at!!....hahaha ;)
We do indeed. Just love Stovies, it may not win many beauty prizes but it tastes divine. H
We moved into our new flat before they put the cooker in the kitchen. Mum made stories in the fireplace in the living room. Love your vids.
Thank you very much. I still cook my baked potatoes in the ash can of the fire. Nothing can beat a tattie down like that imo obviously. H
Can't understand why you aint got loads oh comments on this,takes me back in time,Great video,now im hungry
Just seeing this, thank you for a lovely comment.
Great stuff Helen!
That was FUN. Thank you Helen & Co 😉👍
Most welcome, so glad you enjoyed it, only around 99 videos to go 😉😉H
I made Stovies exactly the same as your recipe. Me and my mate are Scottish living in Thailand so this was a wee treat from home if you like. My mate comes from Huntly and apart from me not including oat cakes and apparently pickled beetroot on the side? he said they were amazing. Crusty bread and butter and pure magic, like you the skinless sausages work a treat and I could for-go the gravy and content with Brown sauce but everybody as you rightly say has their own interpretations. Lovely presentation hen, the video I mean and more the power to you.
Awe slàinte, what a wonderful comment, you've brought tears to my eyes. If it's Scottish stuff you want there's a video for Cullen Skink,(your mate from Huntly may have something to say about it mind you lol) steakpie, stewed sausage and mince to name just a few. I started these to help people on a low income after I'd visited a food bank which is why so many of my recipes are pasta or low meat content based. Thailand, lucky you. Thanks again for a bonnie compliment, you've made my day. H
@@TheOrkneyNews Madame Helen I am delighted you found the time to reply and if I made your day then that also puts a wee lump in my throat. I applaud you also for thinking of the more needy and if I may say rustic or back to basic cooking, bugger it its wholesome is what it is right M8?. Funny reason why I was scouring U-TUBE about Scottish cooking just to get me in the mood for my tea the night. I have a Thai partner and a 12 year old son and its trickle feed them Scottish food as and when I can. Anyway a mate just came back from Manchester after seeing family over the Festive period, so I placed an order. I asked him bring me back 6 Haggis Puddings oot a can, yes the purists will moan M8 but its the only way you can safely guarantee getting it back into the country. So Haggis and tatties no Neeps, my Ma tried force feed me them as a kid hahahaha, so I blitz some boiled carrots keeping it a wee bit chunky instead. Again we have somethings in common going against the grain I reach for the cupboard and pull out the Bisto for the gravy hahahahaha. I like your comment about you remembering with your Father at his work and the sights, sounds and smells Scottish pies just make me drewl literally. I call them Jock pies and when I am back in Scotland at the local butcher he looks at me like i am daft?............I have only ever called them Jock pies before, anyway I to support local business when I can. I will be sure to check out your other offerings and also to subscribe. I have a mass favour ask you and dont be going out the way on my behalf but at some stage could you assist me in trying to replicate a relatively simple dish. Like many of us our Grannies soup was just the Bees Knees when she made lentil soup, think would be yellow not red, tatties, carrots, stock and sometimes would be made from a ham hock? some meat and the bone removed after cooking.............I have looked here but to no avail, so some of your experience or idea would be appreciated................Again its one of those soups where my Mum, Uncles, Aunts and me would descend on Grannies house on a Sunday armed with bags of bread rolls for dooking and one bowl never enough. Ps forgot say reference your Scottish pies and you all so skinny hahahaha, thats because we actually played outside hen till dusk back then and lastly I have never heard of a Dry potato before?. I have heard of floury, or powdery varieties of potato but never dry even if I knew what you meant. If I am wrong then you know what they say about smart Alec's hahahaha..............Again awe the best hen and and cheers for the reply. Scott.
@@scotty193 A dry tattie is a floury tattie. Councidently I was experimenting with lentil soup on Saturday in so far as, I always use ham hough, however they can cost well over £2 which for folk on a budget is a lot of money, so when I came across a pack of smokey bacon scraps I gave them a go. Yum yum yum, the video and recipe for this shall likely be a week Wednesday as I've promised a Dundee cake for this week. You are right re skinnyness as during summer hols. I'd leave the house at 7am to go work with horses, take a packed lunch and come home for dinner which would usually be left on a pot to stay warm. Re your dislike of neep and tinned haggis see attached link. Thank you for subscribing it means such a lot to me. H
theorkneynews.scot/2020/01/22/helens-home-cooking-haggis-and-clapshot/
@@scotty193 Heh there, I've not forgotten you or the Lentil soup, I've just not been able to cook for a wee whiley, so apologies winging there way to you. I shall get to it soon hopefully. Anyroads I remembered I'd filmed a Lamb Broth one a while back so hoping it can keep you going in the meantime. H
theorkneynews.scot/2018/05/02/helens-home-cooking-video-and-recipe-for-cheese-n-onion-bread-and-lamb-broth/
@@TheOrkneyNews Hello Treacle appreciate you may have been busy so nae worries. I also been busy at work but now back on some leisure time so will work my way through your videos and judge them accordingly hahahahahahah. All the best ya Busy Beaver ( that disnae sound right ) hahaha staying in. Look forward to yer version of the Lentil soup as and when Cheers Scott.
Thanks Helen and Kenny. As you say there are so many different ways to make stovies and all of them are right! 😝Your version is similar to my Dad’s but he just put it all in the pot. My kids would ladle tomato sauce on top so they became ‘orange stovies’. My hubby’s Mum made them with corned beef, tatties and gravy. We haven’t been able to replicate them so do our own version now. Either way they all get eaten in our house as it is a firm favourite for tea. 👍🏻
I always only put everything into the pot, started browning the sausages and onions in lard after sausages had a lot of the fat removed, which for me was what made it a winter warmer. H
Stunning as ever helen ,,hope your doing love take care xx
Thank you. We are all well here. Hoping to get back filming in the near future. Hope you are well too. H
Mmmm stovies, mince, beef, chicken, prawn oh so many ways to make it you could have different stovies every day of week. A good hearty meal in winter of summer (even spring & autumn) mmmm stovies
Weirdly, my brother and I (Scots living in the N.E of England) have different memories of of what Stovies are. My brother (who’s seven years older than me) remembers them as being made from mince and I remember them being made from slice (lorne/square sausage). We have both been vegetarian for over thirty years, so that doesn’t really help with keeping the memory straight. I also seem to recall that my Mum always made dough buoys (dumplings) with it too.
Stovies comes in many forms. It mainly means a one pot, stove cook meal. It was often made with left over roast beef and potatoes, a way of stretching out the Sunday roast. I've been told by a friend of mine that it works perfectly well with broken up vegetarian haggis too. H
@@TheOrkneyNews I started making my own slice a good few years back (when vegetarian mince became available that has a similar consistency to beef/pork mince) and so made slice stovies with dough buoys for my brother and I when he popped in. His face dropped when I said stovies and when I told him I’d made it with veggie slice, he was happy again. He doesn’t have particularly good memories of mince stovies where I remember asking my Mum to make slice stovies. Either way, they weren’t something my Mum made often, it’d be far more likely to get shepherds pie or corned beef hash and unfortunately she’s been gone for thirty years this year, my Dad remarried a few years later and now has dementia, so everything gets muddled up between which wife and which mother in law did what. (It’s unlikely that his Mum would have made stovies as she was from Shropshire)
It is definitely a dish that no two people either make or serve the same though…which I think is great and definitely just makes it a catch all term for a thick stew made on the hob and traditional home cooking at its most comforting.
@@lynnejamieson2063 You're right about it not being a dish made often, it's the same in our house.....however when the nights draw in, the curtains are closed and the fire is roaring there's nothing quite like the comfort of stovies to heat you from the inside out.
Thank you for taking the time to share with me some of your lovely memories it means so much when people do. I love that some of these old recipes evoke in folks tales sometimes long forgotten. H
as a line cook with long hair, before work when i take a shower and wash my hair after i put the conditioner in, i don't rinse it out, when i get home a quick rinse gets all the grease out of my hair
works for me
Great piece of advice, thank you for that. H
Used tae take a bite oot the pie, turn it facin' doon and say, "my pie's sick". The grease jist poured oot. BEST pie ever.
Traditionally stovies were made as a means of using up leftover meat so those that get into arguments over how it should be made seriously don't know their tradition. Now of course we are a bit better off than having to make sure we use up all the meat that we can choose what meat we use and it's really up to the individual as to whether they use sausages, corned beef or left overs from a roast/casserole, I've even seen people use bacon but really there is no right or wrong recipe and the decision to use a gravy/stock is a personal choice.
Absolutely!
My go to recipe for stovies! Delish ,thankyou!x x x
Why thank you, how lovely of you to say this. It doesn't always need to be done this exact way. If you are in a hurry, use beef sausages for colour and layer everything in the pot raw. H
Thanks for the new recipe. I'm gonna make it with sausage gravy bc I'm fat 😂
As good a reason as any, but I'm sure you're not. Let me know if you enjoy it. H
My nan used to make mash potatoes with onions and then at the last minute add in some chopped up corned beef and we always called that stovies.
Stovies comes in many shapes and forms. What you describe I'd call a corned beef hash, but like I said, there are no firm rules, apart from it ultimately being one pot on a stove with everything inside. H
Love your cooking show!
Thank you for your nice comment, I really appreciate it. Fair chuffed that you are enjoying them. H
Hi , my understanding is the vitamins are in or near skin level . Potatoes without vitamins are just starch.
Thanks , radar
Eating the pies from the bakers straight out of the oven was a thing we always looked forward to. The juices running down your chin was the best part. As for stovies. You no had much money but this dish filled your belly more than once and kept you warm in the winter months. The english might call some of our ways of making Stovies bubble and Squeak. Where the original was far superior to that.
@@BigglesBurgers You've taken me right back to the Hyper Market. I can still feel the juices (likely grease) smacking at my lips. So yummy. H
Making stovies this evening! Happy Rabbie Burns day!
You used "Links" and mentioned someone else used Square sausage. I thought that Square slicing sausage was not common in the Highlands and Islands. Just my experience on holidays in Achiltibuie. Im a Scot living in england and good quality Lorne or Square sausage is impossible to get here. we get Lorne from small freezer shops but it is not brilliant. I totaly understand the "Controversy" :) regarding Stovies. Stovies and Panacckelty are along the same lines. Every family has a variation on the theme. Many thanks!
We can certainly buy sliced from one of the butchers, I tend to use links though in my Stovies. Experimenting is the key to everything I'd suggest. H
Achiltibuie. Pronounced Aylesbury. Honest!
Lard is better for you than oils.
I completely understand! I'm 63 years old and have lived in the South in the United States. Recently, I was told I 'couldn't cook' southern because I did a certain step in a recipe. Total rubbish! Anyone from anywhere can augment a recipe. Even Martha Stewart will tell you that a recipe is simply a guideline for you to build on. You make Stovies your way! No doubt they are wonderful. Recently I've discovered I'm of 70% Scottish descent. No doubt Stovies are in my blood! ps...baking soda is quite gentle. My daughter had a skin condition as a child and her doctor recommend her soaking. It can be slippery, however. When my son was one his little friend smeared his lovely locks with petroleum jelly...and a ton of it. Dishwashing liquid wouldn't touch it. Baking soda was able to remove it all and left his hair and skin soft and lovely.
Thank you for that, the information will be very useful. Once again thank you for taking the time to comment. H
Stovies are like cage fighting."Nae rules..Made mine tonight with slice sausage,links.carrots and deep fryed tatties because unless you use homegrown tatties,shop bought have a very high water content,Oh,I did it in a slow cooker.....P.S. try a beer shampoo...Loved your earthy video..Nollaig chridheil agus bliadhna mhath ùr dhut
Bliadhna mhath ùr dhut cuideachd. We had Stovies last night, first time I'd ever used left over meat and gravy, it certainly made one portion of meat go far and tasted fabulous. I did still put in my sausage, however on retrospect the sausage wasn't needed. So pleased you are enjoying the videos, we shall get back to filming again soon 🤞🤞ps the Stovies video is our most popular one, goes to show anything Scottish does well. Thanks for the beer shampoo tip and for watching, it's really appreciated. H
Years ago, I helped with pre-internet snail-mail tourist enquiries for a Scottish county.
Americans in particular seemed obsessed with the "authentic" way of doing everything Scottish. The "right" way to cook/serve haggis, stovies etc.
My reply was always the same. Apart from the fact that an hour's drive gave you different recipes for every Scottish dish, most people I knew made them one way - the way THEY liked them. Usually the way their mother/granny had shown them. To many of an older generation, the very idea of a "recipe" was laughable - they used what they had.
The magic of YT is of course we can these days see - and try - all the variants. In fact I see it as a duty (my excuse and I'm sticking to it.) My own favourite has always been sausage mince, though I often add leeks to the onions.
I've attended posh formal dinners where I'd have swapped everything on offer for a plate of decent stovies. Though I did upset a local cafe when I declined their sad offering with "You shouldn't be able to POUR stovies, missus!"
One thing I'm convinced of though. Haggis - however much I love it, comes second as the national dish of Scotland. In my opinion that title falls solidly to stovies.
What a wonderful comment and I agree wholeheartedly. Now however; I may be about to make your day.
A couple of weeks ago I had occasion to address the haggis which was to be filmed in advance for a virtual Burn's supper. This was to be a new experience for me and with only 48hrs notice I was a little anxious. I took the precaution of having two haggis available just in case of any mishaps, none of which occurred thankfully. It did however leave me with an uncooked haggis that needed used. I turned it into stovies in much the same way as you would have used your minced sausage meat. It was the same recipe as my sausage stovies, I just crumbled through the haggis instead. It may not have won any beauty prizes but oh my goodness it was tasty. H
@@TheOrkneyNews
I've had haggis in stovies too - though only in a mix of leftovers. Added to the list.
Though I have to admit while I love Burns and haggis, I hate Burns Nights.
What you may like even better. I once convinced an American tourist that, not only was there a hunting season for haggis, but that the plural was haggi.
@@MrMcCawber Thankfully the only Burns nights I've attended are all down to earth, nothing posh, just as well the way I addressed the haggis to be honest. Ha, haggis and haggi, we must have similar teasing instincts, I've even introduced breeding colonies, I'll try and find a way to share my favourite photos with you. H
@MrMcCawber Not sure if this will work.
twitter.com/HelenArmet/status/1088843334439915520?s=19
twitter.com/HelenArmet/status/1088959316642725888?s=19
I use sausage in my stovies aswell as carrots. My ex from Elgin used rabbit or venison
All's fair in love and stovies...
Aye, my mum made her stovies with sausages. I've also had them made with corned beef.
I give up on "cooks" who simply can't grasp the very principle of stovies or allied folk dishes. Like so many traditional recipes around the world, it was a way of producing a meal from a measure larder. No "rules" applied beyond not going hungry.
Most people had potatoes at least - even when money was short, my Irish Gran bought them by the sack. After which it was a search of the larder for whatever could be mixed - no holds barred. Mashed potato preferred because it could disguise so much in the mix.
Vegetables? What we had. Got an onion? In it went. Got a carrot or two? In it went. Got...? Well you get the idea.
I've had stovies full of the best ingredients - and I wouldn't have swapped it for a royal banquet. I've had it made with potatoes, an Oxo cube and larder remainders - and slept contented with my supper.
Make your stovies how YOU like them, not somebody else. Though there's no harm in expetimenting. And if they're not quite the best of stovies - at least dwell on how much better they were - for generations - than an empty plate.
Why do I watch these channels? Just talking, and I'm hungry already! Actually - it's not hunger. Given potatoes are involved - its withdrawal symptoms!
You can make stoves anyway you want it from all the Scot' s utube channel's I've come across all have there own recipes 👍My first ever attempt wasn't a great success dispiite it being put on a slow cooker on auto!!☹ it tasted more like a casserole than stoves 😐 But yours looks lovely!!!😊
Thank you, for me the secret is to resist the temptation to stir as you don't want the tatties breaking down too quickly.
Agree there 👍
Keep trying. As a human being, you owe it to yourself. 😊
CAME THROUGH AS A RECMMENED FOR YOU NOW FULLY SUBBED THAT LOOK PERFECT WILL GIVE IT A GO
Thank you so much, I hope you enjoy all the recipes. H
I'm in!!❤️
fat is not fatning, sugar and starch is,also scotch pies were made from mutton so a bit more fat there, and also bakers used to use old bread as a filler but now they use rusk which soaks up the licquid more, great wee vidio again thanks
I'd never heard of stovies so I watched a few of these demos thinking they would be making some sort of scones! Where I come from in Northern Ireland any meat added to onions and veg and stewed is just stew! Am I missing something?! 🤔
For me stew is meat and gravy based 👇👇whereas stovies is a dry dish, steamed in only around one inch of water. It's closer to a hash than a stew but chunkier. Hope this helps. H
ua-cam.com/video/O98wxEkzW1A/v-deo.html
I know what you have just cooked as white stovies whereas if you use minced beef then its brown stovies. My personal preference is to use beef sausage ( skinned) or the Lorne sausage. Best of both in my humble opinion. It doesn't need a debate really, just one of those recipes that every household has it's own variant. Vivre la difference 👍
It's the adding of gravy or stock that makes stovies brown not the choice of meat. some people don't like them with gravy and some do.
And in regard to the difference in recipes for me as long as there are empty plates at the end of the meal then cook whatever variation you please, the arguments come from tradition stovies were traditionally made from leftovers so it would depend on what your family could afford as to what meat your family would likely use for the dish so if your family were poor then you'd grow up only having corned beef if they were a bit richer then you'd have the sausage variant and some people would only see stovies the day after an extravagant roast dinner so would have them less often but they'd be made with finer cuts of casserole meat and served with gravy.
What temperature do I cook them on
Once the small amount of water bubbles turn right back to low and cook.
Looks Delish!!!
I don’t know anyone that doesn’t like stovies. Whatever they’re made from.
Gid add for Tesco's 👍👍
My kind of food.❤️✌️👊
If you make it I hope you'll enjoy it. H
Nice. Stovies are the Scottish Paella.
So true, so controversial. H
dont precook anything for stovies, I have been making stovies since I was 18 I am now 77 and still make them at least once every couple of month and you certainly dont use lard or buuter. sausages taken out the casings and broken up along with diced onion and peeled potato salt and water and cooked til soft
It all looks delicious, I really want to sharpen your knife for you!!!! LOL
I've got new ones thankfully H
@@TheOrkneyNews That is good it will make your lovely food so much easier to get ready, I'm definitely going to try this recipe, love potatoes and sausages (I live in Canada, by the way)
@@charleeb1467 let me know how it goes.
Late to the party, but I am currently discovering the delights of Bruce Guthro (Ceap Breatain) as the front man of Runrig. So much back catalogue to get through. H
Corned beef ,onions and potatoes, a lot like burgers. We used to have them often for dinner with beans .
It’s not stovies if made with corned beef it’s corned beef hash , your right stovies is made with sausage
Ah Stovies, braw
Why thank you, the most controversial of Scottish dishes I think Stivies may be. H
Put a splash of vinegar in the water when rinsing your hair
Thank you for that, cider vinegar is good too I believe. H
Much betta if she didnt talk. Cant understand her. Just watch silently with captions
I like the large practical pan,use paraffin on your head.....
?
I use beef dripping
Me too, sausages have had too much fat removed. It's not a dish you eat every day so having the lip smacking feeling on your lips is well worth it in my taste process.
That's potato hash. Nothing like stovies
my ex used fairy liquid on her hair now and again for greasy hair she swore by it👍
That's a great tip. Folk seem reluctant to but shampoo for greasy hair and opt for dry which completely defeats the purpose.
Why peel the potatoes ?
I peel them so as some of them break down, it's not a necessity as leaving the skins on will add some colour. H
PS think you needed a bigger pot... 😄
The cc is way off !! Confusing !
Sorry about that, the cameraman can get a little carried away.
I'm copying in the written recipe which is free to view. Hope this helps. H
theorkneynews.scot/2021/01/02/helens-home-cooking-video-and-recipe-for-stovies-2/
Enjoying your cooking but concerned for your safety the cooker seems too low down and could catch your clothes especially the red outfit when making mince and neeps be careful x
Think it's just because I'm tall, everything is standard
height, however I shall take great care, especially now that we've got a new kitchen and I now have gas.
I am really touched by your message, thankyou.
We are hoping to get filming again soon, just needing to work out angles etc. H
Cutting onion with the skin on?
No this is my recipe
😂
Should be made with leftover roast beef.
Please invest in a good knife before you cut off a finger. If you have a nice sharp knife, you don't even have to push, it glides right through. So if you do start to cut a finger, you can stop because you're not bearing down.
I have a new set since then, but you are quite right, I was at risk of losing a finger or two. H
handling the chipolatas a bit coyly
Aye ;)
your counters are so low, I would not be able to cook there
How can you get away with calling this stoves?.it's nothing more than sausage and mash.
sausages???
AYE , YER NEED MEAT Y NUMPTY ,
THE LASSY SAID THERE ARE LOTS O WAYS TO MAK IT .
to me this is just sausage and mash
That’s no stovies, yuk yuk yuk? 🤢
Heh you know what they say about looks, but the taste.....
Likely the most controversial of Scottish dishes as I said, but it's what I grew up with and my parents before me. It appears to have regional variations with tattie and onion being the common link. My folks are from Ibrox and Govan for context. Money was very tight growing up so drawing on my childhood experience when putting some of these recipes together was essential as they came about after visiting a foodbank with the hope of helping others make their money stretch, likely about to become even more important soon.
Thanks for your comment though, they are all welcome. H
Born and raised in scotland and this is definitely a version of stovies. This is the way my maw and gran used to make it.
Sausages in Stovies??? Help ma Boab!!
Oor Wullie wid hae sconed em aw. H
unfollowed !!!
Sorry about that, hope it wasn't the sausages. Thank you for your feedback though. H
Hi Helen. Love your programmes hen however, I have but one wee complaint. The sound quality is nae sae guid! i'd love to hear the commentary but; old age at this end and the sound quality from your end is making that difficult. I have not had stovies since leaving Scotland many moons ago. Now that I am retired i love to make the things such as Lorne Sausage, Haggis and Colootie Dumplings that make me feel even more home sick than ever. Hope you had a smashing Hogmanay!
This was one of our earlier videos, we invested in microphones which I hope will make a difference to your later viewing, in the meantime I will link in the written recipe for Stovies, hope this helps 🤞🤞. H theorkneynews.scot/2024/01/02/helens-home-cooking-video-and-recipe-for-stovies-3/
@@TheOrkneyNews Many thanks Helen lass. Kindest regards to your hubby. *Slàinte!*
@@Gordon_Highlander Thank you H