Toasted oatmeal fried in drippings with sweated onion until the oats turn golden and crisp, a crumbly savoury side or stuffing. A humble staple of the Scottish table, traditionally served with mince or as a stuffing for chicken.
Skirlie is a humble but ancient staple of the Scottish kitchen, a dish of oatmeal toasted in fat with onion that belongs to the same family of economical oat dishes, brose, porridge, oatcakes, that defined the Scottish diet before wheat became cheap. Its name comes from the Scots verb 'to skirl', meaning to shrink or shrivel, describing how the oatmeal tightens and crisps in the hot fat. The dish is essentially a way to turn a handful of oatmeal and an onion into a substantial side, the oatmeal toasted in beef dripping or lard until each grain is separate and golden, flavoured only with the sweet onion and salt. Skirlie was the everyday accompaniment to the Scottish mince, to mashed potatoes, and was used as a cheap stuffing for roast chicken or game birds, especially around harvest and Hogmanay. It is closely related to the English oatmeal stuffing and to the Welsh laverbread-and-oatcakes tradition, and remains a fixture of the traditional Scottish supper, cheap, filling and entirely of its place.
Toasty, nutty, golden oat grains each separate and slightly crisp, flecked with soft sweet onion, the dripping giving a deep savoury richness. Eaten by the spoonful with mince or as a stuffing, warm and crumbly.
Skirlie works by dry-toasting oatmeal in hot fat so each grain cooks separately. Beef dripping is the traditional fat, prized for its flavour, though lard or butter work, and it is heated in a pan while a finely diced onion is sweated slowly until soft and sweet but not coloured. Medium oatmeal, not rolled oats or flour, is then added dry and stirred constantly over moderate heat, the grains fry in the fat, toasting and crisping rather than softening as they would in liquid. The dish takes about 15 minutes of patient stirring, the oatmeal gradually turning from grey to golden and developing a nutty aroma, the onions caramelising slightly. A splash of hot water or stock can be added toward the end if a softer, more stuffing-like texture is wanted. Salt and plenty of black pepper season it, and it is served at once, the texture best when just made, loose and crumbly rather than compacted.
Variations
A little beef stock softens it into a stuffing. Some add chopped bacon or fried mushrooms. Served inside a roast chicken or with sausages instead of mince.
On the Palate
Where Skirlie sits in the British flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
6 steps · 5 min
- 12 min
Heat 3 tbsp beef dripping or lard in a heavy frying pan over moderate heat.
- 26 min
Add 1 finely diced onion and sweat gently for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and translucent but not coloured.
Watch outSweat the onion soft and sweet but keep it pale — let it brown and it turns bitter against the toasted oats.
- 33 min
Stir in 200g medium oatmeal and a good pinch of salt; turn the heat down slightly.
- 48 min
Cook, stirring frequently, for 12 to 15 minutes until the oatmeal is golden, toasted and separate, the grains crisp.
Watch outStir constantly until the oatmeal turns from grey to golden and the grains stay separate and crisp — stop stirring and it clumps and scorches.
- 53 min
If a softer texture is wanted, add a splash of hot water or stock and stir in.
- 63 min
Season generously with black pepper; serve at once with mince, mashed potatoes, or use as a stuffing.
