Minced Hebridean hogget, onion, turmeric, fine sea salt, cracked black pepper.

Swaledale’s Hebridean hogget comes from the historic Harewood Estate in West Yorkshire. One of only four registered flocks descended from 19th-century St Kilda sheep, it’s a rare example of native breed conservation. The hoggets are slow-grown on species-rich pasture and rough grazing land in a low-input, biodiversity-focused system. The result is lean, tender meat with deep flavour and a subtle, herbal finish.

How to Shape and Grill Koobideh

To shape your koobideh:

1. Remove the koobideh mixture from the fridge just minutes before shaping - the meat should be cold to help it hold together.
2. Fill a small bowl with water and keep it nearby to wet your hands as needed. This will stop the mixture sticking to your fingers.
3. Dampen your hands and divide the meat into equal, tennis ball-sized portions. Working with one at a time, press the meat around a long, flat skewer. It will resemble a sausage at first, but use your fingers to flatten it into a broad, squashed rectangle. Pinch the top and bottom edges to help the meat stay on the skewer.

It can take a little practice. If you already have a method for shaping kebabs, use whatever works best for you.

To grill and baste your koobideh:

1. Melt 50g of unsalted butter and keep it close to the grill with a silicone basting brush.
2. Place your skewers over the hot embers, but avoid direct contact between the meat and the grill grate. Use bricks or a raised edge to rest the skewers - or simply use extra-long skewers and rest the ends on either side of the grill.
3. Turn and baste the koobideh with melted butter every two minutes. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 71°C, around 10–12 minutes total.
4. Slide the cooked koobideh off the skewers with a fork or a slice of flatbread. Serve immediately.

Heritage Breed Hogget With Unmistakable Yorkshire Character
Swaledale’s Hebridean hogget hails from the historic Harewood Estate in West Yorkshire - just seven miles north of Leeds - where this hardy heritage breed has been raised for nearly 150 years. Remarkably, the Harewood flock is one of only four original 19th-century St Kilda–descended Hebridean flocks registered in the UK today, making it a rare and significant example of native breed conservation in action.

Slow-grown on species-rich pasture and rough grazing land, these sheep thrive in low-input, conservation-focused farming systems that support biodiversity and landscape stewardship. Hoggets are yearling lambs, aged 12–24 months, left to fatten naturally on nutrient-dense spring and summer grass. Grown in the way nature intended and matured at their own pace, hogget is a testament to the superior quality, taste and texture of native-breed meat.

The result is deeply flavoured, lean yet tender meat with a sweet, slightly herbal finish - distinctive in character and unmistakably of its place. Sitting neatly between lamb and mutton in both taste and texture, hogget offers a more evolved flavour than lamb and is far more tender than mutton. It’s fantastic meat to cook with - especially good in bold, spice-led dishes like shawarma or tandoori, as well as slow-braised recipes.

Swaledale’s Hebridean hogget is Always Fresh Never Frozen®, butchered to order, vacuum packed, and shipped in recyclable packaging to arrive safely insulated and ready to enjoy.