Cullen skink

Not to be confused with Skink.

Cullen skink

Cullen skink, served with bread
Type	Soup
Course	Starter
Place of origin	Scotland
Region or state	Moray
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredients	Smoked haddock (finnan haddie), potatoes and onions
Media: Cullen skink

Cullen skink is a thick Scottish soup typically made of at least smoked haddock, potatoes, and onions. ^[1] An authentic Cullen skink will use finnan haddie, but it may be prepared with any other undyed smoked haddock. Sometimes ocean perch or salmon are used in the soup. It is often served as a starter at formal Scottish dinners but is also widely served as a common dish across Scotland, especially in the northeast. ^[2] Cullen skink appears in many traditional Scottish cookery books and restaurant and hotel menus throughout Scotland, the rest of the UK and abroad. ^[3]

Origins

This soup is a local speciality from the town of Cullen in Moray on the northeast coast of Scotland. ^{[4] [1]} It is believed that it was created by local fisherman as a way to use their plentiful catches of haddock. ^[1]

Etymology

Skink is a Scots word for a shin, knuckle, or hough of beef, which has developed the secondary meaning of a soup, especially one made from these. The word skink is ultimately derived from the Middle Dutch schenke "shin, hough" ^[5] (cognate with the English word shank and German Schenkel, 'thigh', ^[6] and Schinken, 'ham' ^[7] ).

Recipes and description

Cullen skink from Scotland

Local and other recipes for Cullen skink have several slight variations, such as the use of milk instead of water or the addition of single cream and/or butter. ^{[1] [2] [8]} Other variations include mashing the potatoes to make the soup thicker.^{[ citation needed ]} Cullen skink is traditionally served with bread or oatcakes crumbled through it for added texture. ^[9]

It has been described as "smokier and more assertive than American chowder, heartier than classical French bisque". ^[10]

In 2012 a Guardian columnist described the dish as "the milky fish soup which has surely replaced your haggises and porridges as Scotland's signature dish". ^[11]

World Championships

The Cullen Skink World Championships are an annual event involving cooking Cullen soup. ^{[12] [2] [8]} It is held in Cullen with two events timed at 30 minutes. ^{[2] [13]} These are cooking traditional Cullen skink and cooking it with a variation. ^[2]

See also

• Food portal

• List of fish dishes
• List of soups
• Scottish cuisine

References

1. Marco, Pasquale De. Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands: A Guide for the Curious. Pasquale De Marco. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
2. Gibson, Rebecca (2023-05-15). North East Scotland (Slow Travel): including Aberdeenshire, Moray and the Cairngorms National Park. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 18. ISBN   978-1-78477-901-6 . Retrieved 2025-10-21.
3. Guides, Fodor's Travel (2022-06-21). Fodor's Essential Scotland. Fodor's Travel. ISBN   978-1-64097-497-5 . Retrieved 2025-10-21.
4. Davidson, Alan (2014). The Oxford Campion to Food. Oxford University Press. p. 237. ISBN   9780199677337 . Retrieved 14 August 2025.
5. Robinson, M. (ed) The Concise Scots Dictionary, Aberdeen University Press 1985
6. Oxford Dictionary: Shank
7. "Schinken". January 2, 2025 – via Wiktionary.
8. Banks, Ken (2024-03-18). "World Cullen Skink Championship winner unveiled". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
9. Harris, Stephen (2024-09-20). "Cullen skink with oatcakes recipe". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 2024-10-18.
10. Felicity Cloake, "How to cook perfect cullen skink", The Guardian , 5 January 2012.
11. Scott Murray, "John O'Groats: a new start for the end of the road", The Guardian , 31 August 2012.
12. Beresford, Alan (2025-03-11). "Cullen skink success is just 'soup-er' for Moray chefs". Grampian Online. Retrieved 2025-10-21.
13. Discover-Cullen (2023-01-24), Cullen Skink World Championships , retrieved 2025-10-21