Is chiefly made of mutton, either fresh or salted; beef is only used when mutton cannot conveniently be had. Three or four pounds of meat should be put into a gallon of cold water, along with a moderate quantity of pearl-barley, with leeks or onions, and allowed to stew until tender; if salted, put the meat into water over night, changing it once before boiling. Then have ready the hearts of two cabbages cut small, or greens, if cabbages are not in season; put them into the broth, which must be allowed to boil up uncovered until reduced to two quarts. It should only be seasoned with pepper and salt; but will be much improved by the addition of a couple of onions fried in butter; indeed, both carrots and turnips are also sometimes used, but their addition deprives the soup of the title of "Kail," which is derived from the greens which are usually employed.

The meat is served with the soup, and, in like manner as the olla of the Spaniards, or the pot aufeu of the French, is the standing household dish among the middle classes of Scotland.