Get ready to crack open a whole new world of flavour with this Scotch egg recipe. These savoury delicacies are the perfect blend of runny egg yolk, savoury sausage meat, and crispy breading that will have your taste buds singing. Whether you're a traditionalist or a culinary adventurer, this step-by-step guide will have you making the best Scotch eggs you've ever tasted in no time.
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Making the Sausage
Making your own sausage meat for Scotch eggs not only gives you control over the ingredients and taste, but it also allows you to customize the seasoning to your own personal preference. Instead of purchasing pre-made sausage meat from the grocery store, or taking the meat out of sausages, use ground pork as your base.
In this recipe, we use a blend of spices such as smoked paprika, black pepper, white pepper, ground clove, cayenne, onion powder, sugar, sage, garlic, and water to give the meat a delicious, savoury flavour. The key here is to mix all of the ingredients together very well to ensure that the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the meat.
This recipe is an alteration of a simple sausage patties recipe that was shared in a post from July. The only change is replacing dried sage with fresh. To get the measurements of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe at the end of this post.
Cooking the Eggs
Cooking the eggs for Scotch eggs is a crucial step in achieving the perfect dish. I prefer a runny yolk for my Scotch eggs, so that's the method I'll describe. If you'd like a firmer yolk, cook the eggs for up to seven minutes. For the runny yolk, the eggs will only cook for four minutes.
Start by putting a pot of water on the stove and bringing it to a boil. Rinse the eggs under warm water for a few seconds before carefully adding them to the boiling water. Set a timer for 4 minutes and wait. Once the timer goes off, take the pot off the heat and remove the eggs. Crack the shells with the back of a spoon and place the eggs in a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes. This will make it easier to peel the eggs.
Carefully peel the eggs. Now you are ready to move on to wrapping the eggs in the sausage meat. If you'd like to learn more about perfectly boiling eggs, check out this post.
Wrapping the Scotch Eggs
To prepare the sausage meat for Scotch eggs, divide it into six evenly-sized balls. Take one ball of meat and flatten it into a patty large enough to wrap around an egg completely. Place the egg in the centre of the patty, and carefully wrap the meat around the egg, using your hands to mould and shape the meat for even coverage. Repeat this process until all the eggs have been covered in the sausage meat.
It is important to ensure that there are no gaps in the meat, as this will ensure that the egg is fully encased and protected while cooking. Also, while wrapping the eggs, keep your hands wet with cold water. This will help prevent the meat from sticking to your hands.
Breading the Scotch Eggs
To bread the Scotch eggs, set up a standard breading station by preparing three separate bowls:
- Bowl 1: Flour seasoned with salt and pepper
- Bowl 2: A beaten egg
- Bowl 3: Fine bread crumbs
I used gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free bread crumbs, but you can use whatever you prefer. To bread the eggs, first roll them in the flour mixture, making sure they are evenly coated. Then, dip the floured eggs in the beaten egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, roll the eggs in the breadcrumbs until they are fully coated. Set the breaded eggs aside until all of the eggs have been breaded.
Frying Your Scotch Eggs
To fry the Scotch eggs, you have a few options: a deep fryer, a deep pot or wok, or an air fryer. Making sure your oil is at the right temperature is one of those fundamentals I talk about in preheat your pan.
Deep Fryer Method
Heat the fryer to 360°F and carefully place the breaded Scotch eggs into the fryer. Fry them for about 6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Remove them using a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Deep Pot or Wok Method
Heat enough oil to come at least halfway up the eggs to 360°F. Carefully place the breaded Scotch eggs into the hot oil and fry them for about 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Remove them using a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Air Fryer Method
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Place the breaded Scotch eggs in the basket and cook for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy, turning them halfway through. This method gives you that crispy texture without the added oil. Keep in mind that cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer model.
Whichever method you choose, it's important to maintain the oil temperature throughout the frying process to ensure that the Scotch eggs are cooked evenly and the breading is golden brown and crispy.
Serving the Best Scotch Eggs
When serving Scotch eggs, there's no need to get too fancy. These eggs are a meal themselves and can be enjoyed simply with a little bit of yellow mustard or any other condiment of your preference. You can also make them in advance and keep them in the fridge for up to three days. They can be eaten cold or reheated in the oven at 350°F for about twenty minutes, making them a great option for meal prepping or a quick breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
The beautiful thing about Scotch eggs is their versatility. They can be served as a snack, an appetizer, or a main course. They can also be served warm or cold, making them an excellent option for picnics, camping trips, or other outdoor activities.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon cold water
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 7 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup bread crumbs
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pork with the salt, paprika, sage, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, cloves, onion powder, garlic, sugar, and water. Mix well, then divide into six evenly-sized balls.
- Fill a medium-sized pot halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Rinse six eggs under warm water for a few seconds, then carefully add them to the boiling water. Cook the eggs for four minutes. Take the pot off the heat, drain the water crack the eggshells and fill the pot with cold water. Run cold water into the pot until the eggs are cool enough to handle. Peel the eggs.
- Flatten one of the sausage meatballs into a thin patty and wrap it around one of the eggs. Form the meat around the egg, making sure there are no gaps. Repeat until all six eggs have been wrapped.
- Put the flour in a bowl and season it with a pinch of salt and pepper. Break the seventh egg into a second bowl, and beat it. Put the bread crumbs in a third bowl. Roll each Scotch Egg in the flour, the egg, then the bread crumbs. Set aside until all of the eggs have been breaded.
- Heat a deep-fryer to 360°f. Cook the eggs two to three at a time for six minutes. Drain on a paper towel and serve.
Final Thoughts
Scotch eggs are one of those dishes that look and taste far more impressive than the effort required to make them. I love making a batch on the weekend and having them ready for quick meals throughout the week.
Joan says
In your printed recipe there is a mistake in the required temperature…..it says 160F instead of 360F
Chef Ben Kelly says
Thank you, I will change that.
anissa says
I haven’t had Scotch Eggs in forever so thank you for this recipe. I’m going to try it. I’m so glad I watched CML this morning to see your segment.
Chef Ben Kelly says
It's my pleasure. Enjoy!!
John Heath says
Chef Ben Kelly, I make these up about once a month. Sometimes soft boiled others hard boiled. Hard boiled is fun, I cut the egg in half like I would for deviled eggs, mix the yolks with a little softened butter seasoned with herb de provonce. Stuff the eggs put back together then continue on. Absolutely delish.
Chef Ben Kelly says
John that's a great idea. I'll try that next time. Thanks for the tip
Penelope says
This was delicious! Loved the use of ground onion and garlic – much tastier than my own recipe.
Chef Ben Kelly says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for letting me know
Mr. Lawrence says
Nice. Thank you. I deeply appreciate the air fryer tips. My only change was made, because of gluten (I miss gluten...) was whisking the egg with a bit of oil (not flour) and rolling in cornflake crumbs. They were air-fried as well, mostly because I am too lazy to clean up after an oil fry. The pork recipe is spot-on porky goodness.