“I’ll bet what motivated the British to colonize so much of the world is that they were just looking for a decent meal.”
Martha Harrison
Bring the British recipe into your home or to a picnic with this delicious Scotch Egg adaptation.
British cuisine sadly doesn’t always have the best reputation. Though they are not known for their culinary masterpieces, there is some excellent food to be had. One we have always enjoyed is the British Classic, the Scotch Egg.
The origin of this British classic is one of great debate, but London’s Fortnum & Mason Department Store claims that they invented the Traditional Scotch Egg in 1738 as a traveling snack for the wealthy. Despite its name, it has nothing to do with Scotland, though you will find it on many Scottish menus.
Why are Scotch Eggs called Scotch Eggs?
It is believed the dish is named after the process of “scotching.” Scotching is the act of covering food with meat paste and breadcrumbs.
How are fascination was born
Our first experience with Scotch Eggs was in Scotland near the Dunnottar Castle in the seaside town of Stonehaven. The tantalizing creation featured a crispy outer layer enveloping a tender and flavorful sausage coating, hugging a perfectly boiled egg. It was delicious, and ever since, if a Scotch Egg is on the menu, we order it. Our last Scotch Egg was in an unexpected place, Williamsport Pennslyvania, at the Irish pub Moon & Raven Public House in the summer of 2023. Even better, it was one of the best ones yet. It was the inspiration to make it our following recipe for the blog.
Our favorite part of the Scotch Egg lies within the soft, golden yolk that elevates the taste profile and adds a burst of flavor to each bite. As you bite into the crispiness, savor the harmonious blend of savory, smoky, and scrumptious layers that make this deep-fried delicacy an absolute delight and heavenly treat for your taste buds.
Is it for breakfast?
Traditional Scotch eggs are a type of British snack and buffet food. They’re often served at holiday parties as part of a classic cold buffet with sausage rolls, as a snack, or lunch on the go. As a matter of fact, in the UK, you will find these in every grocery store and mini-market. They are sold in ready-to-eat packs and can be enjoyed cold. These often will come with a harder yolk. We prefer a runny yolk freshly made and served warm.
How to Serve Scotch Eggs
Scotch eggs are perfect as a snack on their own. But you can also serve them with your favorite dipping sauce, such as aioli mayo, ketchup, or hot mustard. Add them to salads or sandwiches for a delicious and filling meal. They are a great source of protein that keeps you satisfied for hours.
In the US, they are often in the appetizer section of the menu, and we have usually found them in gastropubs. Americans love their breakfast eggs, and this would be an excellent and fun egg preparation, especially when having company.
But people may frown upon enjoying a cold pint of beer with your Scotch Egg at breakfast.
Finding the best Scotch Egg recipe
Now, to find the right recipe. As always, we did lots of research, read many reviews, and looked at many “traditional” and “authentic” recipes. We learned quickly they can differ in many ways, except for the eggs, sausage, and breadcrumbs. So off we went to our test kitchen (it is just a regular kitchen in fact) to develop our version of the Scotch Egg.
We found success, and it will be something we both make often in our homes. It is simple, easy, a bit messy, and so much fun. For guests who do not know what they are, it is always a fun surprise to discover what is in the center of that ball of breadcrumbs. Try it for yourself!
Let’s get cooking!
Traditional Scotch Egg
Equipment
- 1 Deep fat fryer or saucepan
- 1 Pot to boil eggs
- 1 Cast iron fry pan or baking dish
Ingredients
- 8 X-Large Eggs
- 1 lb Pork sausage meat Any choice
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/2 cup Mild or Sweet onions finely chopped
- 1 clove Finely minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp Fresh ground black peppercorns
- 5 sprigs Thyme finely chopped If you can use fresh do so
- 1 tbsp Parsley finely chopped
- 1 tsp Fresh sage Optional but did add a nice flavor
- 1 tsp English mustard Any form of hot mustard like Colmans
- 1 /2 cup All purpose flour May need more so have for standing by
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 3/4 cup Plain dried breadcrumbs Avoid panko, browns very dark
- 1/2-1 cup Cooking Oil with a high smoke point If you can fully submerge the egg that is ideal but not required
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Carefully lower in 8 eggs and cook for 6 1/2 minutes for a runny yolk, or 7 1/2 minutes for a slightly more firm yolk. Lift out with a slotted spoon and place into an ice water bath immediately or run under a cold tap until completely cold. Peel and set aside. They seem to peel better from an ice bath and fully cooled.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and gently cook the onions and garlic for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Do not brown. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Place the onions and garlic in a large bowl with the sausage meat, black pepper, herbs, and mustard. Season with salt and mix everything well with your hands, almost into a paste. Divide into 6 balls.
- Place the peeled eggs in a bowl with some of the flour. Make sure they are well coated.
- Flatten the sausage meat mixture between 2 sheets of saran wrap, parchment paper, or tin foil until it’s as flat as possible. Place a floured egg in the middle of the sausagemeat. Using your hands, shape the meat evenly around the egg until completely sealed. Place the eggs on a baking tray. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Beat the 2 remaining eggs with the milk. Line up 3 bowls – one with the remaining flour,, another with the egg mixture, and a third with the breadcrumbs. Roll each sausage-encased egg in the order of the bowls – first in the flour, then egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Chill again for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Heat oil to 170 degrees and put in 2-3 eggs at a time as soon as the oil gets heated. In my our case we used a small saucepan so the eggs could be fully submerged so we did one egg at a time. Deep fry the eggs covered with sausage for 5 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Do not let it get dark brown. Drain on paper towels and repeat with the remaining eggs.
- Place the eggs in a cast iron pan or a baking dish. Place in the preheated oven for 8 minutes.
- Enjoy hot with a little sea salt and a dipping sauce. Can be served at room temperature as well.
Notes
Traditional Scotch Egg Preparation Slide Show
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