Scotch Eggs
Soft-yolk hard-boiled egg encased in seasoned sausagemeat, breaded and deep-fried until golden. The British pub classic; a proper one has a runny or just-set yolk in the middle, not hard-boiled to grey.
Overview
Eggs are soft-boiled for 6 minutes (yolk barely set), cooled, peeled. Sausagemeat is mixed with mustard, herbs and chopped onion. The seasoned mixture is wrapped around each peeled egg. Each Scotch egg is dredged through flour, egg wash and panko, then deep-fried to a deep golden brown.
Ingredients
Eggs
- 6 eggs (large, room temperature)
- Plus 2 large eggs (for the egg wash)
Sausage layer
- 600 g good sausagemeat
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped sage (or thyme)
- 2 spring onions (very finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Breading
- 100 g plain flour (seasoned with salt and pepper)
- 200 g panko breadcrumbs
Frying
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying (about 1 ½ litres)
Method
Stage 1 - Soft-boil the eggs
- Bring a pan of water to the boil.
- Lower the eggs in carefully; cook for 6 minutes (timer; precise).
- Plunge into ice water for 5 minutes.
- Peel very gently - the whites are still soft.
Stage 2 - Sausage layer
- Mix the sausagemeat with mustard, herbs, spring onions, pepper and salt.
- Divide into 6 equal portions.
Stage 3 - Wrap
- Flatten each portion of sausagemeat between sheets of cling film into an oval just bigger than an egg.
- Place a peeled egg in the centre.
- Bring the cling film up to mould the sausage around the egg, sealing all the way around.
- Place on a tray; chill 20-30 minutes (firms up for breading).
Stage 4 - Bread
- Set up three plates: seasoned flour, beaten egg wash, panko.
- Roll each sausage-wrapped egg in flour, then egg wash, then panko (pressing firmly).
Stage 5 - Fry
- Heat oil to 170°C in a deep pan.
- Fry the Scotch eggs in batches of 2-3 for 6-7 minutes until deep golden.
- Drain on a wire rack.
Stage 6 - Serve
- Cool 5 minutes (the inside is hot).
- Cut in half to reveal the soft yolk; eat warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- 6 minutes for soft-boiled, no more, no less: Defines a proper Scotch egg. Hard-boiled is a sin.
- Cling film for shaping: The sausage is sticky; cling film is the cleanest way to wrap evenly. Discard before breading.
- 170°C oil: Lower than usual frying temperature so the sausage cooks through before the panko burns.
Storage
- Best warm. Keep 2 days refrigerated; eat cold (traditional picnic food) or reheat at 160°C for 8 minutes.
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