Discover the hearty allure of Scotch Eggs. A perfect union of seasoned sausage and eggs awaits beneath a crispy, breadcrumb exterior. With each bite, savor a symphony of flavors and textures. Whether enjoyed as a snack, appetizer, or meal, traditional Scottish Eggs are a delectable journey worth embarking upon.
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What Makes Scotch Eggs So Good?
Centuries before there was a Sausage Egg McMuffin, the closest you could get was a Scotch Egg. But once you try one, you might wonder why fast food restaurants aren’t serving them instead.
The layers of crunchy breadcrumbs and seasoned sausage wrapped around a soft-boiled egg hit all the right flavors and textures for utterly addictive snacking.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
Scotch Eggs may not be the healthiest way to eat an egg, but it’s hard to say it isn’t one of the tastiest! Once you master the technique of covering the eggs in sausage meat, they are easy and quick to make! The cheap ingredients and the food’s wow factor make them perfect for a party!
Since you can eat them cold, with a container of Scotch Eggs in the fridge, you always have a satisfying snack on hand!
What Are Scotch Eggs?
Scotch Eggs have nothing to do with Scotland or even Scottish people. The origin of the name is as mysterious as where the recipe came from. Some people believe the recipe is based on the Indian dish Nargisi Kofta, where cooks scorched spice-coated eggs in the fire.
Another legend claims the famous department store Fortnum & Mason in London created the dish. Since the original recipe called for adding minced anchovies to the meat, a process known as ‘scotching,’ the new dish was called ‘Scotch Eggs.’
But why worry about the dish’s history when all that matters is how delicious it tastes?
Scotch Eggs Ingredients
To make the best Scotch Egg recipe, you’ll need:
- Three-minute eggs peeled and at room temperature
- All-purpose flour
- Bulk pork sausage
- Plain bread crumbs
- Ground dry sage
- Salt
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
Ingredient Notes
In a traditional Scotch egg recipe, the eggs don’t have a fully cooked yolk, but you can use hard-boiled eggs if you prefer. To make authentic-style eggs, place room-temperature uncooked eggs in a saucepan just covered with cold water and bring to a boil.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and cover it. Let the eggs sit for three minutes, and then immediately cool them in an ice bath. For the best results, cook the eggs the day before and chill them overnight before peeling.
A breakfast-type bulk sausage works best in this recipe, although you could use your favorite sausage meat.
You can use any vegetable oil that can handle high heat. Canola is a good choice, but peanut oil is excellent if you won’t serve anyone with nut allergies.
How to Make Scotch Eggs
To prepare Scotch eggs:
- Whisk a raw egg in a shallow bowl and place to the side.
- In a separate shallow bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, sage, and salt. Keep it for later.
- Coat the peeled, boiled eggs in flour and shake off the excess. The flour will keep the sausage coating from sticking.
- Divide the bulk sausage into eight equal pieces. Take one portion and flatten it out on your hand. Wrap the sausage meat around a peeled egg, encapsulating it completely.
- Dip the sausage-covered egg in the whisked egg and roll it in the seasoned breadcrumbs. Place the egg on a plate. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
- Wait about 15 minutes for the breadcrumbs to set.
- Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil to 375°F in a deep fryer or a heavy-bottom pot. Use a deep-fry thermometer to ensure the oil is at the correct temperature.
- Fry half the eggs until they are golden brown, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the oil and place them on a wire rack placed on a baking tray to drain.
- Fry the remaining eggs. You can eat the eggs while they are hot or wait until they are room temperature and put them in an airtight container in the fridge to enjoy cold.
Can You Make Scotch Eggs Ahead of Time?
Scotch Eggs are great as make-ahead snacks because you can eat them hot or cold.
What to Serve With Scotch Eggs
You can find Scotch Eggs on Ploughman’s Platters and picnic hampers, but you can get much more creative than that. Why not include them in a brunch buffet or chopped on top of a salad?
Here are a few suggestions for accompaniments that can make this traditional Scotch Egg recipe even better:
- Mustard. Whole grain or horseradish mustards are particularly good for a dipping sauce.
- Pickles or cornichons. The acidity of the vinegar helps to balance the richness of the sausage and egg.
- Potatoes. Whether you go cold and creamy with potato salad or hot and simple with boiled potatoes, potatoes turn Scotch Eggs into a complete meal.
How to Store Them
Cool down any leftover Scotch Eggs on a wire rack before putting them in an airtight container and keeping them in the fridge for up to three days. Since the inside of the egg will take much longer to cool than the outside,
Can You Freeze Scotch Eggs?
Believe it or not, you can freeze Scotch Eggs for about a month. Wrap the cooled eggs in plastic and place them in a freezer-safe container before popping them into the freezer. After defrosting the eggs in the fridge, you can reheat or eat them cold. The taste will be the same as unfrozen Scotch Eggs, but the texture won’t be.
What Is the Best Way to Reheat Scotch Eggs?
Warm Scotch Eggs in the oven or air fryer:
- Preheat the oven or air fryer to 350°F.
- Put the Scotch Eggs on a wire rack over a baking tray for the oven method or directly into the air fryer. For more even heating, try cutting them in half.
- Bake the Scotch Eggs for 10 to 15 minutes or air fry for 5 minutes.
Favorite Egg and Sausage Breakfast Recipes
- Egg Foo Young
- Eggs in a Basket
- Oven Baked Eggs
- McDonald’s Sausage Burrito
- McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin
- Sausage Egg and Cheese Crossanwich
- Sausage Gravy
- Sausage Roll
- Smoked Deviled Eggs
- Sous Vide Egg Bites
Popular Sausage Recipes for Dinner
Check out more of my easy breakfast recipes and the best comfort food recipes on CopyKat!
Scotch Eggs
Ingredients
- 8 hard-cooked eggs peeled and at room temperature
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 pounds bulk pork sausage
- 1 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs beaten
- peanut oil for deep-frying
Instructions
- Coat each hard-cooked egg with flour.
- Divide the sausage into 8 equal portions. Make a patty out of each portion of sausage, and use it to coat each egg completely.
- Mix together the breadcrumbs, sage, and salt.
- Dip the sausage-coated eggs into the beaten eggs, and then roll in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat the oil to 375°F in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot. Deep-fry the eggs, 4 at a time, for a minimum of 7 minutes. Remove the eggs from the oil, and place on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet to drain. Serve hot or cold.
I’ve made these, but I bake them instead of deep frying. Not to say that mine are heart healthy, but they are a little bit less unhealthy. Baking seems to work fine. I use Jimmy Dean spicy sausage and coat with seasoned bread crumbs.
How long and at what temperature do you bake?