Traditional Scotch Eggs
Traditional Scotch Eggs are hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat, breaded and fried. Served with a delicious mustard dipping sauce, this is quintessential British fare. Who said British food is bland? Make them ahead, then grab-and-go as you need them.
The Scotch Egg is not actually a Scottish recipe at all; it was actually born and bred in England. I have read that they were invented by the upmarket store Fortnum & Mason and a story how they were derived from the Indian dish Nargisi Kofta, but there is really no origin set in stone.
What is a Scotch egg?
A popular British dish that is a hard boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat that is breaded then fried. Served with the yolk firm, or runny, see more on this below.
They’re delicious warm and crispy right out of the fryer, or perfect for a grab and go breakfast, road trip or picnic.
Runny yolk v’s firm yolk
Scotch eggs are popular picnic food because they travel well and can be eaten at room temperature or even cold. A lot of Scotch eggs in pubs and restaurants and are served with a runny yolk (what is better than a warm runny yolk?) This is achieved by soft boiling the eggs so the yolks don’t overcook when they are fried. I like them both ways.
British Pub Grub Recipes:
- Roast Beef Dinner (Sunday Roast)
- Traditional Cornish Pasty
- Steak and Ale Pie
- Steak and Kidney Pudding
How to make the perfect Scotch Eggs
The eggs must first be boiled and this is when you decide whether you want the yolks runny or firm.
How to make runny yolk Scotch Eggs
Boil room temperature eggs for 4 minutes. Transfer the eggs to cold water then peel. Wrap the egg in sausage meat, bread and fry.
How to make firm scotch eggs
Boil room temperature eggs for 10 minutes. Transfer the eggs to cold water then peel. Wrap the egg in sausage meat, bread and fry.
This popular British pub dish is usually served warm with a dipping sauce that can range from sweet to savory; today we went savory with a mustard sauce, which is optional, but a nice dipping sauce all the same.
Along with the Sausage Roll and sandwiches, the Scotch egg is also a very popular convenience food sold in most grocery stores and food shops across the UK. For me, homemade is far superior to store bought and if you’ve never bought them, don’t bother, make them yourself instead.
I even eat them for breakfast eggs and sausage are breakfast items after all, just add ketchup.
Just like the British dialect can change around the country, some areas of England have adopted their own local Scotch egg recipes. I have yet to try the variations on this classic, but one thing is for sure, these eggstraordinary ovals of goodness are a staple in my household.
If you find that your Scotch eggs split (like the picture above) while frying don’t worry, they’re still edible and delicious.
Why do Scotch eggs split when frying?
This is because there is a gap or crack in the sausage meat and the oil has gotten between the meat and the egg. Make sure they are well sealed before frying.
How to Serve Traditional Scotch Eggs
I like to serve with a simple mustard sauce. It is so easy to make, it’s only 3 ingredients. It is optional, but it’s nice to have something to dip them in.
If you’ve tried these Scotch Eggs or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how they turned out in the comments below. I love to hear from my readers!
Traditional Scotch Eggs
Scotch eggs are hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat, breaded and fried. Served with a delicious mustard dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- For the mustard sauce:
- 1 ½ cups (358 grams) Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Small pinch freshly ground black pepper
- For the Scotch eggs:
- 4 large eggs
- 4 British or Irish pork bangers/sausage links (casings removed) or 12 ounces (340 grams) sausage meat
- 1 cup (150 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, whisked
- 1 cup (119 grams) breadcrumbs
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 quart (2 pints) frying oil
Instructions
- For the mustard sauce:
To a mixing bowl, add the mustard, white wine vinegar, honey and black pepper, whisk to combine and set aside. - For the Scotch eggs:
- To a saucepan, add the eggs and add water to cover the eggs. Bring to a boil and cook on a low boil, 4 minutes for runny yolk, or 10 minutes for firm yolk. Transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop them cooking.
- When cooled, gently tap the egg on a hard surface all over to evenly crack the shell and put back into the water for a couple more minutes, then peel. The water will get under the shell and help to make it peel easily. After peeling the egg, make sure they are dry so the sausage meat sticks.
- To 3 separate bowls add the flour, whisked egg and breadcrumbs all mixed with a little of the salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Lightly wet the palms of your hands (this will prevent the sausage meat from sticking). Take ¼ of the meat into your hand and flatten in your palm. Place a cooled egg in the center and wrap the meat around the egg, packing tightly (without too much pressure without breaking the egg) and shape into a nice oval with no gaps in the meat, you want an even layer of meat all around. Roll in the egg in the flour to get a light coating, then into the egg, remove excess egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs until well covered, pressing the breadcrumbs into the meat. Set aside. Repeat with all the eggs.
- Add canola oil to a high-sided pan and bring to a temperature of 350°F/175°C on a candy thermometer. You can also test the temperature by adding a little of the breadcrumbs, if they sizzle it’s ready.
- Fry the eggs in the oil about 5-7 minutes until golden brown turning halfway through.
- Drain and serve with the mustard sauce.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 370Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 253mgSodium 504mgCarbohydrates 30gFiber 1gSugar 5gProtein 15g
This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.
This Scotch eggs recipe was first appeared on Food Fanatic where I am a contributor.
33 Comments on “Traditional Scotch Eggs”
I had these in London last year and thought I would try and make my own. They’re so much easier than I thought to make them and will definitely make again, delicious!
This is wonderful to hear, thank you.
Second time making these, first time using your recipe. Look no further, this one is a keeper! I live in southern US and use Neese’s brand sausage and they turn out perfect. Thank you for this recipe! 🙂
Thank you so much for the lovely compliment. I’m so glad you like them.
These look so awesome! I was reading the comments on how to make ahead. If for a dinner party, can I fry a hour or so before? And reheat at what temp? Sorry to bother if you already answered!
What I would do, is make them ahead, then 20 minutes before serving, place them on a rack in a baking sheet (so they stay crisp all around) and warm them in a 200°F oven. I would not warm more than 20 minutes or they may dry out. I hope this helps and enjoy!
Heard the name but just found receip. As a retired chef always looking for something to try at home..n possibly pass on to friends still working in the biz
Great, I’m glad you found my recipe.
Is the sausage raw when you wrap it around the egg? How do you ensure its cooked adequately?
Yes, the sausage is raw when wrapped around the eggs. It is a thin layer of sausage so it does cook very quickly when deep-fried in the oil. I hope this answers your question.
We came back from a trip to the U.K., and my kids were missing the Scotch eggs, so I thought I’d give it a try and make them. I found your recipe and was pleasantly surprised at how easy they are to make. My kids are now happy and requesting them all the time 🙂
Aww, this is lovely. Thank you so much for the feedback.
So Scott eggs are never eaten hot at home?
You can eat Scotch eggs hot at home if you take them home and heat them up. But a lot of people eat them cold out of convenience on the go. I hope this answers your question.
Can you bake them instead of frying?
I have not tried baking them myself, but I have seen some recipes on Google so I do believe you can. I would say 375°F/190°C for around 25-30 minutes would work. Enjoy.
I love these. To cut calories, Air Fry at 400°F for 15 minutes, turning once at about 7 minutes, until golden brown. My guests love these!
Thank you for sharing this tip
Your Scotch Eggs sound delicious and I can’t wait to try them. Do you have a recipe for a sweet sauce, or a sweet and sour-type sauce, for the Scotch Eggs? My family doesn’t like mustard.
Thank you for your question. I do have a recipe for a trio of sauces with some Asian flavors. I’m not sure how they will taste with the Scotch eggs if you want to give one of them a try, here’s the link:
https://culinaryginger.com/trio-of-asian-dipping-sauces/
Do you have a recommended sausage from the States? Ours is seasoned differently.
Hi Jennifer, it’s hard to recommend a specific sausage since all stores carry different ones and there are so many out there. I like a good quality pork sausage that is not to seasoned with flavorings and lots of herbs but still tastes good. I hope this helps.
How long can you keep these after frying them? I presume you refrigerate them. Do you reheat or if picnic food, must be eating them cold?
Hi Jessica, I would say no more than 2 to 3 days covered in the refrigerator. They do not reheat well, but they are perfectly delicious cold and this makes them the perfect picnic food. Thanks for stopping by.
I’ve always wanted to try scotch eggs. Can’t wait to make them. Going to the grocery store now to pick up sausage. I’ll get back to tell you how they turned out! 😋
I welcome your feedback, thank you for choosing my recipe.
How do they make then with runny yolk? When I make my hard boiled eggs, if I let them sit more than 10 minutes I get green yolks. Yours are so pretty and how come the eggs dont get over cooked when you fry them?
Hi Karen, I have never made them with a runny yolk, but I would assume they don’t get fried as long. Green yolks usually means they are overcooked so don’t overboil. Turn off the heat as soon as they water boils. I hope this helps. Thanks!
Why do my eggs burst open when they are frying I love to eat them but they look awful on the plate?
I’m sorry to hear this. I’m wondering if you have enough sausage meat around the egg (at least 1/4 inch thick) and that they are sealed well by making sure the sausage meat is tightly packed around the egg because the sausage meat can shrink when frying and this will cause the egg to show. I hope this helps.
I have never had scotch eggs but whenever I see them I feel like I need to learn how to make them! These look so good and thanks for your recipe too, will give it a try!!
I’ve never made scotch eggs, but these look so delicious! Pinned to try them!
Yes!!! I LOVE Scotch eggs! Bring on picnic season with these babies! The color of the yolks are so beautiful too!