Scotch Egg Recipe Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Bake

by: molly yeh

November8,2013

4.7

3 Ratings

  • Prep time 45 minutes
  • Cook time 25 minutes
  • makes 4 Scotch eggs

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Author Notes

Until very recently, Scotch eggs were like unicorns. Even though I hadn't met a Scotch egg, I knew I was in love. Like a colorful, prancing, song-singing unicorn, there is objectively nothing not to love about a Scotch egg recipe. Eggy, meaty, fried. Done. Get me one. Get me 7.

So starting smack in the center of the Harrods Food Hall last summer, I began my Scotch egg tour of the universe. It took me to a perfect little pub in the perfect little countryside town of Lewes, East Sussex, where my friend Sam explained that a freshly boiled egg must be placed in an ice bath prior to its Scotching. It took me to Boston where a wonderful restaurant, Myers + Chang, blew my mind with the idea of wrapping the egg in potsticker filling. It took me to my new home in rural North Dakota where I am suddenly forced to make most of my favorite foods from scratch.

So I pulled together the best parts about each of my favorite Scotch eggs and made one mega awesome Scotch egg that's officially the number one reason why I need to join a gym. It has an extra-runny yolk thanks to an ice bath (ohhh I love 'em runny), it uses the genius idea of potsticker filling as a wrapper, and it uses not just any potsticker filling, but a super-special filling that's used in my family's beloved potsticker recipe.

Warning: Scotch eggs are messy creatures to make! Give yourself a lot of space to make them and invite a few friends over to help (cause if they're good friends they'll help with the cleanup too).
—molly yeh —molly yeh

Test Kitchen Notes

The Scotch eggs in this recipe are quite hefty (which we love!) but 6 medium eggs and the same quantity of chicken will make smaller, more manageable ones. Reduce frying time slightly to prevent overcooked yolks. —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

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Scotch EggRecipe

Ingredients
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 poundground chicken
  • 2 teaspoonseach: sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoonsground ginger
  • a few good grinds of black pepper
  • 2 stalks green onion, minced
  • 1/2 cupflour
  • 1 cuppanko bread crumbs
  • 2 teaspoonskosher salt
  • oil for frying (I use canola)
Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully place four eggs in and boil for five minutes (this is for a runny yolk, if you want it firmer, add a bit of time). While they're boiling, prepare a large ice bath. When five minutes is up, immediately place the eggs in the bath.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, black pepper, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, and the green onions.
  3. In three smaller bowls, set up your breading station. In the first bowl, combine flour, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper to taste. In the second, whip up the remaining 2 eggs with a splash of water. In the third bowl, combine the panko, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of ginger, and black pepper.
  4. Working with wet hands, divide chicken into four equal parts. Place them on separate squares of parchment paper and flatten out into circles, about 1/2 inch thick. Peel the eggs, coat them in a little flour, and then wrap each in chicken. It helps if you fold up the parchment paper to help the chicken onto the egg.
  5. Once the egg is fully encased in the meat, coat it in flour, and then egg, and then panko. Place back on the parchment and hold in the fridge until the rest of the eggs are ready to go.
  6. Fill a large pot with about 3-4 inches of oil and heat it to 350°F. Fry the Scotch eggs for 5-6 minutes, until they're golden-brown and cooked through. Enjoy!

Tags:

  • British
  • Green Onion/Scallion
  • Soy Sauce
  • Egg
  • Vinegar
  • Chicken
  • Bake
  • Fry
  • Hors D'Oeuvre
  • Appetizer
  • Side
  • Snack

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • @SamuelMoore

  • KakiSue

  • dymnyno

  • nancy essig

  • molly yeh

Recipe by: molly yeh

molly yeh recently moved from brooklyn to a farm outside of grand forks, north dakota, where her husband is a fifth generation farmer. she writes the blog my name is yeh.

Popular on Food52

10 Reviews

Deedledum June 16, 2017

Has anyone got any ideas on reheating? I don't want to be frying each day till they're gone...

nancy E. June 18, 2017

They are made to be eaten room temperature. Bring on picnics etc

@SamuelMoore March 28, 2014

Any advice for baking these instead of frying?

molly Y. March 28, 2014

Hi Samuel,
I've never tried baking them but I just did a little search and found these which bake for 35 minutes at 400. (http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/baked-scotch-eggs/f0e01f73-fb39-478b-9a2c-f242359d24af) I like the idea of baking them at a high temperature to get a crispier crust, but I would be nervous about the yolks staying runny enough. Definitely worth a try, I'd say!

@SamuelMoore March 28, 2014

Yes, I want that runny runny yolk, but the health conscious better half wants to bake them, trying to find that happy medium. Thank you!

molly Y. March 28, 2014

this could be crazy, but i wonder if freezing a peeled soft boiled egg and then coating it in the meat and baking it could help...

@SamuelMoore March 28, 2014

That could be crazy... crazy genius! I'll try it with one or two and report back. Have a great weekend.

@SamuelMoore April 1, 2014

Alright, it's better to not even attempt to bake. You just can't get that golden brown and deliciousness without frying... It's probably easier to explain that frying isn't as unhealthy as inserthealhtymagazine says. Great recipe, the fried ones came out perfect, runny yolk and all.

KakiSue November 17, 2013

molly you hit all the right notes here--this will be next weeks brunch. ditto on your love of runny eggs

dymnyno November 15, 2013

I stopped making Scotch eggs years ago because they were so heavy and fattening . These sound delicious! I especially like using pot sticker filling ...so much more flavor.

Scotch Egg Recipe Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

How do I stop my Scotch eggs splitting when cooking? ›

Place the egg in the middle and wrap the egg with the meat. Pinch the edges together and smooth the ball so that there are no gaps or bumps. (If the covering isn't even, the Scotch egg will split during cooking.)

Do Scotch eggs have to be deep-fried? ›

We've made the popular scotch egg recipe much healthier than the classic version by baking them, instead of deep-frying in oil. We've made the popular scotch egg recipe much healthier than the classic version by baking them, instead of deep-frying in oil.

What is traditionally served with Scotch eggs? ›

Mustard is a common condiment served with various meat-based dishes, and Scotch eggs are no exception. This combination has become a traditional and classic pairing - the piquant and zesty notes of the mustard sauce bring out the best in the Scotch eggs and give it an extra punch.

What makes a Scotch egg a Scotch egg? ›

A Scotch egg is a boiled egg that has been wrapped in sausage, breaded, and deep-fried or baked. Despite its name, this likely has English (not Scottish) origins. Scotch eggs are commonly found at picnics in the U.K. and packaged Scotch eggs are widely available in British supermarkets, corner shops, and gas stations.

Why do my eggs split when boiling? ›

Why eggs tend to crack while they're boiling. Eggs are prone to cracking because the force from the boiling action causes them to clash into each other. This leads to the shell splitting open and the whites spilling out of it. What you'll end up with is a boiled egg that's safe to eat, but will have a mushy texture.

How do you keep eggs from splitting? ›

Adding a small amount of vinegar or salt to the water may help strengthen the egg whites and reduce the chances of cracking. Use about a 2 teaspoon of vinegar or a half teaspoon of salt per two cups of water. Gently pierce the rounded end of the egg with a pin or a needle before boiling.

How do you know when scotch eggs are done? ›

Depending on the size of your pan, lower as many eggs as you can into the oil, and cook for 8-10 mins until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper, leave to cool a little, then serve halved with some piccalilli.

Why is my Scotch egg runny? ›

FOR THOSE SIGNATURE RUNNY EGGS: Boil a pan of water and lower 5 of the eggs into the pan using a spoon to avoid the eggs cracking. Cook for 5 minutes and then lift out into a bowl of iced water to cool the eggs rapidly. This will allow the shells to come off easier and keep the yolks runny.

Should Scotch egg be hard or soft boiled? ›

Scotch egg is a hard-boiled egg that is completely coated in the sausage that is then dredged in flour, dipped in an egg wash, covered in breadcrumbs, and fried until golden brown.

What pairs well with Scotch eggs? ›

The best side dishes to serve with Scotch Eggs are baked beans, sausage rolls, blooming onion, avocado fries, Caesar salad, potato pancakes, hush puppies, banana bread, garden salad, potato wedges, fruit platter, grilled asparagus, sweet cornbread, coleslaw, and roasted Brussels sprouts.

How healthy are Scotch eggs? ›

a whopping 50% more protein than your standard hen's fare, plus double the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Adding iron-rich black pudding to your sausage casing pumps up the body-bulking calories, while coating it with pine nut-spiked breadcrumbs gives you a bump of cholesterol-crushing fats and fibre.

Do Irish eat Scotch eggs? ›

To help you eat like the Irish do, we're happy to share an authentic Irish egg dish with you: Scotch eggs. While this recipe supposedly originates from England, Scotch eggs are very popular in Irish restaurants.

How long do homemade Scotch Eggs last? ›

Cooked Scotch Eggs will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you are preparing Scotch Eggs in advance and want to store them until you're ready to cook, you can store Uncooked Scotch Eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

What is a Dutch Scotch egg? ›

Eierbal (egg ball), or aaierbal in the Groningen dialect, is a treat like no other. It's similar in looks to the Scotch egg, but whereas a Scotch egg has a wrapping of ground meat or sausage, the eierbal has a thick gravy coat, seasoned with curry spices and fresh parsley.

What country invented Scotch Eggs? ›

According to Culinary Delights of Yorkshire, they originated in Whitby, Yorkshire, England, in the 19th century, and were originally covered in fish paste rather than sausage meat. They were supposedly named after William J. Scott & Sons, a well-known eatery which sold them.

Why do Scotch eggs split in the oven? ›

The sausage fell off the egg in the oven. It took several attempts to get right. The secret is in wrapping your eggs. The sausage meat can't be on too thick or too thin.

How do you keep eggs from cracking in the pan? ›

Fill a pot with water and add vinegar according to the number of eggs you are boiling. Now put the pot on heat and boil the eggs. Adding vinegar to the water helps the proteins in the egg white coagulate faster which further plugs any cracks in the egg.

How do you prevent curdling when cooking with eggs? ›

Pro Tips: Start with room-temperature eggs for the best results. Room temperature eggs are easier to separate, and they will be less likely to curdle when you combine the hot liquid with the yolks. Whisking the egg yolks together before adding the liquid ensures even cooking and smooth texture.

How do you stop eggs from spitting? ›

If the oil starts to spit it's because it's too hot, so turn the heat right down. Cook until the tops of the whites are set but the yolk is still runny. When they're ready, remove the pan from the heat and take the eggs out using a spatula. Place on a plate and dab them with some paper towels to soak up any excess oil.

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