Scotch Eggs - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

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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.

Scotch Eggs - CopyKat Recipes (1)

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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 dishNargisiKofta,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
Scotch Eggs - CopyKat Recipes (2)

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:

  1. Whisk a raw egg in a shallow bowl and place to the side.
  2. In a separate shallow bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, sage, and salt. Keep it for later.
  3. Coat the peeled, boiled eggs in flour and shake off the excess. The flour will keep the sausage coating from sticking.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Wait about 15 minutes for the breadcrumbs to set.
Scotch Eggs - CopyKat Recipes (3)
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
Scotch Eggs - CopyKat Recipes (4)

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:

  1. Preheat the oven or air fryer to 350°F.
  2. 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.
  3. Bake the Scotch Eggs for 10 to 15 minutes or air fry for 5 minutes.
Scotch Eggs - CopyKat Recipes (5)

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

  • Fried Cabbage and Sausage
  • Sausage and Rice Casserole
  • Sausage Stew

Check out more of my easy breakfast recipes and the best comfort food recipes on CopyKat!

Scotch Eggs

What could be better than a hard-boiledegg wrapped in sausage and deep fried?

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate Add to Collection

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Scottish Egg

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 419kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 288mg | Sodium: 790mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 385IU | Vitamin C: 0.6mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2.6mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Comments

  1. Observations99

    Scotch Eggs - CopyKat Recipes (7)
    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.

    Reply

    • Woody

      How long and at what temperature do you bake?

      Reply

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Scotch Eggs - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep Scotch eggs from 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.)

Where did the recipe for Scotch egg come from? ›

SCOTCH eggs originated in the Whitby area of Yorkshire in the late 19th century. Originally they were not covered in sausage meat but in a rich, creamy fish paste before being sprinkled with breadcrumbs.

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.

Do you serve Scotch eggs hot or cold? ›

Scotch eggs can be found served hot in pubs and restaurants, although they are most well-known served cold as a convenient snack from the fridge, and on picnics.

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 tearing when peeling? ›

To peel eggs without tearing them up, follow these steps: 1. Cool the eggs: After boiling, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and let them cool for at least 10 minutes. This helps to contract the egg inside the shell, making it easier to peel.

What is traditionally served with 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 served in pubs.

What is a Dutch Scotch egg? ›

It resembles a giant type of croquette. Then you find a layer of ragout and a whole egg inside its crispy coating. Whether you want to try all of the culinary surprises Groningen presents, or simply feel like a late night snack: the eierbal (Dutch Scotch egg) is something you must try at least once in your life.

Are Scotch eggs hard or soft boiled? ›

Scotch eggs are prepared by hard- or soft-boiling an egg, wrapping it in sausage meat, and deep-frying it. It is often eaten in pubs or as a cold snack at picnics.

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 do they call it a Scotch egg? ›

Their name in those days was 'Scotties,' allegedly because they were made at an eatery by the name of William J Scott & Sons close to the seafront. Hence, over a period of time, the term Scotch eggs was adopted.

What is the difference between eggroll and Scotch egg? ›

For those asking for the difference: Scotch egg is boiled egg that is wrapped in sausage, rolled in breadcrumbs and is deep-fried or baked. Eggroll (Nigerian) is made from boiled egg covered in doughnut-like flour dough and is deep-fried.

Are Scotch eggs good for you? ›

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.

Can you eat a runny Scotch egg cold? ›

While this product can be eaten cold, we advise eating it warm to truly enjoy the flavour and deliciously runny centre. M&S Food has been at the heart of the nation since 1884.

What does Scotch mean in Scotch egg? ›

So why is it called a Scotch Egg? A traditional Scotch Egg is a boiled egg coated in pork sausage meat, with an outer crust of breadcumbs. The deep fried snack is called a Scotch Egg because the process of mincing the meat to go around the egg is known as scotching.

Why do my eggs keep splitting? ›

If you put cold eggs directly in hot water for boiling, there are high chances of them cracking up. This is because the gases heat and expand within the shell and expand pressure, thus causing them to crack.

Why do eggs split when fried? ›

How do I keep an egg yolk from breaking when frying an egg? Not when flipping, but when entering the pan. If your egg yolk is breaking, either you are cracking the shell too forcefully or you are letting the egg fall into the pan from too great a height.

How do you temper eggs to prevent curdling? ›

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them. Add the milk in 1/2-cup increments to bring the temperature of the eggs up gradually while whisking. Tip: Whisking the eggs with sugar helps, too. Now you can add the tempered eggs to the hot milk without worrying that the eggs will curdle or scramble.

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