Termed the ‘perfect picnic food’, Scotch Egg may be a traditional British delicacy, but its fandom spreads around the world. The dish comprises a shelled hard-boiled egg, which comes wrapped in sausage and coated in breadcrumbs. This bundle is then baked or deep-fried until it turns crispy brown. A favourite picnic dish, Scotch Eggs are also popular in pubs and often served cold in the UK.
Thanks to its fan following, you’ll also find several miniature versions of this delicacy sold as - ‘Mini Scotch Eggs’, ‘Savoury Eggs’, ‘Picnic Eggs’, ‘Party Eggs’, ‘Snack Eggs’, or ‘Egg Bites’. Easily available across Britain at supermarkets, corner shops, and motorway service stations, these tiny varieties come loaded with a chopped chicken egg or a quail egg, spruced up with mayonnaise or chopped bacon. There are also several regional variations of the dish across the UK.
For instance, the ‘Manchester Egg’ uses a pickled egg covered in pork and Lancashire black pudding, while the ‘Worcester Egg’ uses an egg pickled in Worcestershire sauce, local sausage meat, and white pudding. However, people in the US prefer the dish hot, along with some ranch dressing or a dipping sauce.
This dish also has interesting backstories, some competing ones as well. According to a popular heritage department store in London - Fortnum & Mason - it first made Scotch eggs for wealthy travellers back in 1738. Then, there is another story that has an India connection. Some historians say that Scotch Eggs are inspired by the exquisite Mughlai delicacy, called Nargisi Kofta, which combines mutton keema and boiled eggs. Apparently, the recipe was brought to England by returning soldiers and other travellers. For all you know, Scottish farmers may be the brains behind this ‘inexpensive’ dish.
No matter what its origin is, Scotch Eggs are worth a try. If you haven’t made it at home yet, we have got you an easy recipe for you here. Scotch Egg comes with an impressive variety of nutrients - zinc and Vitamins A, D, E and B12, to name a few.
Preparation time: 25 min
Cooking time: 14 min
Ingredients:
- 5 large eggs (divided)
- 1 small bunch fresh chives
- 3 large sprigs fresh parsley
- 10 ounces breakfast sausage (casings removed)
- 1 tbsp prepared English mustard
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ packed tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 6 cups vegetable oil
Method:
- Boil 4 eggs for 4 mins (to get a jammy egg yolk) or 7 mins (to get a well done yolk). Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with ice water.
- When the eggs are ready drain, and transfer to an ice water bath. Let it sit until cooled. In the meantime, prepare the parchment, sausage mixture, and dredging mixtures.
- Cut a 6-inch square of parchment paper. Finely chop 1 small bunch of fresh chives.
- Pick and finely chop the leaves from 3 large fresh parsley sprigs.
- Place the chives, parsley, sausage, English mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Fold and mix until combined. Divide the sausage mixture into 4 portions and form each into a ball.
- Put the all-purpose flour and a pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place the panko breadcrumbs and a pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Crack the remaining 1 large egg in a small bowl and whisk until broken up.
- Gently peel the eggs and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Wrap 1 egg at a time: Place 1 sausage ball on the parchment and press with your hands into a flat oval (about 6 inches long) that will completely wrap around an egg.
- Gently coat 1 egg in the flour. Place the egg in the middle of the sausage oval and use the parchment to wrap the sausage around the egg until it is completely covered.
- Peel back the parchment to release and use it to gently mould and seal the egg in the sausage. Place on a plate.
- Heat 6 cups vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until 325°F.
- Meanwhile, bread the wrapped eggs one at a time: Coat in the flour again and shake off the excess. Dip in the beaten egg until completely coated and let the excess drip off. Dip in the breadcrumb mixture until completely coated, gently pressing the breadcrumbs to adhere, mould, and shape as needed. Return to the plate.
- Using a spider or slotted spoon, gently lower all the Scotch eggs into the hot oil and fry until the sausage is cooked through and the outside is deep golden-brown.
- Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Tip: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
