For the past year, my colleagues and I have made hundreds of scotch eggs—sausage-wrapped boiled eggs that are fried until golden brown and crisp—at a British grill and smokehouse in Bowness-on-Windermere, a town in northeast England’s Lake District. The traditional version of the snack made with juicy pork sausage and chicken eggs is a British classic, but these days chefs often put their own twists on the dish by changing the type of sausage or egg. Some may reach for quail eggs, duck eggs, or even pickled eggs and wrap them in blood sausage, lamb sausage, or smoked fish, with some chefs even preparing vegetarian renditions with plant-based sausage.
Of all the scotch eggs I’ve eaten, however, the version I enjoy most is still the one I prepare at work, where I envelope soft-boiled eggs with a savory apple and pork sausage, coat it in breadcrumbs, and fry it until it’s crisp. Cut in half and served alongside a ramekin of homemade piccalilli (vegetables pickled with ground turmeric, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and English mustard powder), the dish is so popular that it frequently sells out within the first two hours of lunch service each day. To avoid disappointing customers, our front-of-house staff members have a dedicated space on their whiteboard to keep track of the number of scotch eggs left to sell.
Scotch eggs have been kicking around Britain for centuries, but the origins of the dish are murky. Despite its name, the dish does not hail from Scotland; writing for Country Life, food writer (and son of Britain's Queen Camilla, wife of Charles III) Tom Parker Bowles notes that the name may come from “the alternative meaning of ‘Scotch,’ meaning to cut, score, or gash.” The proprietors of the upscale department store Fortnum & Mason claim they invented the dish in 1738 when they wrapped a pullet egg—an egg from a young hen—with a mixture of chopped meat, anchovies, eggs, and breadcrumbs. (According to Parker Bowles, the evidence—in the form of archival documents—was apparently destroyed during World War I, so this claim is difficult to prove.)
It’s also possible that the dish was inspired by Indian nargisi kofta, a dish that consists of a boiled egg wrapped in a spiced minced beef and onion mixture that’s fried in ghee or butter, which is the theory that food historian Annette Hope puts forward in her 1987 book A Caledonian Feast. Regardless of how they came about, scotch eggs continue to be a mainstay of pub menus and picnic feasts across Britain. Scotch egg preferences can be deeply personal, and many Brits remain opinionated on the best eggs to use, the ideal firmness of the yolk, how best to season the sausage, what condiments to pair with them, and whether they should be served hot or cold. Personally, I like them piping hot with a runny soft-boiled egg.
The Best Sausage to Use for Scotch Eggs
Traditionally, scotch eggs are made with British pork sausage. However, British sausages differ greatly from American sausages, in both texture and flavor: While American sausages are usually made with finely ground meat, fat, and some seasonings, British sausages start with coarser chopped or minced pork, fat, and seasonings, and a breadcrumb filler. Unlike America sausages with their typically mild flavor profile, the British version leans more heavily on spices and herbs like nutmeg, sage, mace, thyme, and/or parsley. There are more than 400 different kinds of British sausages produced nationally, which means the flavor of scotch eggs varies from restaurant to restaurant and will ultimately depend on the type of sausage meat used.
My recipe below calls for ground pork, as that will be much easier for most American home cooks to find than British or Irish-style sausages. If possible, I recommend heading to your local butcher and asking for coarse ground pork, which isn’t as finely minced as store-bought ground pork and more closely resembles the texture of British sausages. If that isn’t available, ask for a blend of meat that’s one part pork fat to four parts ground pork.
If you’re able to get your hands on British- or Irish-style sausages, or any raw pork sausages, you can cut through the sausage casing, remove the meat, and use that for the recipe. When using pre-seasoned sausages, omit breadcrumbs and reduce salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg by half. Fresh parsley and chives can be kept at their original quantity. (Avoid sausages with overpowering seasonings like jalapeño or cayenne pepper.)
Measure Out Your Pork
The best way to ensure a successful, fully cooked scotch egg is to weigh and portion the minced meat for each egg to be sure you aren't using too much or too little. The more meat you wrap your egg with, the longer you’ll have to deep fry it—and the longer you fry it, the more likely you are to burn the breadcrumb coating. I settled on 100g (about three and a half ounces) minced meat per egg. If you don't have a kitchen scale, just divide the meat into four equal portions and eyeball it to the best of your ability.)
Use Soft-Boiled Eggs
Maybe using soft-boiled eggs is a personal preference. Maybe it’s truly the better option. The yolk tastes richer when it’s semi-cooked, and the differing textures between the sausage, egg whites, and the runny yolk give the dish more depth. But if you prefer a firm yolk, feel free to make your scotch eggs with hard-boiled eggs.
How to Serve Scotch Eggs
Traditionally, scotch eggs are eaten as a cold picnic snack or served as a warm snack and appetizer at restaurants and pubs. You could certainly serve them as a cocktail party snack or as a starter or side at a dinner party. I recommend enjoying scotch eggs alongside something sweet and tangy like pickles, relish, or mustard to balance the richness of the scotch egg. Or let the scotch egg speak for itself and enjoy it on its own.
Prepare an ice bath by filling a medium bowl halfway with ice cubes and cold water; set aside.
Bring 3 quarts (2.8L) water to boil in a large pot. Carefully lower 4 eggs into pot and cook for six and a half minutes. Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice bath and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before peeling under cool running water; set eggs aside.
In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup (30g) panko breadcrumbs, parsley, chives, thyme, nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Add ground pork and, using a clean hand, gently mix, teasing apart ground meat with your fingers, just until mixture comes together and no unincorporated breadcrumbs and herbs remain. Avoid mixing any more than necessary.
Form pork mixture into 4 portions (about 3 1/2 ounces or 100g each); set aside on a large plate or 9- by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet.
Set 3 wide, shallow bowls on a work surface. Add 3/4 cup flour to (100g) the first bowl, 3 eggs to the second bowl; and 2 cups (100g) panko breadcrumbs to the third bowl. Using a fork, whisk eggs.
Cover your kitchen counter with a 9- by 13-inch piece of plastic wrap. Place 1 portion of the ground pork mixture on top of the plastic wrap and, using wet hands, flatten meat into a 5-mm thick, 5-inch wide patty.
In a large saucepan, heat 2 quarts of oil over high heat until the oil registers 338ºF (170ºC) on an instant-read thermometer.
Meanwhile: Dredge 1 boiled egg in flour, shaking off excess. Place egg in center of the sausage patty. Using the plastic wrap, lift sides of patty to wrap it around the egg until egg is completely encased in ground pork, using your fingers to gently shape the meat evenly around the egg and seal. Dredge wrapped egg in flour, shaking of excess. Transfer scotch egg to egg dish, and, using your right hand, turn to evenly coat. Lift and allow excess egg to drain, then transfer to bread crumb mixture. With your left hand, scoops breadcrumbs over scotch egg, then gently press, turning to ensure a good layer of crumbs on both sides. Return egg to large plate or 9- by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet and repeat with remaining eggs.
Working in batches, carefully use a slotted spoon to gently lower 2 eggs into the pan. Temperature will drop; adjust flame to maintain oil temperature as needed. Cook until golden brown, crisp, pork is fully cooked and no longer pink, and registers 160ºF (71ºC) on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and season with salt right away. Repeat with remaining eggs.
Using a serrated knife, halve eggs. (The yolk should be jammy and slightly more set than a soft-boiled egg.) Serve immediately.
Special Equipment
Large pot, spider skimmer or slotted spoon, large plate or 9- by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet, plastic wrap, instant-read thermometer
Notes
Scotch eggs can be served cold or at room temperature. The pork will be firmer when cold, making it easier to pick up and eat as a snack. However, the breadcrumbs will be softer.
The recipe can be doubled if desired.
If you don’t own a kitchen scale, do your best to divide the meat into equal portions.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Eggs can be boiled, peeled, and refrigerated in an airtight container 1 day in advance.
Scotch eggs can be prepared up to step 8 and refrigerated in a paper towel-lined airtight container for up to 2 days. When ready to fry, proceed with step 8.
If eaten cold or room temperature, scotch eggs can be fried up to 2 days beforehand and stored in a paper towel-lined sealed container in the fridge. Eat them straight out of the fridge, or leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.
To reheat fully cooked scotch eggs, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake eggs until warmed through or they have an internal temperature of 145ºF (63ºC), about 10 minutes.
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