Scotch Eggs Recipe
A quintessential British snack or appetizer, hard-boiled eggs are encased in savory sausage, rolled in seasoned breadcrumbs, and fried to crispy perfection.
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1 1/2 pounds ground sausage , see blog post "What Kind of Sausage Should I Use?" for links to three homemade sausage recipes
- 1 1/2 tablespoons English mustard
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives , can substitute parsley or a combination of the two
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs , whisked
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Boil the eggs to your desired level of doneness (hard, medium, or soft) then immediately place them in ice water to cool down. Shell the cooked eggs under running lukewarm water. Set them aside until ready to use.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground sausage with the chopped chives/parsley, mustard, and spices, using your fingers to thoroughly combine the mixture.Divide the sausage mixture into equal portions (you can weigh them for accuracy). I find the easiest way to wrap the eggs without the sausage sticking to your fingers is to lay down a piece of plastic wrap and give it a light spray with oil. Press the sausage mixture out the plastic wrap to a diameter of roughly 5-6 inches. Place the egg in the center of the sausage. Gather up the sides of the plastic wrap and bring them together so that the sausage closes around the egg. Lightly press the sausage to fully enclose the egg. Remove the sausage covered egg.Place the flour, whisked eggs, and breadcrumbs in separate bowls, seasoning each of them with a little salt and pepper. Dredge the sausage covered egg in the flour, fully covering all sides, followed by the beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Transfer the Scotch egg to a plate and repeat this process for the remaining eggs. Refrigerate the eggs while you’re heating the oil.
- Heat the oil in a small but deep saucepan or use a dedicated deep fryer. Aim for a temperature between 350-360 F.Carefully lower a Scotch egg down into the oil, waiting a few seconds before releasing it from the spoon. If the oil doesn't fully cover the Scotch eggs, use the spoon to gently turn them over to enable them to fry evenly on all sides. Fry until they're nicely browned on all sides. (The internal temperature of the sausage should be 145 F.) Use a slotted spoon to remove it and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep the plate in a warm oven while you repeat the process for the remaining Scotch eggs.Scotch eggs are served either hot or cold depending on your preference. See blog post for serving recommendations.
Notes
Baked Scotch Eggs: Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C. Give the prepared Scotch eggs a light spraying of oil (this will help make the breading crispy as they bake). Lay them out on a lined baking sheet with some space in between them and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through, turning them over halfway through.
Air Fryer Scotch Eggs: Preheat the air fryer to 390 F / 200 C. Spray the air fryer basket with some oil. Cooking in batches, place the Scotch eggs single layer in the basket, allowing a little room between them. Cook them for 12 minutes, turning them over at the halfway point.
Nutrition
Serving: 1scotch eggCalories: 462kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 24gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 286mgSodium: 965mgPotassium: 343mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 440IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 3mg
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