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Scotch eggs

 

Method 1

Ingredients

12 large eggs

800g good-quality Cumberland or Lincolnshire sausages

skinned

5 tbsp curly parsley

finely chopped

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp English mustard

powder

2 tsp ground mace

12 rashers smoked streaky bacon

85g plain flour

140-200g/5-7oz dried breadcrumbs

about 1 litre/1¾ pints sunflower or vegetable oil

for frying

scraps of bread

for testing oil

step 1

Put 9 eggs into a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, set the timer for 5 mins. When 5 mins is up, quickly lift the eggs out with a slotted spoon and plunge into a big bowl of cold water.

step 2

Put the sausagemeat, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder and mace into a bowl with plenty of seasoning. Break in 1 of the remaining eggs and mix everything together.

step 3

Crack remaining 2 eggs into a bowl, beat with a fork, then sieve onto a plate. Tip the flour onto another plate and season well. Finally, tip the breadcrumbs onto a third plate.

step 4

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Drop in the bacon rashers, turn off the pan and fish out the bacon with a pair of tongs – it should be just cooked.

step 5

When the eggs are cool, tap lightly on a hard surface to crack the shell, then peel (Picture A). If you hold the eggs over the bowl of water as you peel, all the shell bits will collect in there and you can dip in the egg to wash off any fragments. Wrap a slice of bacon around the middle of each egg, overlapping, like a belt (Picture B).

step 6

Now finish coating the eggs. I set up the ingredients along my bench like a conveyer belt: eggs, then flour, mince, beaten egg and finally breadcrumbs, plus a baking parchment-lined tray at the end to put the finished scotch eggs on.

step 7

Roll your bacon-wrapped eggs in the flour, shaking off excess. Take a good chunk of mince and pat out to thinly cover one hand. Sit the egg on the meat (Picture C), then mould over the mince to cover, squeezing and patting so it is an even thickness. You’ll probably have a gap (depending on how big your hands are – just patch and pat with a bit more mince). Dip in the egg, shaking off the excess, then roll in the breadcrumbs to coat, and transfer to your tray. Repeat to cover all 9 eggs, then cover with cling film and chill for 4 hrs or overnight.

step 8

To cook, pour the oil in a large, deep saucepan to about 4cm deep. Heat until a small chunk of bread browns in about 1 min. Carefully lower in a scotch egg and fry for about 5 mins, turning gently, until evenly browned. Depending on your pan, you can probably do 2-3 at a time, but don’t overcrowd. Lift out onto a kitchen paper-lined tray. (If you like your scotch eggs warm, pop them into a low oven while you fry the rest.) keep an eye on the oil – if the scotch eggs start browning too quickly, the oil might be too hot and you risk the pork not being cooked before the scotch egg is browned. If the oil gets too cool, the scotch egg may overcook before it is browned. enjoy warm or cold; best eaten within 24 hrs of frying.

Method 2

🛒 Ingredients (Makes 4)

4 large eggs

450 g (1 lb) sausage meat (pork sausage, removed from casings)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp dried thyme or parsley (optional)

1 tsp Dijon or English mustard (optional, mixed into sausage)

½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten (for coating)

1 cup (100 g) breadcrumbs (panko or regular)

Oil for deep frying (vegetable or canola)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1️⃣ Boil the Eggs

Bring water to a boil.

Gently lower in 4 eggs.

Boil:

6–7 minutes for slightly soft centers

8–9 minutes for fully hard-boiled

Transfer to ice water, cool completely, then peel.

2️⃣ Prepare the Sausage Layer

Season sausage meat with salt, pepper, herbs, and mustard.

Divide into 4 equal portions.

Flatten each portion into a thin patty.

3️⃣ Wrap the Eggs

Roll peeled egg lightly in flour.

Place sausage patty in your palm and wrap around the egg.

Seal completely and smooth evenly.

4️⃣ Coat

Roll sausage-covered egg in flour.

Dip in beaten egg.

Roll in breadcrumbs until fully coated.

5️⃣ Cook

Deep Fry Method (traditional):

Heat oil to 170–175°C (340°F).

Fry 5–7 minutes until golden brown and sausage is cooked through.

Bake Option (lighter):

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).

Lightly spray with oil.

Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and cooked through.

🍽️ Serving Ideas

Serve warm or cold

With English mustard or spicy mayo

Alongside salad or pickles

🔥 Tips for Perfect Scotch Eggs

Chill wrapped eggs 15–20 minutes before frying (helps keep shape).

Use wet hands when handling sausage to prevent sticking.

For ultra-crispy coating, double-dip in egg and breadcrumbs.

If you'd like, I can also give you:

A cheese-stuffed version



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