Easy Traditional Scotch Eggs Recipe – Better Than Shop Bought
What Is A Scotch Egg?
Few foods are quite as British as the Scotch egg. Whether tucked into a picnic basket, packed into a lunchbox or served as part of a summer buffet, they have been a favourite for generations.
With a perfectly cooked egg surrounded by seasoned sausage meat and coated in crisp golden breadcrumbs, a homemade Scotch egg is far superior to anything bought from a supermarket shelf.
Although they are often associated with traditional British picnics and pub lunches, Scotch eggs are surprisingly easy to make at home. Once you have mastered the basic method, they can be adapted in all sorts of ways with different herbs, spices and flavourings to suit your own taste.
A Brief History of the Scotch Egg
Despite the name, Scotch eggs are generally accepted to be an English invention rather than a Scottish one.
Many food historians trace their origins to eighteenth-century London, where they were sold by the famous department store Fortnum & Mason as a convenient travelling meal. The combination of egg and seasoned meat was not entirely new, but the Scotch egg as we know it today became a practical and portable food that could be enjoyed cold. Long before refrigeration and packaged snacks, it provided a filling meal for travellers and workers alike.
Over the years, Scotch eggs became firmly established as part of British food culture and remain a popular choice for picnics, parties and summer gatherings.
Why Make Scotch Eggs at Home?
Making Scotch eggs may look complicated, but the process is surprisingly straightforward. Once the eggs have been boiled and cooled, they are simply wrapped in sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs and cooked until golden.
The biggest advantage of making them yourself is that you can control both the quality of the ingredients and the seasoning. Good quality sausage meat makes a noticeable difference, and homemade Scotch eggs can be tailored to suit your own tastes.
You can also make the yolk as firm or as runny as you please. Many people love a runny yolk but I’m definitely in the firmer yolk camp as less change of spillage when out on a picnic!
Many people are surprised by just how satisfying they are to make, and once you’ve tried them, they quickly become a recipe worth returning to.
Variations and Flavour Ideas
Traditional Scotch eggs are made with plain seasoned sausage meat, but there are plenty of ways to introduce different flavours.
You could add:
- Fresh parsley, sage, chives or thyme
- Black pudding for a richer flavour – use 50/50 with sausage meat
- A pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika
- Finely chopped spring onions
For a lighter summer version, fresh herbs work particularly well, while black pudding creates a more substantial Scotch egg that is perfect for a picnic or cold supper.
When to Serve Scotch Eggs
One of the reasons Scotch eggs have remained so popular is their versatility.
They can be enjoyed:
Still warm and freshly cooked
Cold as part of a picnic
Packed into lunchboxes
Served on a buffet table
Alongside salad for a light meal
As part of a summer gathering or garden party
Because they travel well and can be prepared in advance, they are particularly useful during the warmer months when simple make-ahead food is often appreciated.
A homemade Scotch egg may be simple, but it remains one of Britain’s most enduring and practical recipes. Crisp on the outside, savoury in the middle and centred around a perfectly cooked egg, it is easy to see why it has remained a favourite for more than two centuries.
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How To Make Traditional Scotch Eggs
There are only a few ingredients needed to make really good Scotch Eggs.
Naturally, eggs take the centre stage so good, free range, large eggs are a must.
Encasing the eggs is good quality sausage meat. You can choose your favourite sausages here, maybe a Pork & Apple sausage or a hearty Cumberland or stick with a Classic sausage and add your own flavours if desired.
The crispy golden coating is made by rolling the sausage encased eggs in breadcrumbs. These can be fresh, made from your own Crusty Homemade Bread, or dried breadcrumbs from the supermarket. Both give excellent results.
If you would like to use your own breadcrumbs, use a food processor or blender to whizz chunks of bread into breadcrumbs then place them on a baking tray a dry them in a low oven around 120°c – 130°c / 250°F – 265°F to remove the moisture for about 15 – 20 minutes. Watch them carefully and stir them every 5 minutes as the outsides will dry and colour quicker than the middle. They should be pale golden, no darker as that will affect the flavour.
With a classic sausage we always add extra seasoning. A good grind of black pepper and a pinch of sea salt really add to the flavour
equipment
There are only a few basic items needed to make Scotch Eggs. Naturally you will need a mixing bowl to prepare the sausage meat and add any seasonings and extra flavours.
a saucepan for boiling the eggs and some small dishes or trays for coating the sausage covered eggs.
Also, a deep fat fryer for the really tasty crisp and crunchy golden crumb although they can be baked but the result is different.
To bake the scotch eggs and make sure the crumb coating is beautifully golden coloured and crisp, first heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat. Add one of the Scotch Eggs and fry all over until golden. Place on a baking tray and fry the other Scotch Eggs in the same way. Place the eggs in a pre-heated oven at 180°c fan / 200°c / 400°F / Gas 6 for 10 – 15 minutes to finish cooking. They are cooked when the internal temperature reaches 74°c / 165°F. Use a probe thermometer to check the temperature of the sausage meat not the egg.
The Recipe
Easy Traditional Scotch Eggs
Ingredients
- 4 large Free Range Eggs
- 6 Sausages
- 1 large Egg
- 2 tbsp Plain Flour – seasoned with salt & pepper
- 100 grams Dried Breadcrumbs
- Vegetable Oil – for deep frying
Instructions
- Place the 4 large eggs into a saucepan, just cover with cold water then bring to the boil and cook them for 8 minutes. If you prefer a softer yolk you can cook them for less time, 6 minutes should give you a runny yolk, 7 minutes slightly firmer.
- As soon as the cooking time is up, plunge the cooked eggs into cold water to stop them from cooking any further. If the eggs are overcooked you will get that unsightly dark ring around the yolk.
- Place the seasoned flour in a shallow dish
- Whisk the remaining egg in another shallow dish
- Pour the dried breadcrumbs into another shallow dish
- When the eggs are cold, shell them, rinse and dry on kitchen paper to remove any flakes of shell then roll in the seasoned flour.
- Take your chosen sausages and split the skins with a sharp knife or scissors. Drop the sausage meat into a mixing bowl and add some freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of fine sea salt, Mix thoroughly with a fork then divide the mixture into 4 equal pieces.
- On a floured board, press each sausage meat portion into a flat patty.
- Place a floured egg into the middle of each patty and bring up the sides to enclose the egg.
- Squash the sausage meat around the egg to enclose it completey
- When each patty is formed around the eggs, use your hands to make a nice, even, round ball then place them in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm slightly. This will make the coating stage a little easier.
- Take the chilled sausage coated eggs and roll them first in the seasoned flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs.
- Place the Scotch Eggs on a plate and put them in the fridge for 15 minutes. Switch on your deep fat fryer and heat the oil to 170°c / 350°F
- Once the oil reaches temperature, place 2 of the Scotch Eggs into the basket and gently lower them in to the hot oil.
- Gently fry them for 5 – 7 minutes or until a deep golden colour all over and the internal temperature of the sausage meat reaches 74°c / 165°F
- Place the Scotch Eggs onto crumpled kitchen paper to drain then add the remaining eggs to the oil to fry in the same way.
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