- STEP 1
Bring a pan of salted water to a rapid boil, then lower four of the eggs into the pan and simmer for 7 mins 30 secs exactly. Scoop out and place in a bowl of iced water, cracking the shells a little (this makes them easier to peel later). Leave them to cool completely, then peel and set aside. Can be boiled the day before.
- STEP 2
Put the sausagemeat, pepper, ham, stuffing and herbs in a small bowl, mix to combine, then divide into four equal balls. Squash one of the balls between a piece of cling film until it’s as flat as possible. One at a time, lightly flour each cooked egg, then use the cling film to help roll the sausagemeat around the egg to completely encase. Repeat with the remaining sausageballs and eggs.
See AlsoHomemade Scotch Eggs - STEP 3
Beat the remaining egg and put on a plate. Put the flour and breadcrumbs on two separate plates. Roll the encased eggs in the flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Can be prepared up to a day in advance.
- STEP 4
To cook the eggs, heat 5cm of the oil in a wide saucepan or wok until it reaches 160C on a cooking thermometer or until a few breadcrumbs turn golden after 10 secs in the oil. Depending on the size of your pan, lower as many eggs as you can into the oil, and cook for 8-10 mins until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper, leave to cool a little, then serve halved with some piccalilli.
FAQs
Should scotch eggs be eaten hot or cold? ›
Scotch eggs can be enjoyed hot or cold. When served hot, the egg yolk is usually still slightly soft and runny, while a fully-cooked yolk is more common when served cold.
Should Scotch egg be hard or soft boiled? ›If you want a softer yolk, you can use a medium-boiled egg or a soft-boiled egg. Be sure to taste the flour and breadcrumbs after seasoning them to ensure they are delicious before breading your Scotch egg.
How to stop scotch eggs splitting when cooking? ›Place the egg in the middle and wrap the egg with the meat. Pinch the edges together and smooth the ball so that there are no gaps or bumps. (If the covering isn't even, the Scotch egg will split during cooking.)
Should you microwave a Scotch egg? ›The egg is intact, trapping moisture in the yolk. For that reason, reheating the egg in the microwave can generate a lot of steam. All that steam energy can build up, creating a risk of the Scotch egg exploding inside the microwave. While ruining the egg is bad enough, nobody wants that mess to have to clean up.
What is traditionally served with Scotch eggs? ›Traditional Scotch Eggs are hard-boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat, breaded and fried. Served with a delicious mustard dipping sauce, this is quintessential British fare served in pubs.
How healthy are Scotch eggs? ›a whopping 50% more protein than your standard hen's fare, plus double the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Adding iron-rich black pudding to your sausage casing pumps up the body-bulking calories, while coating it with pine nut-spiked breadcrumbs gives you a bump of cholesterol-crushing fats and fibre.
Should you keep Scotch eggs in the fridge? ›Cooked Scotch Eggs will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you are preparing Scotch Eggs in advance and want to store them until you're ready to cook, you can store Uncooked Scotch Eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze Scotch eggs for around three months.
Why is my Scotch egg runny? ›Place the eggs in a pan with cold water and bring to the boil then boil for a further 4 minutes. Remove the eggs from the pan and plunge immediately in ice water – this stops the eggs from continuing to cook and is the essential part of the recipe to get runny yolks in the scotch eggs!
Why can't you freeze Scotch eggs? ›We wouldn't recommend freezing these, as the texture of the egg will likely be affected.
Can you eat unrefrigerated Scotch eggs? ›Next to sandwiches, Scotch eggs are the ideal picnic food. Serving it at room temperature or cold is just fine. You can eat it whole, halved, quartered or slice or even as a filling in your sandwiches and get the best of both worlds.
Why do they call a scotch egg a scotch egg? ›
Their name in those days was 'Scotties,' allegedly because they were made at an eatery by the name of William J Scott & Sons close to the seafront. Hence, over a period of time, the term Scotch eggs was adopted.
How long to heat Scotch eggs in the oven? ›Roll the eggs in dried breadcrumbs to coat the surface. Chill for at least 10 minutes. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 5/190°C/fan oven 170°C/325°F. Put the eggs on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
Are hard-boiled eggs meant to be eaten hot or cold? ›Hard boiled eggs are small, easily transportable, and last a week in the fridge. If you're down to eat your egg cold or at room temperature, you're totally in the clear and safe from any egg danger. Reheating hard boiled eggs in a microwave, though, is an entirely separate issue.
Is it better to beat eggs hot or cold? ›Egg temperature: It's easiest to separate eggs cleanly when they are refrigerator-cold. However egg whites whip up to a greater volume when they've had a chance to warm up a bit, 20 to 30 minutes.