Scotch Egg
Quick answer
- Total time
- 40 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Scotch egg is a British dish in which a six-minute soft-boiled egg is wrapped in mustard-seasoned sausage meat, coated in flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs, then deep-fried or baked until crisp.
Read more
Chilling the boiled egg in ice water immediately stops carryover cooking and preserves the runny yolk. Wrapping the meat in an even layer around each egg ensures it cooks uniformly during frying or baking. The breadcrumb crust crisps up in the heat and acts as a seal, keeping the sausage layer's juices locked inside. Cutting one open reveals three distinct layers - a crunchy golden shell, a savory ring of seasoned pork, and a soft yolk that runs when broken - each contributing a different texture and flavor. Scotch eggs can be served warm or cold, making them versatile for brunch, picnics, or snacking.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Carefully lower 4 eggs into boiling water and cook for 6 minutes.
Transfer them straight to ice water to stop carryover cooking, let them cool fully, then peel without pressing the soft centers.
- 2Season
Mix 400 g sausage meat with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper until evenly seasoned.
Divide it into 4 portions and flatten each portion into a thin, even sheet.
- 3Control
Pat the peeled eggs dry before wrapping so the meat adheres.
Cover each egg with sausage meat, press the seams closed, and smooth the shape so no side is much thicker than the others.
- 4Heat
Chill the wrapped eggs for 10 minutes so they hold their shape during frying.
Beat the remaining 2 eggs, then set out 1/2 cup flour and 1 cup breadcrumbs in separate shallow dishes.
- 5Step
Coat each wrapped egg in flour, then beaten egg, then breadcrumbs.
Press the breadcrumbs on lightly with your hands, and patch any exposed meat or cracks so the crust seals the sausage layer.
- 6Heat
Heat the oil to 170C and fry for 7-8 minutes.
Turn the eggs as they cook so the crust browns evenly, and lower the heat if the outside darkens before the sausage feels firm.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Scotch egg surrounds a soft-boiled center with seasoned sausage and a crisp breadcrumb coating.
- Finish cue
- Transfer them straight to ice water to stop carryover cooking, let them cool fully, then peel without pressing the soft centers.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
40min, 7 ingredients
Category median
40min, 8 ingredients
Based on 168 recipes
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