Traditional Scotch Eggs Recipes

PROPER SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Put 8 eggs into a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of cold water. Once cooled, carefully peel them.
• Squeeze the sausages out of their skins and into a bowl.
• Pick and finely chop the herb leaves, add to the sausage meat along with a good grating of nutmeg, the mustard and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Give it all a good mix together then divide into 8 balls.
• Have 3 plates ready - one with a small handful of flour, one with the two remaining eggs (beat them together first), and a third with the breadcrumbs.
• Start by flouring your hands, then in the palm of one hand, flatten one of the sausage balls into an oval-shaped pattie.
• Roll a peeled egg in flour, then pop it in the middle of the patty Gently shape the meat evenly around the egg, moulding it with your hands until sealed.
• Roll the meat-wrapped egg in the flour, shake off any excess, then dip into the beaten egg, followed by the breadcrumbs. Roll in the egg and breadcrumbs again for a really good coating.
• Heat the oil in a deep pan or deep fat fryer to about 150ºC/300ºF. If you have a cooking thermometer it's a good idea to use it. Otherwise, test if the oil is hot enough by adding a piece of raw potato and leaving it for about 1 minute - if it sizzles and browns, it's ready.
• Carefully lower the eggs into the pan and cook for 4 minutes, or until golden, turning them every so often. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper (if you're worried about the meat being under-cooked, deep-fry the scotch eggs until they're golden and crispy, then pop them in a hot oven for a couple of minutes.)
• Cool the Scotch eggs slightly, then arrange on board with a good piece of Scottish Cheddar, some pickle and a few pickled onions. Heaven.

SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Divide the sausage into six portions; flatten and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shape each portion around a peeled hard-boiled egg. Roll in beaten egg, then in cornflake crumbs. Place on a rack in a baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, turning every 10 minutes.

SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place eggs in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs sit in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool and peel.
• Flatten the sausage and make a patty to surround each egg. Very lightly flour the sausage and coat with beaten egg. Roll in bread crumbs to cover evenly.
• Deep fry until golden brown, or pan fry while making sure each side is well cooked. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
• Cut in half and serve over a bed of lettuce and sliced tomatoes for garnish. If mustard is desired it looks beautiful over this.

CHEF JOHN'S SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fill a saucepan with 1/2-inch water; bring to a boil. Carefully place cold eggs into saucepan, cover the saucepan with a lid, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook until eggs yolks are soft, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and pour cold water over eggs to halt the cooking process. Cool eggs to room temperature in cold water; peel and dry eggs on paper towels.
• Mix sausage, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Shape into 6 equal-size balls.
• Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a flat work surface. Place 1 ball of sausage mixture into the center of the plastic wrap, fold the plastic wrap over sausage, and flatten into an 1/8-inch thick oval shape. Pull plastic wrap back and place 1 egg in the center of the sausage. Pick up plastic wrap, moisten fingertips, and press sausage around egg to cover completely, sealing sausage around egg. Repeat with remaining eggs and sausage.
• Place bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Pour flour into another shallow bowl. Beat remaining 2 eggs in another shallow bowl.
• Gently press eggs into flour to coat; shake off excess flour. Dip eggs into the beaten egg, then press into bread crumbs. Gently toss between your hands so any bread crumbs that haven't stuck can fall away. Place the breaded eggs onto a plate.
• Working in batches, cook eggs in the preheated oil until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, at least 5 minutes.

OLD-FASHIONED SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Place eggs in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let eggs sit in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water and cool; peel.
• In a large deep skillet heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil until hot.
• Place whole boiled eggs on top of sausage patty. Roll to form ball around the egg. Dip in beaten egg wash, then seasoned breadcrumbs. Deep fry in hot vegetable oil until meat is fully cooked. Drain and serve hot.

BAKED SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack over the foil.
• Cut and form pork sausage into 2-ounce patties. Place a hard-boiled egg in the center of each patty and press sausage around the egg.
• Beat raw egg in a small bowl. Place bread crumbs in another bowl. Dip each patty into the egg; roll in the bread crumbs to coat. Place coated patties on the wire rack.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Serve hot.

SCOTCH EGGS WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the mustard sauce: Crack 1 egg into a small saucepan. With the heat on low, stir in mayonnaise, mustard and sugar. When it just starts to boil, it's done. Remove and let sit until cool, then chill for at least 10 minutes.
• Place 6 whole eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and cook eggs for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel.
• Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Put the sausage into a bowl with the finely parsley, lemon rind, nutmeg, marjoram, salt and pepper. Work all the ingredients well into the sausage with your hands. Make a coating for each hand boiled egg out of the sausage, working it round the eggs with wet hands to form an even layer. Roll the covered eggs in beaten egg, and then in dried breadcrumbs.
• Carefully slide in 3 eggs and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until they turn deep golden brown. Turn them as they cook so that they brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towel, and repeat with the remaining 3 eggs. Serve eggs with mustard sauce.

BAKED SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, mix pork sausage, onion and salt. Shape mixture into 4 equal patties.
• Roll each hard-cooked egg in flour to coat; place on sausage patty and shape sausage around egg. Dip each into beaten egg; coat with bread crumbs to cover completely. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 35 minutes or until sausage is thoroughly cooked and no longer pink near egg.

DELIA SMITH'S TRADITIONAL SCOTCH EGGS WITH FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• Hard-boil the eggs by covering them in cold water, bringing it to the boil, simmering gently for 9 minutes and cooling them under cold running water.
• Next, mix the sausage meat with the spring onions and herbs and season well. Then shell the cooled eggs and coat each one with some seasoned flour.
• Divide the sausage meat into four portions and pat each piece out on a floured surface to a shape of roughly 5 x 3 inches (13 x 7.5 cm). Now place an egg in the center of each piece and carefully gather up the sausage meat to cover the egg completely. Seal the joins well, and smooth and pat into shape all over.
• Next, coat them one by one, first in beaten egg and then thoroughly and evenly in the breadcrumbs.
• Now heat 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) of oil in a deep frying pan up to a temperature of 350-375 degrees F (180-190 degrees C). (If you don't have a thermometer, you can easily test the temperature by frying a small cube of bread- if it turns golden brown within a minute, the oil is hot enough). Put the eggs into the oil and fry for 6-8 minutes, turning frequently until they have turned a nice brown color. Drain on crumpled silicone paper (parchment), or paper towels.
• Serve warm or cold. May be served whole, or halved. Good with mustard or chutney, for dipping.