Recipes

Scotch Eggs

Enjoy the hearty, fried pub staple from the comfort of home.

  • Serves

    serves 6

MAXIME IATTONI

By Lucy-Ruth Hathaway


Updated on January 5, 2022

A hard-boiled egg encased in sausage and bread crumbs, and then deep-fried, is a fixture of modern pub menus, but London department store Fortnum & Mason claims to have invented the hearty snack in 1738. This recipe comes from London-based food stylist Lucy-Ruth Hathaway. We recommend frying a bite of sausage to test for saltiness before assembly. This scotch egg recipe was featured in our 150 classic recipes in our 150th issue.

Ingredients

  • 7 large eggs, divided
  • 1 lb. mild pork sausage, casings removed
  • 1 tbsp. English mustard, such as Colman’s
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp. cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp. ground mace
  • 2 sage leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 thyme sprigs, stemmed and finely chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • ¼ cups whole milk
  • ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups panko bread crumbs

Instructions

Step 1

In a large Dutch oven, place 6 of the eggs and cover by 1 inch with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water, and cool for 5 minutes. Pour out the ice water. Peel the eggs under cold running water, place the peeled eggs back in the bowl, and set aside.

Step 2

Use a paper towel to pat the eggs dry. In a medium bowl, use your hands to combine the sausage meat, mustard, Worcestershire, cornstarch, mace, sage, thyme, and salt and black pepper to taste. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions. With wet hands, form each portion around each cooked egg, coating it completely in an even layer. Place the eggs on a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the coating.

Step 3

Line a large plate with paper towels. Rinse and thoroughly dry the Dutch oven, then turn the heat to medium-high, and add the oil to a depth of 2 inches, and attach a deep-fry thermometer. While the oil preheats, in a small bowl, beat the remaining egg with the milk. Place the flour and bread crumbs in two separate small bowls. When the thermometer reads 350°F, working in batches, dredge each meat-covered egg in flour, then coat with the egg mixture and then the bread crumbs. Fry, flipping occasionally, until golden and the meat is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Transfer to the plate to cool for 10 minutes, then serve.

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