Scottish Eggs with Fresh Herbs
Submitted by justin's angel
Scotch eggs with fresh herbs: hard-boiled eggs wrapped in herby sausage meat, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried to a crackly golden shell. A British pub classic for picnics.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minScotch eggs are British pub food royalty, eaten warm with mustard, cold from a picnic basket, or split down the middle with a pint. This herb-forward version packs the sausage coating with chopped spring onions, fresh thyme, chives, and parsley, which lifts the richness and stops the bite from going one-note meaty.
The fry is everything. Oil at 350 to 375°F (175 to 190°C) delivers a breadcrumb shell that shatters when you cut in, revealing a ring of seasoned sausage around a still-tender hard-boiled egg. Any lower and the crust turns soggy. Any higher and the outside scorches before the sausage cooks through.
Dipping tradition calls for English mustard or HP sauce, but a wedge of lemon and a smear of homemade mayo works just as well.
Pro Tips
- 9 minutes in gently simmering water is the magic number, any longer and the yolks turn gray and chalky.
- Shock the eggs immediately in cold water. Hot eggs cook themselves further while sitting and are nearly impossible to peel cleanly.
- Dredge the peeled eggs in flour before wrapping with sausage. The flour coat grips the meat and keeps it from sliding off during frying.
- Seal the sausage seams carefully. Gaps let the egg pop out during frying and ruin the look.
- Let the finished eggs cool before cutting, hot yolks ooze and the cross-section is less dramatic.
Variations
- Swap plain pork sausage for spicy Italian or merguez for a different flavor profile.
- Use quail eggs instead of chicken for bite-sized “wee Scotch eggs” perfect for parties.
- Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 30 minutes instead of frying for a lighter version, the crust won’t be as crisp but still delicious.
- Serve with homemade piccalilli or a curried mayo for a proper pub presentation.
Ingredients
Directions
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 of the seasoned flour.
Divide the sausage meat into four portions and pat each piece out on a floured surface to a shape roughly 5×3 inches.
Now place an egg in the center of each piece and carefully gather up the sausage meat to cover the egg completely.
Seal one by one, first in beaten egg and then throughly and evenly in the breadcrumbs.
Now heat 1½ inches of oil in a deep frying pan up to a temperature of 350 to 375 degrees F.
Put the eggs into the oil and fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently until they have turned a nice broun colour.
Drain on crumpled greaseproof paper.
When they’re absolutely cold, wrap in cling wrap and store.
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