A gastropub staple and a popular picnic food in the UK, Scotch eggs are like those geodes that fascinated us in middle school. On the outside, their crispy brown crusts look unassuming. But cut one in half and you’ll reveal a pork sausage layer swaddling a cooked egg with sunny yolk.
There’s little certainty about the origins of Scotch eggs—except that the name has little to do with Scotland. Some argue the dish descended from Indian nargisi kofta. Cookbook author Nik Sharma writes that “soldiers brought [it] back to the UK during India’s colonization.” Meanwhile, London department store Fortnum & Mason claims: “We created the Scotch Egg in 1738 as a meal for travellers heading west from Piccadilly.”
Scotch egg recipes are certainly riffable—by spicing up the sausage mixture, playing around with dipping sauces, or cooking them in an air fryer—but this recipe keeps things fairly classic. We opt for 6-minute eggs, not hard-boiled eggs, to avoid a dry, rubbery yolk.
While Scotch eggs can be served cold or room temperature, we like them fresh from the fryer. Just be sure to let them cool slightly first. Meanwhile, an accompaniment of Dijon mustard (or any mustard you like) helps cut through the richness.
What you’ll need
Dutch Oven
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Deep-Fry Thermometer
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Small Saucepan
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Slotted Spoon
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Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
Makes 4 eggs
Ingredients
6
1
1
1
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, then add 4 large eggs and boil for exactly 6 minutes. Immediately transfer eggs into the ice water bath and let cool for at least 1 minute, up to 5. Gently crack shells and carefully peel under cold running water. Place eggs back into bowl of ice water; cover and chill until cold.
Do Ahead: Eggs can be boiled and peeled up to 1 day in advance. Keep chilled.
Step 2
Place 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour in a wide shallow bowl and 1 cup (50 g) panko breadcrumbs in another wide shallow bowl. Divide 1 lb. (about 1¼ cups) fresh breakfast sausage, casings removed (if necessary) into 4 equal portions. (You can eyeball it.) Pat 1 portion of sausage into a thin patty roughly ⅛" thick on top of a sheet of plastic wrap. Lay 1 soft-boiled egg on top of sausage and wrap sausage around egg using the plastic wrap to help enrobe it, sealing the sausage to completely enclose. Repeat with remaining sausage and eggs.
Step 3
Whisk remaining 2 large eggs in a medium bowl to blend. Working gently with 1 sausage-wrapped egg at a time, dip eggs into flour, shaking off excess, then coat in beaten egg. Roll in panko to coat. Repeat with remaining eggs.
Do Ahead: Breaded eggs be assembled 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated, uncovered.
Step 4
Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of a large heavy pot. Pour in vegetable oil to a depth of 2" and heat over medium heat to 375°. Fry eggs, turning occasionally and maintaining oil temperature of 350° by adjusting the heat as needed, until sausage is cooked through and breading is golden brown and crisp, 7–9 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer eggs to paper towels to drain. Season lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm with mustard (if using).
Editor’s note: This recipe for Scotch eggs was first printed in our January 2012 issue and has been updated to make the boiling method more consistent, change the coating from cornflakes, and for ease of assembly. Head this way for more of our favorite recipes with sausage →