Best scotch egg recipe | Jamie Oliver picnic recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do I stop my Scotch eggs splitting when cooking? ›

Here's what I've been doing: I roll the hard boiled egg in flour, and then apply about a golf ball size portion of the pork patty mixture taking extra care to make sure it's fully covering the egg. I then roll them in egg wash and cover with panko bread crumbs.

Cooked Scotch Eggs will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you are preparing Scotch Eggs in advance and want to store them until you're ready to cook, you can store Uncooked Scotch Eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze Scotch eggs for around three months.

They were supposedly named after William J. Scott & Sons, a well-known eatery which sold them. It has also been suggested that they were originally called "scorch" eggs, as they were cooked over an open flame, though according to surviving recipes they were deep-fried in lard.

We've made the popular scotch egg recipe much healthier than the classic version by baking them, instead of deep-frying in oil.

Place the egg in the middle and wrap the egg with the meat. Pinch the edges together and smooth the ball so that there are no gaps or bumps. (If the covering isn't even, the Scotch egg will split during cooking.)

A room-temperature scotch egg can be enjoyable, but a warm egg will express itself in an altogether more elevated way. It's like watching Barcelona play football.

The key pairing considerations for Scotch Eggs are balancing the rich sausage and creamy egg with wines that offer fruitiness, acidity, and complexity. Recommended wines include Rosé Champagne, Pinot Gris from Alsace, German Pinot Noir, and Poulsard from France.

When you're ready to eat the scotch eggs, you can reheat them in the oven at 180°C for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. Alternatively, you can microwave them for 1-2 minutes, although this method may result in a softer texture.

You may be surprised to discover that London department store Fortnum & Mason claim to have invented the Scotch Egg in 1738. There are several theories on the origin of this delicacy, but none of them point to Scotland. So although it is much enjoyed throughout Scotland, the Scotch Egg is not actually Scottish.

Scotch eggs do tend to rack up calories and fat content rather fast due to the pork sausage meat used to encase the egg. In this recipe, to keep the scotch eggs as healthy and low calorie as possible I will be using Heck chicken sausages instead for the sausage meat. They are just 38 calories each!

Do Americans eat Scotch eggs? ›

Scotch Egg

If you have not heard of this snack it is a cooked egg wrapped in minced sausage meat, covered in bread crumbs and then fried in oil. The result is a round ball that can be eaten as a snack, part of a light meal or part of a picnic. Once again, the Scotch egg is not something anyone in America understands.

Why do Scotch eggs split when frying? This is because there is a gap or crack in the sausage meat and the oil has gotten between the meat and the egg. Make sure they are well sealed before frying.

Let eggs come to room temperature before boiling by taking them out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before cooking. This helps reduce the temperature shock that can cause cracking. Adding a small amount of vinegar or salt to the water may help strengthen the egg whites and reduce the chances of cracking.

Pro Tips: Start with room-temperature eggs for the best results. Room temperature eggs are easier to separate, and they will be less likely to curdle when you combine the hot liquid with the yolks. Whisking the egg yolks together before adding the liquid ensures even cooking and smooth texture.

Why eggs tend to crack while they're boiling. Eggs are prone to cracking because the force from the boiling action causes them to clash into each other. This leads to the shell splitting open and the whites spilling out of it. What you'll end up with is a boiled egg that's safe to eat, but will have a mushy texture.