Bake

Scotch Egg Recipe

by:
November  8, 2013
4.7
3 Ratings
  • Prep time 45 minutes
  • Cook time 25 minutes
  • makes 4 Scotch eggs
Author Notes

Until very recently, Scotch eggs were like unicorns. Even though I hadn't met a Scotch egg, I knew I was in love. Like a colorful, prancing, song-singing unicorn, there is objectively nothing not to love about a Scotch egg recipe. Eggy, meaty, fried. Done. Get me one. Get me 7.

So starting smack in the center of the Harrods Food Hall last summer, I began my Scotch egg tour of the universe. It took me to a perfect little pub in the perfect little countryside town of Lewes, East Sussex, where my friend Sam explained that a freshly boiled egg must be placed in an ice bath prior to its Scotching. It took me to Boston where a wonderful restaurant, Myers + Chang, blew my mind with the idea of wrapping the egg in potsticker filling. It took me to my new home in rural North Dakota where I am suddenly forced to make most of my favorite foods from scratch.

So I pulled together the best parts about each of my favorite Scotch eggs and made one mega awesome Scotch egg that's officially the number one reason why I need to join a gym. It has an extra-runny yolk thanks to an ice bath (ohhh I love 'em runny), it uses the genius idea of potsticker filling as a wrapper, and it uses not just any potsticker filling, but a super-special filling that's used in my family's beloved potsticker recipe.

Warning: Scotch eggs are messy creatures to make! Give yourself a lot of space to make them and invite a few friends over to help (cause if they're good friends they'll help with the cleanup too).
—molly yeh —molly yeh

Test Kitchen Notes

The Scotch eggs in this recipe are quite hefty (which we love!) but 6 medium eggs and the same quantity of chicken will make smaller, more manageable ones. Reduce frying time slightly to prevent overcooked yolks. —The Editors

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Scotch Egg Recipe
Ingredients
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 2 teaspoons each: sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • a few good grinds of black pepper
  • 2 stalks green onion, minced
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • oil for frying (I use canola)
Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully place four eggs in and boil for five minutes (this is for a runny yolk, if you want it firmer, add a bit of time). While they're boiling, prepare a large ice bath. When five minutes is up, immediately place the eggs in the bath.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, black pepper, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, and the green onions.
  3. In three smaller bowls, set up your breading station. In the first bowl, combine flour, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper to taste. In the second, whip up the remaining 2 eggs with a splash of water. In the third bowl, combine the panko, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of ginger, and black pepper.
  4. Working with wet hands, divide chicken into four equal parts. Place them on separate squares of parchment paper and flatten out into circles, about 1/2 inch thick. Peel the eggs, coat them in a little flour, and then wrap each in chicken. It helps if you fold up the parchment paper to help the chicken onto the egg.
  5. Once the egg is fully encased in the meat, coat it in flour, and then egg, and then panko. Place back on the parchment and hold in the fridge until the rest of the eggs are ready to go.
  6. Fill a large pot with about 3-4 inches of oil and heat it to 350°F. Fry the Scotch eggs for 5-6 minutes, until they're golden-brown and cooked through. Enjoy!

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molly yeh recently moved from brooklyn to a farm outside of grand forks, north dakota, where her husband is a fifth generation farmer. she writes the blog my name is yeh.

10 Reviews

Deedledum June 16, 2017
Has anyone got any ideas on reheating? I don't want to be frying each day till they're gone...
nancy E. June 18, 2017
They are made to be eaten room temperature. Bring on picnics etc
@SamuelMoore March 28, 2014
Any advice for baking these instead of frying?
molly Y. March 28, 2014
Hi Samuel,
I've never tried baking them but I just did a little search and found these which bake for 35 minutes at 400. (http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/baked-scotch-eggs/f0e01f73-fb39-478b-9a2c-f242359d24af) I like the idea of baking them at a high temperature to get a crispier crust, but I would be nervous about the yolks staying runny enough. Definitely worth a try, I'd say!
@SamuelMoore March 28, 2014
Yes, I want that runny runny yolk, but the health conscious better half wants to bake them, trying to find that happy medium. Thank you!
molly Y. March 28, 2014
this could be crazy, but i wonder if freezing a peeled soft boiled egg and then coating it in the meat and baking it could help...
@SamuelMoore March 28, 2014
That could be crazy... crazy genius! I'll try it with one or two and report back. Have a great weekend.
@SamuelMoore April 1, 2014
Alright, it's better to not even attempt to bake. You just can't get that golden brown and deliciousness without frying... It's probably easier to explain that frying isn't as unhealthy as inserthealhtymagazine says. Great recipe, the fried ones came out perfect, runny yolk and all.
KakiSue November 17, 2013
molly you hit all the right notes here--this will be next weeks brunch. ditto on your love of runny eggs
dymnyno November 15, 2013
I stopped making Scotch eggs years ago because they were so heavy and fattening . These sound delicious! I especially like using pot sticker filling ...so much more flavor.