The first really, truly mind-blowing Scotch egg that I ever had was at The Breslin. The breading was shatteringly crisp, the sausage was moist and savory, and the yolk . . . oh the yolk! Just liquid enough, it oozed and spread over the plate like runny gold. I may have moaned. I most certainly peppered the server with questions: “But HOW???? How do they get the egg so PERFECT????? How do they possibly PEEL it so that the egg stays so intact????? The whites must be barely set! DO THEY HAVE THE DELICATE FINGERS OF ANGELS BACK THERE????” In response, I only got a coy smile.
“Sous vide!” my friend Jason hissed, “It must be sous vide!”
Possible, but doubtful. It was hard to imagine anyone going through the trouble of sous-videing the quantity of eggs that a restaurant would require every night. As we pondered and chewed, and pondered another round of Scotch eggs because anything good should always be ordered twice, I thought that this would be my deep-frying project. I will make this at home, I thought, and all the Scotch eggs will be mine!
As I must be the world’s worst egg peeler, I let the eggs boil until the yolks were firmer — about 5 minutes. Next time, I’ll let them be a little runnier as I found out that a layer of sausage hides a multitude of fingernail gouges and fingertip-sized divots. The most important thing is that the oil remains hot — between 350-375° F — and the layer of sausage must remain reasonably thin.
All in all, it’s a pretty decadent affair for such a simple preparation. Deep-frying is messy business, but the final result is unbelievably satisfying.
Ingredients:
6 eggs + 2 eggs, beaten
1 pound of breakfast sausage
2 cups of panko bread crumbs
Vegetable oil (for frying)
To prepare:
1. Place 6 eggs in the bottom of a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them. Over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. When the water begins to boil, cover the pan, remove it from the burner, and let it stand for 3.5-5 minutes, depending on how set you like to have your yolks (3.5 minutes for runny yolks, 4 minutes for just set yolks, 5 for perfectly set yolks) .
2. While the eggs are cooking, prepare an ice water bath. Carefully drain the water and gently roll the eggs around in the pan to crack the shells. Plunge the eggs into the ice water bath and let them sit there until they are cool enough to handle and peel. Once peeled, very gently pat them dry with paper towels.
3. Divide the sausage into six equal portions. Flatten and shape each portion into a thin disc about 1/4 of an inch thick. Lay the patty in the palm of your hand and gently rest a soft-boiled egg in the center of it. Wrap and mold the sausage around the egg, pinching and sealing the seams shut as you go. Make sure that the sausage layer is no thicker than 1/4 of an inch, otherwise the sausage will not cook through before the outside of the Scotch egg begins to burn. Repeat with the remaining sausage and eggs.
4. In a large, heavy pot, pour in enough oil so that you have a depth of about 2-2.5 inches. Insert the deep-fry thermometer and bring the oil up to 375°. While the oil is heating up, whisk the remaining 2 eggs in a shallow bowl. Keep the panko crumbs another shallow bowl.
5. Right before the oil reaches the right temperature, work quickly and dip each sausage ball in the beaten egg and roll it in the panko crumbs. While keeping an eye on the temperature, carefully place each Scotch egg in the hot oil. You will need to work in batches and the temperature should never drop below 350° F.
6. Turn the Scotch eggs occasionally so that they cook evenly. When they are golden and crisp — about 5-6 minutes — use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil. Let them drain on a paper towel lined plate. Serve immediately.
coolcookstyle 
Mmmmm…these look so yummy. Nice job! Also, thank you for introducing them to me at The Breslin.
Kev also thanks you for that 🙂
Thank you, my dear! It’s always a pleasure to introduce my friends to new fried foods and halls of gluttony 🙂
Speaking of gluttony, are you still for being my mac and cheese honey* for the Takedown on March 23?
* I was going to say something else but thought to at least try to maintain a veneer of family-friendliness 😉
You’ve reignited my scotch egg fever! I found a paleo version that uses crushed pork rinds for breading. Yeah, baby! Pork on pork! The only problem is, I have to make the pork rinds myself and I haven’t been able to face the bags of pig skin in the freezer. Maybe this’ll do it…
OMG! PORK ON PORK!
Still beating heart be still! That sounds ridiculous decadent. Kind of a pain to have to make the pork rinds yourself, but the payoff! Do you have to make the sausage yourself too? You must tell me how they are!
Sounds delicious!
I love eggs but I’m on a diet right now (lost 3 kg and 4 cm in my waist in 2 weeks) so I won’t be trying them really soon but I’ll be sure to give it a try once I’m happy with my weight loss results.
Thank you, darling Lucas! Congratulations on the diet! 3 kg and 4 cm is a tremendous achievement! Yes, maybe once you reach a point where you feel ready you can indulge in a little fried food 🙂
That’s the plan!
I’ve never done so well dieting. It’s the first time in my life when things actually changed as I eat differently. I can really see that I’m loosing fat. And I stopped eating sweets and I don’t have crave for them, it never happened to me earlier.
So I’m going to stick to this diet for a couple of months (I’d like to loose around 10 kg) and maybe then I will think of making one less strict day per week.
I am very impressed by your fortitude. I actually have never been on a diet because I doubt that I would have the self-control.Thankfully, I don’t really have much of a sweet tooth and I’ve never been a big snacker (my friends call my apartment the place where chocolate goes to die; it can just sit there for months without me looking at it!). I guess that helps, otherwise, I would probably be dieting with you!
Mmmmm…eggs with runny yolks…these look delicious. Much more appetizing than the granola and yogurt I’m having for breakfast. You can make them for me next time I’m in town. I decided yesterday that I need to drop some weight so I won’t be frying anything in the near future.
I like the new blog look too.
I was thinking about making fridge oatmeal — you know, the one where you buy rolled oats and let them soak in the fridge overnight? I just need to figure out something healthier for breakfast in the morning besides coffee and email.
But I will DEFINITELY make these for you the next time that you are in town! You can leave the deep-fat frying to me 🙂
And thanks for the kind worlds about the new look! It was really time.
Great minds think alike. I’ve been looking for easy, somewhat healthy breakfast ideas that are fast too. I have the same stuff all the time. I’m trying to find a recipe for a tasty oatmeal bar that I could eat in the car on the way to work on those days when I can’t seem to get out of my own way.
Me too! Something I can throw in the fridge before I go to bed and eat bleary-eyed in the morning!
Bob’s Red Mill Muesli + greek yogurt overnight!
Yes, yes! THIS IS IT!!! Do you add anything other than muesli? Dried fruit? Maple syrup?
It’s good as is but if I feel like having dried fruit…I would add it when ready to eat – raisins or cranberry AND sliced almonds. Yummm. This does stick to the roof of your mouth, though…but it is good for you 🙂
That sounds terrific. I am putting all of those things on my grocery list now!
I’ve never seen Scotch Eggs that weren’t completey hard-boiled before. Very novel … I’ve been thinking of doing a Sctotch Egg post for a littlw while now but I also have a little ‘twist’ in mind 🙂
Oh, John! Scotch eggs with still runny yolks are DIVINE! You must try them. And I can’t wait to see and read about your twist!
Love scotch eggs with English mustard. Yum! Great recipe.
Thank you so much! You just reminded me that I had completely forgotten the mustard. I got a little, um, sidetracked 🙂 Thank you again for the kind comment!
You’re welcome! 😊
🙂
Looks Yummy.. thank you for the recipe.. 😀
It was super yummy! Dangerously too yummy 😀 Thank you for the kind comment and for stopping by!
Hello Daisy, the Scotch Eggs look divine and I prefer the harder yolk. I can’t eat runny yolks (bad memories of my mom running after me to eat eggs because it is good for me and I absolutely refused to eat it unless it was doused in ketchup and I mean a 1:2 ratio with ketchup winning).
Ha…”sous vide” — I think every Iron Chef episode featured at least one supporting ingredient that was sous vide.
Thank you, Hajusuuri!
I can understand how bad food memories from childhood can affect adult tastes. I actually don’t really like white rice because my family would never let me leave the dinner table until I had finished my gigantic bowl of it. I always thought it was tasteless (or worse, tasted like paste) and to this day, just about 1/4 cup of it is enough for me.
I think sous-videing must be a gender-oriented activity. Like bong building 😉
You did a terrific job with your scotch eggs, I love them. Perhaps the chef might soft boil the eggs, peel and then freeze them so that the yolk is very cold and would stay runny when cooked.
Thank you, Karen! You know, I never thought about the freezing possibility . . . I wonder if the gold would defrost enough? I remember the yolks not being really hot . . .
But it’s another great thing to ponder! It also makes me wonder if they peeled them frozen. Is it possible to peel a frozen egg?
It seems like we will both have to do some experimenting now that you have tempted me with your scotch eggs. 🙂
Yes! I think some experimenting is in order: Scotch eggs for you and beef stroganoff for me 🙂 (Terrific post btw! Now can’t get it out of my head. Must cook now!)
Somehow I manage to read your posts right about the time I feel hungry (already) and seeing the pictures and your description of how perfect the food was definitely doesn’t help! 🙂
I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten eggs prepared this way. I need to pay more attention to menus at restaurants.
Food blogs can be very dangerous like that 🙂 I don’t see Scoth eggs that much in restaurants; it’s kind of a British pub or gastropub-kind of thing. It’s a shame though because they are addictive! If you see one and order it, please let me know what you think!
Yes, please. I want the runny ones. Well, sort of runny. Love the new look, too!
I love runny eggs! But you’re right, there is a fine line between runny and raw! I also love the new look too. It was time for a change!
I am doing this right now! Am I so hungry and this looks delicious
That sounds like delicious fun! I can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
I’m really excited about it because of this post. It ‘s really amazing and eye-catching.