Scotch eggs are a classic British dish that is very popular at pubs and picnics. They’re usually made with hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat, then crumbed and deep-fried. This recipe however, has a little more “wow factor”! We have included a runny yolk which sounds simple enough but can be a little tricky to get right. But don’t worry, we have included everything you need to know to impress your family and friends!

Crispy Scotch Eggs with Runny Yolk

There are a few hurdles to look out for when making scotch eggs with runny yolk:

• Soft boiling the eggs to just the right level of doneness.
• Peeling the eggs without them falling apart.
• Making sure the scotch eggs are the same size so you get consistent results when frying.
• Making sure the scotch eggs are the right size so the sausage meat and egg whites cook through, while leaving the eggs runny.

Phew! Sounds daunting but we will hold your hand every step of the way. Hopefully, the next time you cut through a scotch egg , you will have a beautiful golden yolk oozing from the center!

Good luck!

The Eggs

Choosing Your Eggs

We use the eggs that come in the 12-egg carton marked 700 grams (extra-large eggs). If you have a mix of older and fresher eggs, use the older ones for boiling as they will be easier to peel (further explained under “Peeling very soft boiled eggs” below).

Boiling Eggs For Scotch Eggs With Runny Yolk

The secret to runny yolks is very precise timing when boiling and frying.

Here’s how to do it;

1. Place the eggs in cold water, then bring the water to a boil.
2. Watch the eggs so that as soon as the water comes to the boil you can start your timer for 3.5 minutes. 30 seconds either way will make a difference.
3. Towards the end of the boiling time prepare an ice bath. The later you prepare the ice bath the better because this will ensure the water is cold as possible.
4. As soon as the eggs are done put them in the ice bath to prevent further cooking.

Peeling Very Soft Boiled Eggs

The most annoying thing that can happen when peeling eggs is to have half the egg white come off with the shell, and this is even more challenging when the eggs are soft boiled. The trick is to separate the thin white membrane from the egg white, then use the membrane to lift the shell. To do this:

• Use older eggs – older eggs are more likely to have air pockets already forming under the membrane.
• Crack the shell before putting them in the ice bath – seeping slightly cracked eggs in water will force water under the membrane.
• Peel under a fast running tap – this will further force water under the membrane, making it easier to lift off. The faster the flow of water the easier it is to peel.

What If I Want Hard-Boiled Eggs?

Boil the eggs for 8 minutes instead of 3.5 minutes, then follow the rest of the recipe as is.

Constructing the Scotch Eggs with Runny Yolk

Evenness

Evenness is key if you are trying to get a perfect runny yolk. If you have some scotch eggs that are larger than others then you’ll end up with either raw meat, uncooked eggs whites or yolks that are over-done.

To ensure evenness:

• Use kitchen scales – once you’ve combined your sausage mixture with the herbs, weigh it out, then divide by the number of scotch eggs you’re making. This recipe uses 500 gm of sausage meat plus herbs for five eggs, which equates to about 105 gm sausage mixture per egg.
• Use a rolling pin when shaping – roll the meat into balls, then use your hands to flatten into a circle and place on a chopping board or other flat surface. Once you’ve done this for all five portions place some cling wrap over the top and use a rolling pin to roll to the required size.

Getting the Right Size

Roll the meat out so it’s just large enough to wrap around the egg – about 10 cm in diameter. You can also hold an egg over the mixture to eyeball if the meat is the right size.

Too large or too small then you will end up with meat that overlaps or is too thinly stretched out in places. This will make it harder to get consistent results when frying later, and it won’t look as nice once the scotch eggs are cut open.

Keeping Things Clean

As with anything that requires crumbing and a lot of manual handling, this recipe will be messy. To keep things as clean as possible:

• Use cling wrap between the sausage mixture and your work surface/rolling pin to reduce the amount of mess.
• Work with cold wet hands, and sprinkle water on your cling wrap. Water will prevent the sausage mixture from sticking.
• Use a small, deep bowl for the breadcrumbs, and make a well in the centre. Once you’ve dunked the eggs in the egg wash things start to get very messy, so you want to minimise the amount of handling when you get to the breadcrumb phase. If you use a deep bowl and make a well, the egg will get a decent coating when you first place it in, so it’s just a matter of throwing breadcrumbs over the remaining patches.

The Crumb

Panko vs Normal Breadcrumbs

We’ve tried both panko and normal breadcrumbs, and panko is definitely better. Nothing wrong with normal breadcrumbs, they just don’t crisp up as much.

Single vs Double Crumbing for Scotch Eggs With Runny Yolk

Double crumbing definitely produces a crisper, crunchier outer coating. However, we found double crumbing made the eggs significantly bigger, and we just could not get the meat to cook through when they were so large. The double crumbing also created a white/yellow ring around the eggs which we did not look appetising. In the end we went with single crumbing. Our recipe uses a relatively long deep-frying time which still achieves a crispy outer coating.

Deep Frying Scotch Eggs With Runny Yolk

To deep fry, fill a large deep frying pan with vegetable oil. You want to add enough oil to come about halfway up the scotch eggs.

You’ll know the oil is hot enough when:

• the oil surface starts to shimmer;
• a wooden chopstick when inserted releases little bubbles; and
• as you drop the scotch egg in it starts to sizzle straight away.

Fry for 8.5 minutes, using a timer. Again, 30 seconds either way will make a difference. Turn the eggs regularly, fry in batches if needed, then leave to drain on a cooling rack allowing plenty of air to circulate around each egg.

Getting a Clean Cut

To ensure the scotch eggs cut cleanly:

• Cut the herbs very finely, especially the spring onion. Larger pieces of herbs can catch on the knife as you cut, then drag off bits of sausage meat resulting in an uneven surface.
• Use a see-saw motion with the knife to make the first small, initial cut, then press down in one motion.
• Wipe the knife clean after each cut.

Serving Scotch Eggs

These scotch eggs can be turned into a meal by pairing with salad and a sauce, for example:

• Sour cream and horseradish (included in recipe below)
• Tomato sauce
• Aioli / mayonnaise
• Sweet chilli sauce

They can also be served as part of a selection of other foods, e.g. other canapes, cheese, crackers, pickles, cured meats etc.

Storing Scotch Eggs

Scotch eggs with runny yolk are best consumed immediately as the yolk will set quickly.

The hard boiled version will store quite well. Once they are completely cool place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to three days. They can be eaten cold from the fridge.

Other Excellent Resources for Scotch Eggs with Runny Yolk

My two main sources for developing this recipe were:

• Renowned English cook Delia Smith, and her classic recipe for scotch eggs. Her recipe uses hard boiled eggs.
• the food blog Nerds with Knives, and their blog post Scotch Eggs with A Perfect Runny Yolk.

Other Recipes You May Like

• Steak and Guinness Pot Pies in the Pressure Cooker
• Bacon and Egg Breakfast Pastries
• Super Soft Cheese and Bacon Milk Bread Rolls
• Cream of Mushroom Soup with Sausage and Pearl Barley
• Tender Beef Stroganoff in Pressure Cooker

If you guys do make this recipe, please tag us at #scruffandsteph on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. We would love to see your creations!

Happy Cooking!

Scruff & Steph