Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside: Scotch Eggs are an iconic dish of British tradition, often served in pubs, at picnics, or during Sunday lunches.
Despite the name, they do not have Scottish origins: they are thought to have originated in the 18th century in London, inspired by Persian and Indian preparations.
The idea is simple: a boiled egg, wrapped in meat (sausage and pork) and then breaded and fried (or baked).
The eggs should be hard enough to be peeled, but still runny in the center.
My version is cooked in an air fryer and features a gluten-free coating (see video).
On the blog, you can also find the Brazilian and Indian versions:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 7 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Air frying
- Cuisine: English
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 9 eggs
- 7 oz ground pork
- 7 oz sausage
- to taste nutmeg
- to taste Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- to taste salt and pepper
- to taste rice flour
- to taste gluten-free breadcrumbs
Tools
- 1 Air Fryer
Preparation
Boil 7 eggs to make them hard (9 minutes) and then cool with cold water.
Prepare the mixture by mixing the meat with the sausage, adjusting for salt and pepper, adding nutmeg and Worcestershire sauce (optional).
Form meatballs and place the hard-boiled egg in the center.
Let rest in plastic wrap for 30 minutes.
Roll the meatballs first in flour, then in the remaining beaten eggs (2), and finally in breadcrumbs.
Finally, cook in an air fryer at 356°F for 15 minutes.
For the traditional fried version: fry in abundant oil.For the baked version, place the meatballs on an oiled baking tray and cook at 392°F for 20 minutes.
These are the ones tasted at The ship tavern in London during a trip in September 2023.
Did you know…
The Ovo à escocesa (or Scotch eggs) is also known in Brazil as bolovo?
The name “bolovo” became famous in Brazil after the program Hermes e Renato made a Christmas special, featuring a sketch about the “dangers of Bolovo”.
The dough is usually made with wheat flour, butter, and chicken broth; ground meat is not always used.
The egg in the filling can also vary: it can be cooked whole, chopped, or even in a smaller version, with quail eggs.
The egg in the filling can also vary: it can be cooked whole, chopped, or even in a smaller version, with quail eggs.
Some say that the meat is incorporated only into the dough.
Others believe the hard-boiled egg’s interior must be removed, mixed with the meat, and this mixture introduced back into the egg, then breaded and fried in the form of bolovo.
Others believe the hard-boiled egg’s interior must be removed, mixed with the meat, and this mixture introduced back into the egg, then breaded and fried in the form of bolovo.
Others believe the hard-boiled egg’s interior must be removed, mixed with the meat, and this mixture introduced back into the egg, then breaded and fried in the form of bolovo.
Scotch eggs are one of the specialties of the typical “English picnic” like the cornish pasty. To fully enjoy a snack on the grass, equip yourself with:
Picnic blanket with waterproof backing, 200 x 200 cm
Picnic blanket with waterproof backing, 200 x 200 cm
For air fryer Cosori with 15% discount at this link.
For air fryer Cosori with 15% discount at this link.
The eggs must be hard, but what are the correct times for hard-boiled eggs?
To achieve perfect hard-boiled eggs (with a fully cooked yolk, but not greenish), follow these steps:
Classic method:
1. Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover them with cold water.
2. Bring the water to a medium boil.
3. As soon as it starts to boil, slightly lower the flame and cook for exactly 9 minutes.
4. Immediately transfer the eggs to ice water to stop the cooking and make peeling easier.
Result:
• 9 minutes → completely cooked yellow yolk, but still creamy, not dry.
• 10–11 minutes → more compact yolk, perfect for Scotch Eggs.
For Scotch Eggs, many traditional recipes use hard-boiled eggs but not too dry, so 9–10 minutes are ideal.
