Scotch egg
Photo: Natus · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

The Scotch egg is traditionally attributed to Fortnum and Mason on Piccadilly, who claim the form from around 1738 as a portable picnic snack for the wealthy. The modern London pub-snack revival started with Scott Hallsworth at The Eagle and was made canon by Tom Norrington-Davies at The Cow in Notting Hill, then perfected at The Harwood Arms in Fulham, which won a Michelin star partly on the strength of its venison Scotch egg. The orthodox London bar version has a soft-yolk egg, coarse pork sausage, panko crust, English mustard on the side.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 35 minTotal 1 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 5 medium free-range eggs (4 for wrapping, 1 for coating)
  • 400g good-quality pork sausage meat (or skinned Cumberland sausages)
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp chopped thyme
  • 1 tsp chopped parsley
  • Pinch of mace
  • Salt, pepper
  • 60g plain flour
  • 100g panko breadcrumbs
  • 1.5L sunflower oil for deep frying

Method

  1. Lower 4 eggs into boiling water. Cook exactly 6 minutes. Plunge into ice water. Peel carefully.
  2. Mix sausage meat with mustard, thyme, parsley, mace, salt and pepper.
  3. Divide into 4 portions. Flatten each between cling film into a disc.
  4. Place a peeled egg on each disc. Wrap sausage meat around the egg, sealing all joins.
  5. Set up dredge: flour, beaten 5th egg, panko in three bowls.
  6. Roll each Scotch egg in flour, then egg wash, then panko. Press the crumb firmly.
  7. Heat oil to 170C. Lower in 2 eggs at a time, fry 7 minutes turning, until deep gold and the meat is cooked through (internal 74C).
  8. Drain on rack. Rest 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with English mustard.

Tip from the editors. Six minutes gives a barely-set yolk that runs when you cut. If you want it set fully, go to 8 minutes; for jammy yolk, hold the 6.

Where to eat scotch egg

Scotch egg in London

Fortnum and Mason ★ 4.0

£ BakeryHampers, scones, Scotch eggs and biscuitsMayfairWalk-in only

The 1707 grocery and bakery on Piccadilly in Mayfair London, founded by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason, claims the original Scotch egg (1738).

Worth the queueOriginal Scotch egg

TipThe basement food hall queue is shorter than the main bakery counter. The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon books two weeks ahead.

Directions Book

Quality Chop House ★ 4.3

£££ Modern BritishClerkenwell

The 1869 Farringdon Road working-class dining room in Clerkenwell London, restored under Will Lander since 2012, runs daily-changing British cooking.

OrderThe famed confit potato, then mince and potatoes off the daily menu, with a bottle from the shop next door.

TipThe wine shop next door is corkage-free if you buy a bottle there. Lunch takes walk-ins at the counter Tue-Sat.

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The Jugged Hare ★ 4.1

£££ British GastropubClerkenwell

The Jugged Hare on Chiswell Street in the City of London, opened 2012 by ETM Group, runs a game-led gastropub menu with hung-game cabinets in the dining room.

OrderWhole roast partridge or grouse in season, or the family-style Sunday roast in winter.

TipLunch and pre-theatre runs walk-in friendly. Sunday roast books a fortnight ahead through their site.

Directions Book

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