Scotch eggs are a popular pub favourite, but they can also be easily made at home. Traditionally, they are made by wrapping sausage meat around an egg before coating it in breadcrumbs and cooking until golden. While many people deep fry them, air fryers have become a popular alternative because they use less oil and can still create a crispy coating.
While many people focus on the frying aspect or getting the egg perfectly cooked, getting the sausage layer full of flavour is also one of the most important parts of making a good scotch egg. The meat needs to stay moist while also complementing the egg in the middle. Some cooks rely on herbs and spices alone, but one food blogger says a simple extra ingredient can make a big difference.
The Secret Ingredient
The tip comes from Tiffany, who runs the Simply Happenings food blog and shared her recipe for Air Fryer Scotch Eggs. She said the recipe creates scotch eggs with "a crispy coating on the outside and a deliciously cooked egg on the inside." According to Tiffany, adding Worcestershire sauce to the pork mixture helps give the meat extra flavour before it is wrapped around the egg.
Preparation Tips
The recipe starts by partially cooking the eggs in the air fryer before carefully removing the shells. This helps keep the yolk softer than if hard-boiled eggs were used from the beginning. The cooked eggs are then wrapped in seasoned pork before being coated in flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs. Tiffany also recommends using eggs that are at least one or two weeks old because they are usually easier to peel.
Once breaded, the scotch eggs are returned to the air fryer, where they cook until the coating turns crisp and golden. The blogger explained that air frying uses less oil than traditional deep frying while still producing a crunchy finish. She also shared several tips for success, including making sure the eggs are dry before wrapping them in pork and chilling the wrapped eggs if the meat feels too soft. If the breadcrumbs begin to look dry during cooking, a light spray of oil can help them crisp up.
Recipe for Air Fryer Scotch Eggs
Ingredients
For the eggs and meat:
- 4 large eggs
- 1lb ground pork or pork sausage
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the coating:
- 1/4 cup plain flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs
Method
- Take four eggs out of the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature.
- Place them in the air fryer and cook at 150C for 12 minutes.
- Transfer the eggs to ice-cold water for five minutes, then carefully remove the shells.
- Mix the pork with the Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and divide into four equal portions.
- Flatten each portion into a thin patty and wrap it completely around one of the cooked eggs.
- In a shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Beat the remaining two eggs in a separate bowl.
- Mix the breadcrumbs with the cooking oil and heat briefly until lightly golden.
- Coat each pork-wrapped egg in the seasoned flour, then the beaten egg, and finally the breadcrumbs.
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil and place the scotch eggs inside.
- Cook at 200C for 12 to 14 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
- If needed, lightly spray with more oil to help the coating crisp up.
- Serve warm, sliced in half.
Scotch eggs are often served hot, but they can also be enjoyed cold.
