Scotch eggs look impressive, but in an air fryer they are easier to make than you might think. A hard-boiled egg is wrapped in minced pork seasoned with sage and nutmeg, coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs, and cooked until the crust is golden and crisp. Despite the name, the dish is an English classic that the British eat at the pub, on their lunch break and on picnics.
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Traditionally they are deep-fried, but in the air fryer all you need is a little oil and hot air. The pork mixture cooks through and the breadcrumbs turn crisp, without the kitchen smelling of a deep fryer. And no, these are not sausage rolls, where the meat is baked into puff pastry. Here the pork mixture forms a coat directly around the egg.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents
Why I love Scotch eggs in the air fryer
I like food that can be made ahead and still tastes good the next day, and Scotch eggs are exactly that kind of snack. They are filling, can be eaten with your hands and are just as good warm as cold. Sage and nutmeg are typical seasonings in British sausage meat and give a mild, herby flavour that goes well with the egg. And when you cut them in half lengthways, you get that beautiful cross-section with the yellow yolk.
The difference between deep-frying and the air fryer
In a deep fryer the breadcrumbs soak up oil, and the crust can turn dark before the pork mixture is cooked through in the middle. In the air fryer it is the circulating hot air that does the work, and a thin brushing of rapeseed oil is enough to give the breadcrumbs colour and crispness. The result is lighter than the deep-fried version, but the crust is still crunchy.
Testing Scotch eggs in my kitchen
I cooked the Scotch eggs in my Cosori Dual Blaze at 190 °C. It has one basket with heating elements both above and below, so the breadcrumbs take on colour on both sides, but I still turn the eggs with tongs after 8 minutes to get an even crust. After 15 minutes I inserted a meat thermometer at an angle into the pork layer and not down into the egg, and the pork had reached the 70 °C it needs as a minimum. If it is a little short of that, give the eggs 2-3 minutes more.
Allow 80 minutes in total, of which 35 minutes is preparation and 30 minutes is chilling in the fridge. In a large basket like the Philips XXL there is room for all four eggs at once, but if you have a smaller air fryer, cook them in two batches so they do not touch each other.
Give the breaded eggs half an hour in the fridge before cooking them. When the pork mixture is cold and firm, it stays put around the egg instead of cracking in the hot air.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is an uneven layer of pork mixture, where the thin side cracks while the thick side does not get cooked through. So press the pork mixture out into an even, round disc on cling film, and use the film to fold it up around the egg. The second mistake is putting the pork mixture directly onto the peeled egg, where the smooth surface makes the pork mixture slide. Roll the eggs in a little flour first, and seal the seams with damp fingers. The third mistake is skipping the oil, because dry breadcrumbs stay pale in the air fryer. Brush the eggs with rapeseed oil on all sides before they go into the basket.
How to serve Scotch eggs
Mustard is the classic accompaniment, but here are several ways to serve Scotch eggs:
- English mustard or wholegrain mustard for dipping
- Piccalilli or pickled gherkins, which add acidity and bite
- A green salad with a fresh vinaigrette when they are served for lunch
- Cold, halved eggs in a packed lunch or in the picnic basket
Storing and reheating
Scotch eggs keep for 3-4 days in the fridge when covered. Eat them cold, or reheat them in the air fryer at 170 °C for 8-10 minutes, until they are heated through. They can be frozen for up to 3 months and should be thawed in the fridge overnight before you reheat them, but the white of the hard-boiled eggs becomes slightly rubbery after freezing.
Scotch eggs take a little patience with the pork mixture and the fridge, but the reward is a British classic with a crisp crust and juicy pork, without any deep fryer at all. Feel free to make a double batch, so there is some left for the packed lunch too.
FAQ
Nobody knows for certain where the name comes from. A department store in London claims to have invented them in the 1700s as food for travellers, and today they are regarded as an English classic.
Yes. Boil the eggs for 6-7 minutes and put them straight into ice-cold water, and you get a creamy centre. They are a little harder to peel and wrap, so work carefully.
Insert a meat thermometer at an angle into the pork layer, so you are not measuring in the egg. The pork should reach at least 70 °C. If it is a little short, give the eggs another 2-3 minutes at 190 °C.
Recipe
Scotch eggs in the Air Fryer
Cooking Guide
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Airfryer size
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Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Pot
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 3 Small bowls
- 1 Plastic wrap
- 1 Brush
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Meat thermometer
Shopping list
Ingredients
- 4 pcs eggs (Medium-sized)
- 500 g minced pork (8-12% fat)
- 1 tbsp fresh sage (Finely chopped)
- 0.5 tsp nutmeg (Grated)
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (Freshly ground)
Coating
- 50 g plain flour
- 1 pcs egg
- 75 g breadcrumbs (Preferably panko)
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil (For brushing)
To serve
- 4 tbsp mustard (E.g. English or wholegrain mustard)
How to make it
Preparation
- Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Carefully lower 4 pcs eggs into the water and boil them for 9 minutes, until hard-boiled.
- Drain the water and fill the saucepan with cold water. Let the eggs cool completely, and peel them carefully.
- Put 500 g minced pork in a mixing bowl together with 1 tbsp fresh sage, 0.5 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Mix the pork mixture well and divide it into 4 equal portions.
- Set out three small bowls. Put 50 g plain flour in the first, crack 1 pcs egg into the second and beat it lightly, and put 75 g breadcrumbs in the third.
- Roll the peeled eggs in a little of the flour, so the pork mixture sticks better.
- Place a portion of the pork mixture on a piece of cling film and press it out into an even, round disc about 13 cm in diameter. Place an egg in the middle and use the cling film to fold the pork mixture up around the egg. Seal the seams with damp fingers, so the egg is covered by an even layer of pork mixture without any cracks. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
- Roll the wrapped eggs in the rest of the flour, dip them in the beaten egg, and finally roll them in the breadcrumbs until they are completely coated.
- Put the breaded eggs in the fridge for 30 minutes, so the pork mixture firms up and holds its shape in the air fryer.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 190 °C fan.
- Brush the Scotch eggs all over with 1 tbsp rapeseed oil and place them in the basket with plenty of space between them.
- Cook the eggs at 190 °C for 15 minutes. Carefully turn them with tongs after 8 minutes, so they turn golden and crisp all the way round.
- Insert a meat thermometer at an angle into the layer of pork mixture, so you do not measure the egg. The pork mixture should reach a core temperature of at least 70 °C. Give them 2-3 more minutes at 190 °C if they are not quite done.
Serving
- Let the Scotch eggs rest for 3-5 minutes and cut them in half lengthways. Serve them warm or cold with 4 tbsp mustard.
Our notes for the recipe
Wet your hands with cold water when working with the pork mixture, so it does not stick to your fingers. Make the layer of pork mixture an even thickness all the way round, so the meat cooks evenly and does not crack. Do not skip the chilling time – cold, firm eggs hold their shape much better in the hot air. Extra crispy crust:
Give the eggs an extra round of beaten egg and breadcrumbs, and brush them with a little more oil before they go into the air fryer. Use an extra egg and a little more breadcrumbs for this. Variation:
If you would like a softer yolk, boil the eggs for 6-7 minutes and put them straight into ice-cold water. They are slightly harder to peel and wrap, but give a creamy centre. You can also season the pork mixture with thyme, chives or a pinch of cayenne pepper. Serving:
Scotch eggs are traditionally served with mustard. They are great served warm as a snack, or cold in a packed lunch or on a picnic, e.g. with piccalilli, pickled gherkins or a green salad. Freezing:
The finished Scotch eggs can be frozen, but the white of the hard-boiled egg becomes slightly rubbery after thawing. Portion size:
The recipe makes 4 Scotch eggs, one per serving. If you have a small air fryer, cook them in two batches so they do not touch each other.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
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