Scotch Ostrich Egg

Reaction to last month’s mammoth pork pie post was almost universally favourable, but the most intriguing response came from reader JB, who suggested that I construct a scotch egg, using an ostrich egg rather than the more usual chicken’s egg. So I did.

For those who don’t know, the scotch egg was indeed invented in Scotland, where hard-boiled eggs are often wrapped in a layer of sausage meet (possibly to protect them from the cold weather), then dipped in breadcrumbs before being deep fried. While this may sound unappetising, any seasoned scotch egg fanatic will gladly attest that this strange hybrid is one of nature’s most delicious picnic staples.

First, the egg. I managed to procure one from Gamston Wood Ostriches, a Nottinghamshire-based ostrich breeding center. The ostrich hen can lay as few as ten eggs per year, so they’re quite expensive (mine cost £10), but in terms of bangs-per-buck they’re pretty impressive, as you can see from the image below.

Big egg little egg

Boiling an ostrich egg is not quite as simple as it sounds. For a start, you need a saucepan with a vast capacity. Even using my biggest pan, the top fifth of the egg is exposed during the cooking process, so I keep a close eye on things, rotating the egg frequently and topping up the water as it evaporates.

boiling the egg

After 90 minutes, I remove the egg from the heat, cooling it down in a sink full of cold water. Once the egg is cool enough to handle comfortably, I begin to remove the shell, exposing the translucent white interior beneath.

ostrich eggshell

With the egg now ready for its coat of pork, I add some seasoned flour to a kilo of sausage meat, knead it for a bit, then flatten it to a thickness of about half an inch, and carefully wrap it around the now-naked ovum.

sausage meat

Brushing the exterior with a beaten chicken egg to provide an adhesive surface, I coat the moistened, gleaming meat-globe with breadcrumbs. Rather amazingly, it does actually look like a scotch egg.

ready for cooking

I decide to roast my creation rather than deep-fry it, mainly because I lack the correct facilities, so into the oven it goes – 45 minutes at 180°C/350°F (gas mark 4) – before being removed and chilled overnight.

cooked

Apart from a couple of fissures in the surface, where gravity has pulled away at the coating’s molecular structure, I’m very happy with the result. Cutting the egg in half to reveal its enticing two-tone innards, I carve myself a slice, settle down in front of John Craven’s Countryfile on BBC1, and take a bite.

Pope Eggs Benedict

Perhaps surprisingly, it tastes like a normal scotch egg. Maybe this should not come as such a shock, but it does. The white is slightly creamier that that of a chicken egg, and a solo mouthful of this can be a little disconcerting, but a bite that takes in all the various elements is quite delicious.

All in all, it’s been a great success. Although costing in excess of £15 to make, I can see a day where these creations are vacuum-packed and sold by the half-dozen, with food-lovers the World over delighted by their novelty and expense. Just remember where you read about it first.

189 thoughts on “Scotch Ostrich Egg

  1. Wowzers! Good work Frase (you freak!) but I must admit your pork pie looked a bit more appetising.

    I see a new theme developing – updating classic traditional British recipies with a new ‘quirky’ twist.

    How about a homemade black pudding using only the blood of a young virgin?

  2. Crikey. Just two questions. Why 90 mins boiling? Is this standard ostrich egg cooking time?

    Second, Toad in the hole. If you’re thinking of continuing this series of classic Brit dishes, please consider the toad. I’m having trouble getting my toad up. Both Delia and Gary Rhodes have been unable to raise my toad satisfactorily, maybe blogjam could give me a hand?

  3. Interesting and excellent. But the fissures are not from gravity. They are from the meat contracting as it cooks. This can be solved in various ways. Cook less as the egg is already done.
    Use a thicker layer of meat that has been well mixed to intelock particles.
    Use salt at 1-1.5 % in the sausage as this will not effect taste much, but when well mixed and let sit overnight in the fridge and mixed again before coating, the myosin salt soluble protein in the meat will be extracted and form a paste or glue that will set up upon cooking and prevent fissures. Polyphosphates at 0.5 % will also help tremendously.

  4. I too thought toad with toad, but I don’t want you to croak. Woof woof.

    You could theme it in some way. Maybe go ‘Total Toad’

    Sausages from Wales, blackpudding from Scotland, batter from England and nip of Jamesons or sommit from Northern Ireland. Now that would be a Brit dish fit for the Queen herself.

    Maybe you could squeeze an ingredient or two in from any odds and sods of colony leftover. Kangaroo meat? It’s a thought.

  5. Soup-herb!

    We’ve had two savoury. How about going sweet for the next one? Giant apple pie? Cerry Monstro-Bakewell? Big spotted dick?

  6. Obviously too big to fit in a display fridge but I can see “Ginsters whopper scotch egg slice” becoming a real favourite for on the road munchers.Don’t let them rip you off Frase.They’re bastard like that.
    Perhaps Pettachi has had a few in his musette hence his rather slow riding..

  7. I love bangers and mash.

    How about a clanger banger the size of Pedigree ‘dog roll’ with a Mount Cook of creamy potato? With delicious streams of silky gravy cascading into a tasty meandering river below…

    Mmmmmm

    However, do take heed of the avalanche warnings, afterall a “dogs dinner” is not the result we’re after…

    ba-boom tish!

  8. I couldn’t eat a whole one.
    By the way did you really think it appropriate to photograph a CD of Jewish music next to an enormous fucking pork pie?

  9. Wow, you make bigger savories than the small bakers in Kilcagie, who make big snacks, pastries n cakes. A Kilcagie sausage roll is approx. 24cm by 11cm dia.
    Mass production of your products is viable!
    sorry to the lanark folks if I’v spelt kilcagie wrong

  10. With your fantastic `Son of Pork Pie` and now with this `Scotch Ortritch Egg` it`s classic picnic food.

    Now this is something I would just love to see a whole picnic oversized giant sandwiches made with specially baked outsized bread, giant fruit cake.

    I`m sure left up to you you could come up with a whole picnic spread which would be fantastic if you could picture this attended by oversized people.

    A real giants picnic with real giants, now that just every kids dream come true!!

  11. I put it to you sir that you are a liar and a fraud! Rather than creating an oversized Scoth Egg, you have instead created a very small kitchen and kitted it out with tiny plates, one of those trial-sized cokes and and an inordinately small cow-themed single-cheese-sandwich-maker. Which incidentally needs a damn good wash. The comparison between the two eggs is merely a trick of visual perspective, the chicken egg much further away from the camera than the ‘Ostrich’ egg. Smoke and mirrors, sir! For shame!

  12. Looks like the best scotch egg ever and I haven’t even tried it yet. Love the idea of “supersizing” classic british cuisine? So what can you do with perhaps the most classic of british dishes: Fish & chips. Maybe use a small whale? Have at it mate!!

  13. My god, this is better than childbirth.
    You chould have put yours (or another’s) head in the photo for bona fide comparison. Nonetheless, this is truly stirling work. I await the spotted dick with prunes, cornish pastie with the whole history of past, and cottage pie made with real gay people.

  14. I agree with Ant. We need a giant phallic spotted dick, possibly spurting custard, maybe with christmas pudding gonads.

  15. Great stuff, Fraser. I’m really enjoying your whole Giant Food series. Deserving of a website of it’s own I’d say!

    However, all these nights you’re spending in the kitchen creating these epicurean delights, has me thinking one thing: you really need to get yourself a girlfriend, matey! ;0)

  16. Oooh yum! First pork pies, then scotch eggs! A man after my own heart(burn)
    I look forward to your next gargantuan culinary delight.
    Damn, I feel hungry now….

  17. That actually looks pretty good….tho I think I’d use maybe an inch or so of sausage to accompany the massive ammounts of egg.
    There’s an ostrich farm 80 or so miles from here with a big sign advertising eggs, and I think next time I drive by I’ll buy one or two and try your recipe (bastardized of course…..maybe use some sauteed garlic & onions and deep fry it).
    You are a true visionary!

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  19. what you need after that is a huge apple pie, possibly made in an old fashioned tin bath!

    mebbe there is a friendly potter’s around you that wouldn’t mind lending their kiln for a couple of hours.

  20. nice one fraize. i’m having so much fun just thinking of the possibilities available to create a cult like following of giant food lovers….

  21. I think you may have found an answer to the 3rd World food crisis and (at last) a palatable solution as what to do with all those bloody Ostriches now no-body wants to eat the meat.

  22. Hmmm….what to suggest now?

    The world’s biggest Cornish pasty? Instead of meat chunks you use whole steaks? Whole potatoes, whole turnips, whole carrots, the works…

    I’ll get me coat…

  23. Congratulations on the scotch egg. One suggestion: After boiling long enough to solidiify it, cut the egg in half and go on to covering with sausage and breading the way you did. This way you will get more of the goodies in every bite, and have less eggwhite to eat by itself.

    It’s becoming a popluar idea in the US to deepfry turkeys rather than roast them. As long as you’re going for records, let’s see you do that with an ostrich!

  24. How about combining the two pork and ostritch egg pie. Ahh fond memorys of egg and pork pie from Tescos deli counter when I was just a girl…………………oopps sorry slipped away there.

    You dont see it much these days was always baked in a square tin and you get the lovelyness of a pork pie with the added extra of a bit of hard boiled egg in every slice, doesn`t get much better than that.

  25. Ok, now this is truly a gorgeous sight to see. I wish I had been there to try some. Here in the States the “Scotch Egg” is a big favorite at the Renaissance Faires. I have to say the moment I get to faire I head for the booth that sells the Scotch Eggs and get at least 2. Before the day is out I also get my second favorite faire dish and that is Soup in a Bread Bowl.

    So here you go, How about a ostrich meat soup in a Giant Bread bowl. Think you could give that a whack? OR even an Egg Drop Soup using an Ostich Egg and then served in a Bread Bowl. Nummy!

  26. Hello there, I have to say this warms the cockles of my heart to see such culianry adventure. As a life long supporter of the oft derided scotch egg I offer you my unwavering support in pursuit of such gastronomic genius

  27. A superb culinary creation but; as a Scot I have to insist that this creation is NOT a Scotch egg unless deep fried and I fear that the trades descriptions act is being breached here.

    All Scottish food (including milk, fruit and mars bars) should ideally be deep fried in order to create a high fat content and to avoid taking nutrients and vitamins into the system.

    Each meal should be folllowed by several cigarettes (preferably Regal King Size) and where circumstances allow, these should also be deep fried before being smoked.

  28. I need one. But the egg scrambled with some mayo is my favourite take on the king that is the scotch egg. Can anyone tell me how to go about this?

    Cottage pie, with real gay people, scooping the guts back into my sides even as I type.

  29. ohmygod. Doesn’t the very size of the thing put you off right from the start? I think no matter how (well) it’s cooked for me, I’d never be able to stomach it. It’s more of a portion issue. *gag* Kudos for your attempt though

  30. Fraser, have you considered making a 6ft by 6ft Dime Bar? I’ve often thought that it would be fairly easy to solder the sides of many small Dime Bars together to create a whopping great big one. But you’re the expert, so maybe have a better idea of how to do it.

  31. Fantastic egg… One day it shall be mine.

    How would you recommend deep frying it, if you could? I’m sure it could be arranged with a local chippy for a suitable fee. :-)

  32. Love your cooking experiments. Brilliant.

    I have heard about a dish called ‘TuDuckEn’, which is apparently a Turkey, stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken. There are recipes out there on the web, but I’ve never tried it.

    Fancy a challenge? I’d love to see the results.

  33. TuDuckEn does indeed exist, though it’s the duck rather than the chicken that goes on the inside. The problem is all the birds have to be boned before this dish is possible, and boning fowl is a very complicated and difficult procedure that even master butchers may have problems with. I do happen to know a butcher in south wales who can make this dish. I’ll find out where his shop is, and post it here.

  34. Hello fraser,

    I like this, but I am interested to see if your ordinary man off the street can make cheese. With ordinary milk of course and perhaps an airing cupboard?

    Is it possible?

    Yours,

    Nana.

  35. Awesome!

    If anyone has ever been to the famous Mary’s Supreme Fish Bar in Enfield you may have seen something similar – their scotch egg is about the size of a small baby and just as difficult to eat!!!

    Still, this takes the prize, I’m just disappointed now that I missed the pork pie, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  36. wonderful. keith from the office should have such a scotch egg.

    it’s actually called Turducken, and is usually made during thanksgiving here in the states. i made one last year. i had a grocery store in town debone the birds for me, spent a day cooking all of the stuffings and half a day roasting the beat. invited 20 friends over and we had a successful holiday party. it was one expensive experiment.

  37. My husband had an Idea of making cheese out of a womans breast milk or making butter…..I know that sounds insane..just thought if Fraser wanted a real challenge on milking the poor woman…it would be a good laugh.

  38. I was thinking about this very subject today. I know a few lactating women, but I don’t think any of them would be willing to share their milk bounty.

  39. While Ladies milk does sound exciting, I’ve always been keen to get the guinea pig lactation line going, make cheese and ice cream from their milk, and flog to the Japanese at exhorbitant prices.
    It would take a lot of guinea pigs to make the milk.

  40. you cannot be serious?
    #1 you are putting such a horrific thing through your body it makes you seem somewhat psychotic.
    #2the womens breast milk talk is probably equally sick to the satisfaction you get out of eating ostrich eggs
    #3are your lives that uneventful that you have time to ponder such odd things and report them back to this board?

  41. My brother has way too much time on his hands if this is what he’s sending me! So sorry I missed the pork pie!

  42. howsabout a sausage roll using a bratwurst sausage or similar. Something huge, anyway. If we’re to continue the theme of huge picnic savouries, this is the way to go.

  43. Can you imagine eating all of this?? It reminds me of that Jackass sketch when they try and eat 50 eggs!

    I reckon this beast is probably the equivalent of about 73.4 eggs (roughly!)

    Good work!!

  44. I’m out in California and was introduced to Scotch eggs by a friend, and now they’re a favorite.

    Every summer I do an alternate by making Scotch eggs with turkey eggs. Turkey eggs are twice the size of hen eggs and are all double-yolkers, and slightly richer. They also contain a significant amount of L-tryptophan, so eating a couple Scotch turkey eggs will make you feel like you’ve eaten a full turkey dinner.

    Other small variations I do include putting a small bit of minced ham–the chewier drier outer rind–in with the sausage, and putting a layer of Italian parsley in between the egg and the sausage. Both work well.

  45. Ok youse guys ,Here in Pittsburgh Pa. (USA) we have a little thing called deep frying turkeys. and apparently you need a rather large pot to cook this thing and a turkey fryer just fits the bill ! ( you do have turkey fryers over there?) cut back on your boil time because of the deep frying time( know what i mean?) this isn’t rocket science as we say in the states!

  46. Thank you – you have worked as a servant to humankind!

    All those watching have seen history in the making.

    Keep up the spirit!

  47. Since I was introduced to them I have referred to Scotch Eggs as ‘portable artery blockers’. I think this will have to be dubbed the ‘edible heart attack’. Hmmm… time to pop down to the neighborhood pub and get me a portable artery blocker.

  48. ive been searcing high and low on the internet trying to find answers to a question that has caused me many a sleepless night..can someone please help me…that strange delacacey consisting of a hard boiled egg in a square pork pie “loaf”, where the egg is magicly continued throughout each slice..WHAT IS IT CALLED! is it simply egg pie? or would egg pie be a pie full of uncoked,unshelled eggs?
    i am truely thankfull for this website,for it gave me a small window of joy during this time of deepest trauma in my life.
    so thank you….thank you.

  49. yeah so what if you cook one and you deep fry it and everything and cut it open and a dead baby ostrich is in there? do you deep fry that again and make ostrich sandwiches. this is the wierdest thing i have ever heard of. the only people that i know of that would eat ostrich eggs are rednecks. thats disgusting that you would actually eat that. i love eggs but maybe not anymore after seeing this.

  50. wow!!! that is incredibly impressive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    However while I love scotch eggs, savoury eggs are a million times better, so please make one of those!!!!!!!! please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    and tell us how managed to procure an ostrich egg because I cannot find one anywhere – I am searching the net, this is how I came accross your page.

  51. dear BOBBY! a scotch egg is savoury! im afraid your illusion of a scotch egg a million times beter than a scotch egg, is just that.
    but id be up 4 trying a sweet one ,with a sprinkling of sugar and a caramel praline topping………….yuuuuuuuuuuuum….or indeed, scotch egg ice creme….god thats good.
    or do u mean those tiny ones with the mashed up boiled egg inside?
    either way i think you need to get things straight in the scotch egg field before u start confusing egg lovers the world over. mabey then u could even qualify for master mind with specialist subject “eggs”?

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  58. I’ll admit I’m a fan of scotch eggs – but that has to be THE most fantasic looking thing I have seen yet!
    AND I can buy ostrich eggs at my local farmers market! Alright!
    Mind you – I reccommend Ostrich burgers too – it’s like turkey, but better!

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  62. EWWWWWW!!

    I feel like being sick!!!!!….. LIME FLAVOURED COKE!?!?!?!

    oh, and a quick question. Would it be possible to do this with a “dogs egg”?

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  67. Has anyone ever see a long egg roll? it’s basically a boiled egg but the size of a cucumber. You cut a slice when needed.

    How the hell do they make them??!!

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  69. Im a Viking and had 32 men setting sail for a long and difficult sail to Gaul, could you possibly make me a few Scotch Eggs to keep us going ??

    Thanks and good work…..

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  74. In addition to the food science that Dr. Meat gave you, another reason your meat pulled away from the egg surface is that it had nothing to stick to. For regular scotch eggs, I always coat the hard boiled egg with raw beaten egg before the application of the sausage meat, then another layer of raw egg, then the breadcrumbs. The extra layer of raw egg between the h.b. egg and the meat will make a big difference in the meat sticking to the egg.
    Impressive though – did you eat the whole thing yourself?

  75. Concerning the cooking time, a simple heat transfer analysis, based on the similarity theory, leads to the following formula for the cooking time of an ostrich egg:
    (requested time)=(time to cook a hen egg)*(weight of the ostrich egg/weight of the ostrich egg)^(2/3)
    As an example, considering 60 g on average for a hen egg, 1.5 kg on average for an ostrich egg and 9 minutes as the time to cook the hen egg, we obtain 77 minutes for the ostrich egg.

  76. sorry the right formula is:
    (requested time)=(time to cook a hen egg)*(weight of the ostrich egg/weight of the hen egg)^(2/3)

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  81. Who in their right mind needs to eat a egg that big, let alone one wrapped in sausage meat & breadcrumbs??? You must be huge.

  82. I feel you should market this creation to our more rotund American friends. To the British a feast to be shared amongst many. However, a small mid-meal snack for one average yank!!

  83. A SUGGESTION————————
    HUGE GALA PIE!!!!!

    COMBINE BOTH THE OSTRICH EGGS + MASSIVE PORK PIE (PREF DONE IN A RECTANGULAR TIN)PRESTO!!!! YOUR LIFE SHALL BE COMPLETE

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  85. wow !!!! the ostrich”s egg is the biggest and also tasty egg ever asum
    i would like to eat eat it some day hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

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  90. Even after first finding this post years ago, I often find myself coming back to it. I’m amused and curious. Someday, I may just try this out. Thanks for sharing this. Great stuff! :)

  91. I am reading Alexander McCall Smith’s seventh book in the Isabel Dalhousie series / she has a picnic with Jamie and Charlie in the backyard / they have a Scotch Egg Pie / it is divided into quarters / googling Scotch Egg i see it is an hardboiled egg encased in sausage and bread crumbs and deepfried / sounds as if it cd be very tasty / how would a pie be ? encase them in a pastry crust / this foodster wants to know !

    thanks…….Katherine

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