Top pairings

Six of the best drinks to pair with a scotch egg

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on May 8 2023 at 08:09

For those unfamiliar with the delicacy a scotch egg is a whole egg wrapped in sausagemeat, then coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Traditionally the egg would have been hard boiled but more recently the fashion has been to serve them soft and even runny like this version from the Opera Tavern. And in some cases - presumably in a vain attempt to make them more healthy - they’re now baked which is wrong on every level.

The classic pork casing has also been subject to endless variations from black pudding to smoked haddock which seems more like an outsized croqueta. The venerable National Trust even does a pea and mint scotch egg while Sainsbury’s magazine offers a teriyaki chicken one.

But assuming your scotch egg is of the classic British variety the six drinks I would go for are

Cider

Better than beer IMHO, apple being a natural accompaniment to pork. Particularly good with a pork and leek scotch egg.

Apple juice

By the same token apple juice is the best option for non-drinkers

A pale ale or IPA

You want a beer with a touch of sweetness so a contemporary pale ale or IPA is better than a classic bitter, particularly if you like a dollop of piccalilli on the side

Cava

Champagne is a bit posh for a scotch egg and prosecco a touch sweet but Spanish cave just hits the spot, especially if you’re a fan of a runny yolk. (Fizz is one of the wines that can deal with eggs and always a good match for deep-fried food)

Which wines pair best with eggs?

Rosé

With a summery scotch egg with salad (and even salad cream) you can’t beat a glass of rosé

A glass of fruity Bordeaux

Given that a scotch egg is half way to being a cooked breakfast and that Bordeaux goes surprisingly well with bacon and eggs I reckon it’s a good wine to drink with a classic Scotch egg too. I don’t mean some treasured old bottle from the cellar but a young juicy fruity claret of which there are plenty. Much-maligned merlot would be great too.

Photo © Wandering Pickle at shutterstock.com

If you found this post helpful and would like to support the website which is free to use it would be great if you'd make a donation towards its running costs or sign up to my regular Substack newsletter Eat This, Drink That for extra benefits.

CONTRIBUTE HERE