The Trick to the Perfect Breakfast Sandwich

I don’t typically write about my own cooking, but since I’ve been doing so much of it lately, I felt like it was only natural to start incorporating it a little more into Saratoga Food Fanatic.

Disclaimer – I’m not a professional, I have no professional training, and I’ve only worked in one real kitchen my whole life, so if I can make things that taste like heaven, so can you.

Today I want to talk about the creation of the perfect breakfast sandwich.

I have recently become rather obsessed with eggs, and preparing them on all sorts of things. From avocado toast with a fried egg on top (which is bomb by the way) to the traditional breakfast sandwich, my Instagram is pretty much flooded with pictures of eggs.

Something I hold pretty near and dear to my heart is my skill at creating a stellar breakfast sandwich. Aside from my love of the egg, sausage and cheese from Spring Street Deli, I prefer to make this breakfast staple at home.

But what’s the trick to creating the perfect breakfast sandwich?

Well, my friends, I’d have to go with the ingredients and the preparation. I’m not into using regular bread for breakfast sandwiches, so as a base, you have to make sure you have your favorite bagel or english muffin readily available. I like bagels and english muffins because they’re really great for holding a sandwich together. I also am just biased because I don’t really like my eggs on soft rolls.

This past weekend I used a cinnamon raisin english muffin, and I’ll tell you in a bit why that was a great choice.

Okay so you have your base, then you need to make sure you have the fixins for inbetween the carbs. I typically like thick cut bacon over sausage for breakfast sandwiches, so I look for quality stuff. The best local bacon is from Oscars, so if you can find it, use it.

Local eggs also make a difference. When I don’t get my eggs delivered from King Brother’s Dairy, I run down to Stewart’s and get eggs from them. They actually source their eggs from Thomas Poultry Farm in Schuylerville, NY so I’m supporting two local businesses at once – and I’m getting farm fresh eggs.

Finally, the cheese. The cheese can really make or break a breakfast sandwich.

Personally, I love cheese that melts well, such as a meunster or american cheese. American is as classic as you can get, so if you already have it in the house, you’re in a good position. Otherwise, I also really like cheddar, but you have to make sure you cut it thin or shred it to melt more easily.

Now for the preparation.

I begin by cooking my bacon in a skillet. Cook those babies until they’re crispy and golden and then set them aside.

Drain 1/2 of the bacon grease from the pan, and then add a little butter.

Crack those eggs straight into that bacon grease (2-3 for a sandwich, depending on how hungry you are).

Add some salt and pepper to the eggs, and then do a quick flip for 10-15 seconds, top with cheese, and remove from heat.

Now it’s time for assembly. I usually have my carb toasted before I crack the eggs, and butter them so they’re ready to go. After the eggs are cooked and the cheese is melted, layer those eggs onto the english muffin or bagel. Finally, top with bacon (I usually do three pieces).

The end result? Beauty.

This sandwich has everything. Saltiness, sweetness, crunch, creaminess. OH MAN it’s making me want another one right now. The big thing with this sandwich for me was the cinnamon raisin english muffin had those sweet notes when I would get a raisin in a bite with bacon. What a heavenly pair.

Feel like recreating this in your kitchen? Here are the ingredients and directions:

Ingredients (Serving Size 1):

• 3 pieces of bacon
• 2-3 eggs
• 1 english muffin or bagel
• 2 tbsp butter (divided)
• 1 slice of cheese (American or Meunster preferred)

Directions:

• Slice bagel or english muffin in half and toast
• In a medium skillet, cook the bacon on medium high heat until crispy and golden brown. Remove bacon from pan and drain 1/2 of the bacon grease.
• Add 1 tbsp butter into the bacon grease and let it melt.
• Crack the eggs into the grease and butter mixture and cook on medium high to your liking. 10-15 seconds before they’re done, add the cheese and cover with a small lid to trap moisture and melt cheese.
• Meanwhile, add remaining butter to the toasted bagel or english muffin.
• Take the eggs off the heat and pile on top of bagel or english muffin.
• Top with bacon & enjoy!

Happy Sunday! I hope you enjoy this sandwich as much as I do.