This recipe serves 1-2 people, but you can easily scale it up for more.
Ingredients:
- 4-6 strips of your favorite bacon (smoked, unsmoked, thick-cut, etc.)
- 2-3 large eggs
- 1-2 slices of bread (for toast, optional)
- Butter (for toast, optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Optional garnishes: chopped chives, parsley, or a dash of hot sauce
Equipment:
- Large skillet or frying pan
- Spatula
- Tongs (helpful for bacon)
- Paper towels
- Plate
Instructions:
- Cook the Bacon:
- Place the bacon strips in a cold large skillet in a single layer. Starting with a cold pan allows the fat to render slowly, resulting in crispier bacon.
- Turn the heat to medium-low.
- Cook, turning occasionally with tongs, until the bacon reaches your desired level of crispiness. This usually takes about 8-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your bacon.
- Once cooked, remove the bacon from the skillet and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess grease.
- Pro Tip: You can pour out most of the rendered bacon fat, leaving a thin layer in the pan for frying the eggs, or save the fat for future cooking!
- Fry the Eggs:
- If you drained most of the bacon fat, add a small amount of butter or oil to the skillet if desired, or use the remaining bacon fat. Heat the pan over medium-low heat.
- Crack each egg directly into the skillet, being careful not to break the yolk. You can crack them into a small bowl first if you prefer, then gently slide them into the pan.
- Season the eggs immediately with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- For Sunny-Side Up: Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the egg whites are set and opaque, but the yolks are still runny. You can optionally cover the pan for the last minute to help set the whites without flipping.
- For Over Easy/Medium/Hard: Once the whites are mostly set, carefully slide your spatula under the egg and flip it. Cook for:
- Over Easy: About 30 seconds for a very runny yolk.
- Over Medium: About 1 minute for a slightly jammy yolk.
- Over Hard: About 2-3 minutes, or until the yolk is completely set.
- Remove the eggs from the pan with a spatula and place them on your serving plate.
- Make the Toast (Optional):
- While the eggs are cooking, toast your bread in a toaster or under the broiler until golden brown.
- Butter the toast immediately after it’s done.
- Assemble and Serve:
- Arrange the cooked bacon, fried eggs, and toast (if using) on a plate.
- Garnish with chopped chives or parsley if desired, or serve with your favorite hot sauce or ketchup on the side.
Enjoy your delicious classic bacon and eggs!
