Easy Cast-Iron Breakfast Skillet Recipe with Bacon
The breakfast of champions, my loaded Cast-Iron Breakfast Skillet, includes frozen cubed potatoes, eggs, peppers, jalapeno, ham, and bacon, topped with shredded cheese!
10-inch well seasoned cast iron skillet can substitute oven-safe, non-stick skillet
Ingredients
3stripsbacon
16ouncesfrozen, diced potatoes
8ouncescubed ham
½small onion,finely chopped
1red bell pepper,ribs and seeds, diced
1jalapeno pepper,ribs and seeds removed, finely diced
½teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonground black pepper
½teaspoonground cumin
4large eggs
1cupshredded cheddar cheese
Optional, chopped scallions for garnish
Instructions
Preheat your broiler to medium or low. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, cook the bacon on the stove over medium heat until it is crispy and golden brown, then place it on a paper towel to drain. Do not remove the rendered bacon grease from the skillet.
Add the potatoes, ham, onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, black pepper, salt, and cumin to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring once or twice. It is important not to stir too often and to allow the potatoes to fry nicely. While this is cooking, chop up the bacon.
When the onions have begun to turn translucent, turn the heat down to low and gently fold the bacon into the pan.
Use the back of a spoon (a soup spoon works well) to create four wells in the potato mixture, evenly spaced from one another around the pan. The wells should go all the way to the bottom of the skillet. Turn the heat to medium-high, crack an egg into each well, and cook for 3 minutes.
Place the skillet under the pre-heated broiler on a rack about 10 inches from the broiler element. Broil for 5 minutes to achieve a slightly runny yolk with set egg whites. If you prefer your yolks to be firmer, cook for 8 minutes under the broiler.
To serve: Cut the dish into quarters, and then use a pancake turner or fish spatula to scoop each serving onto a plate. Garnish with chopped scallions, if desired.
Notes
All oven broilers are different, and the time it takes to cook your eggs will vary depending on how far the skillet is from the broiler element and the temperature of the broiler. So watch your eggs carefully to avoid overcooking them.Your frozen potatoes do not need to be thawed before cooking them. You can add them to the skillet along with the other ingredients.Be careful not to overcook the potatoes. They should be tender but still slightly firm.For the best flavor and texture, serve this breakfast skillet immediately after cooking.If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, you can use a 10-inch non-stick skillet. However, your potatoes might get quite as crispy on the bottom.