Cast-Iron Bacon Egg-in-a-Hole Toast
Cook bacon in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over a medium-low stove flame or coals until crisp, about 10 minutes. Fry thick bread slices with the centers cut out in the bacon fat, crack an egg into each hole, and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until the whites are fully set. Total time is about 35 minutes for 4.
This is toast, egg and bacon in one pan. The bacon fat fries the bread, so you don't need butter or oil. Three ingredients, one skillet, and a plate of hot breakfast in about half an hour.
The bread cut-outs get toasted too, so they're perfect for dunking in the yolk. Use thick-cut bread. Thin slices go soggy and tear when you flip them.
Cast-Iron Bacon Egg-in-a-Hole Toast
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium-low flame or medium-low coals
- Pack weight
- 2 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Low water
- A few dishes
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet
- lid or foil
- wide spatula
- tongs
- small cup or mug for cutting holes
- knife
- empty can for bacon grease
- heat-proof glove
Steps
-
Set up your heat
Light your stove to medium-low, or let a campfire burn down to medium-low coals under a grate. Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet on to heat.
-
Cut the holes
Press a 2.5-inch cup or the rim of a small mug into the center of each bread slice and cut around it with a clean knife. Keep the rounds. Wash your hands and the knife after handling raw bacon.
-
Crisp the bacon
Cut the bacon slices in half so they fit. Cook in two batches for 5 to 6 minutes each, flipping often, until crisp and cooked through. Move to a plate.
-
Save the fat
Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet. Carefully pour the rest into an empty can to cool and pack out.
-
Toast the bread
Lay 2 slices of bread in the skillet, with the cut-out rounds if there's room. Fry 1 to 2 minutes until golden on the bottom.
-
Add the eggs
Flip the bread and crack an egg into each hole. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid or foil and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
-
Flip and finish
Flip each slice gently with a wide spatula and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Cook until the whites are completely set. Make the yolks firm for kids, older adults or anyone pregnant.
-
Repeat and serve
Move the first batch to plates and cook the second batch the same way. Add a little bacon fat if the pan looks dry. Serve hot with the bacon and toasted rounds.
Trail Notes
Keep eggs in a hard-sided carton and bread flat on top of the food box so it doesn't squash. Store raw bacon in a sealed bag at the bottom of the cooler, away from anything that's eaten uncooked.
Keep the cooler at 40°F or below and use the bacon and eggs within 2 days. Don't leave cooked food out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F.
Keep the heat low. Bacon fat burns fast, and a ripping hot pan will scorch the bread before the egg sets. If the bread darkens too quickly, slide the skillet to a cooler spot.
Let the bacon grease cool and solidify in a can, then pack it out with your trash. Don't pour it on the ground or into the fire. It attracts animals and doesn't break down.
Campers ask
Can you make egg-in-a-hole without butter?
Yes. Bacon fat does the job here, and any oil would work the same way. Use about 2 tablespoons in the skillet for the bread and eggs.
How do you keep the egg from running out of the hole?
Toast the bread on the first side for a minute before adding the egg, so the edges seal. Crack the egg into a cup first, then slide it into the hole.
How do you cut the hole without a cookie cutter?
Press the rim of a small cup or mug into the bread to mark a circle, then cut along the line with a knife. You can also tear the center out by hand.
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