Fried bread isn’t exactly something you need a recipe for, but sometimes the simplest things are the best!
What exactly is a “naughty breakfast”?
Well, I exercised “moderation” today, and indulged in some bacon fat.
There.
I said it.
I’m not ashamed.
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Well, maybe I am, just a little–because I probably shouldn’t have fried my piece of homemade bread in the bacon fat–but it was SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD! The bread became so crispy and was full of bacon flavor. And that egg was just perfect on top! However, I only had one egg when I could easily have had two, so I actually could have been even more naughty.
I know now that it’s all my father’s fault, “Try some fried bread”, he said. I was only a little girl, how was I to know? I tried it and I loved it. That was it, I was hooked.
Meet my crazy Dad as he shows you how to make his favorite pasta dish!
This isn’t only a British thing, though; I hear they’re naughty “down south” too, so I’m in good company. Even Bon Appètit featured an article named, 15 Ways to Use Bacon Fat, so maybe I’m being a little hard on myself.
I haven’t had fried bread in years, honest. So if I only make it, say–once every 5 years, then it’s okay, right? I’d say it’s perfectly permissible to be naughty once in a while.
Excuse me while I go mark my calendar.
Fried Bread (British Style)
- bacon (I use naturally cured, nitrate/nitrite free)
- bread, preferably homemade
- egg
- salt and pepper, to taste
Fry the bacon, reserving the fat in the (preferably cast iron) pan.
Next, fry the bread and egg in the bacon fat, side by side. The bread should turn a lovely golden brown color; cook the egg as desired (or you can soft-boil it, poach it, etc.)
Place the fried bread on a plate and top with the egg, and a side of bacon.
Serve immediately with a steaming, hot mug of tea.
If you’re into fried eggs for breakfast, you may also be interested in my recipe for potato scones (which aren’t really scones at all). These are also incredibly delicious when fried in bacon grease!
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Fried Bread: a Very Naughty Breakfast--but oh, so Worth it!
A naughty British style breakfast.
Ingredients
- 2 rashers bacon (I use naturally cured, nitrate/nitrite free)
- 1 slice bread, preferably homemade
- 1 egg, cage free, organic
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Fry the bacon, reserving the fat in the (preferably cast iron) pan.
- Next, fry the bread and egg in the bacon fat, side by side. The bread should turn a lovely golden brown color; cook the egg as desired (or you can soft-boil it, poach it, etc.)
- Place the fried bread on a plate and top with the egg, and a side of bacon.
- Serve immediately with a steaming, hot mug of tea.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 408Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 243mgSodium: 1457mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 28g
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We always add sliced tomatoes, to our fried breakfast – you get little bits of mushed tomato and seeds, on the bread. I may need breakfast for dinner, tonight.
Stay safe 😷.
God bless
Oh yes, very good, too! Enjoy your dinner!
My Auntie Ann, who lives in the Lake District in England, used to make this for breakfast most mornings during our bi-annual visits from Canada in the 1970s. My brothers and I had never had it before, and we found it delicious and addictive. Of course, the quality and type of bacon makes a big difference. English bacon is generally quite different from what we get in Canada. It seems to me it is made from the loan, rather than the belly. And I’m not sure it’s as heavily smoked as what we get here is (if it’s even smoked at all).
[…] if you want to throw all caution to the wind, try my fried bread recipe! It’s soooo […]
[…] Toast […]
I used to cut a hole in a slice of bread, fry it in bacon fat then drop an egg into the hole and continue cooking. My kids loved this. I called it “Toad in the hole” because i did not know what else to call this artery clogging delight.
Regards,
Scottish born Canadian.
Excellent idea, Jim! Now I want this for breakfast! ;)
I used to make this for my kids also. We called it “Egg in a Nest” as I was taught by my mother. We are 5th generation Californians whose ancestors came in with the gold rush of 1849.
Wow, that’s so cool! Not too many native Californians here in LA! Yes, so delicious! Glad you and your family enjoy it, too!
In London, these are calked ox-eye eggs. Toad in the Hole is a dish of British sausages (bangers), baked in a Yorkshire Pudding batter.
But, y’know, a rose by any name ..
Enjoy your breakfast, Jim
[…] Regardless of what they are called, they’re so incredibly tasty, especially when fried in the same pan where your bacon was just fried! Oh yes, it’s the thing to do! […]
Yum my new Lunch occasionally ❣️I eat eggs almost daily and this is a lovely new way for me to enjoy☕️ eggs, bacon, potato & bread= Heaven😇 mind now I also drink carrot/celery juice so it all balances out 🤓🍀
Sounds like a perfectly balanced diet to me, Carol! I’m so happy to hear about this sort of instead of so many extreme diets! Enjoy!
I am very late to this post but it looks and sounds so delicious!! I am not an egg cooking expert- how long does one cook an egg to get it to look like that? And what is it called- (soft boiled? Over easy?) thank you for any advice you can give, I plan on attempting to recreate your photo for tomorrow’s breakfast!
Hi Jackie, it really is delicious and I’m so glad you’re going to try it. The way I cooked the egg is over easy. I found this video on Serious Eats which shows how easy it is to cook the eggs this way. My only suggestions are that you not use butter if you are cooking the egg in the same pan as the bacon was cooked, before frying the bread. Also, I only salt on one side, but you can always add more if it needs it. Enjoy, and let me know how you like it! CC
Fried bread with a full English – the food of the gods
I must agree! :)
[…] Another delicious recipe to go with that runny egg: Fried Bread. […]
I love the light-hearted way you present your recipes and ideas in your blog. Very refreshing and just downright fun! I’m thinking I might need to eat a naughty breakfast before long!
Thank you so much, Carol! I really needed to read something nice right now! Your timing is impeccable. 💜 I hope you do try this, soon! :)
and brown sauce. Only barbarians dont have British brown sauce on it
There is no such thing as nitrate/nitrite free bacon, not even naturally cured. What naturally cured means is that celery juice was used for the curing and celery juice is naturally high in nitrates/nitrites. The federal government requires bacon to be cured in the chemical form of nitrate in order to be allowed to use the word “cured” on the packaging, otherwise it has to say uncured. If there were no nitrates in your bacon, then it wouldn’t retain it’s pink/red coloration for very long and by the time it got to the grocery store, you wouldn’t want to buy it. It is the nitrates that fix the color in addition to preserving the meat and preventing harmful bacteria from taking up residence. Bacon without nitrates=death.
Hi Joseph, yes, there are natural nitrates in the bacon I buy, but I’m not so sure that everything you wrote is correct. First of all, the FDA’s history of decision-making leaves a lot to be desired, so their regulations are not something I trust. Secondly, I make Italian bacon (pancetta) and do not use any nitrates. I’m still kicking. 😊
Why bacon without nitrates = death, exactly? I live in Ukraine where we eat pork fat lightly cured with salt for about 5 days, without any nitrates. I personally eat it almost every day. Sometimes I make it myself. All that is required is raw pork fat and salt. I haven’t heard of any case of botulism from eating “salo” which is our name for pork fat. It is an integral part of our culture and has been for hundreds of years. Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium responsible for botulism requires anaerobic (air free) environment. In a vacuum sealed pack it is a possibility but not in the open air. And BTW pork fat phobiacs, about 47 % of pork fat is oleic acid. Olive oil which everyone considers healthy has 70%. So why be afraid of bacon? And as for the nitrates, natural nitrates are in a lot of foods. Parsley, beetroots have astonishing amounts. That’s why athletes drink beetroot juice to increase performance.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your comment, Tania! In fact, I recently saw an article stating that science has claimed that pork fat is one of the healthiest foods, now! Not that I needed to hear, it, but others, like Joseph, do. You have to understand that something has gone very wrong in our US food culture. The FDA is very much to blame in many aspect (in my opinion). They tell us that poisons are safe, when they are illegal in the rest of the world, and warn us about issues that are non-issues in the rest of the world. I just don’t understand it. Thanks for your comment! CC
You are SO right!
We’re all on Team Pork Fat! haha!
i like your blog
Keep hearing about fried bread, and took a shot on it. Not something you see in America, which is a real shame! Despise eggs, but I’ll eat them like this any day of the week.
OMG, that’s too funny!!! Thanks for letting me know, Kevin! Love that you took the chance :)
I love a bit of fried bread every now and then. Obviously its traditional with bacon in a Full English, but try this for a change: fry a cooking Chorizo sausage slowly in a pan, just before you take it out pierce it and let the extra fat ooze out, then fry your slightly stale (always best for fried bread) white slice and an egg in it…the paprika spices and colours are amazing.
Must be a Dad thing! My dad love a bit of fried bread, it’s not something I ever make now but it looks so tempting there and I think I’ll be having a nice fried egg tomorrow!
Um…SO AMAZING! Sounds like total breakfast heaven!
That’s a very good description! :) CC
That is my kind of weekend breakfast Christina! The yolk is perfect for me!
You’ll have to come for a Scottish fry-up one morning!! :)
Scottish fry up…Lorne sausage?
Christina, you had me at naughty. And guess what? We’re naughty up north too. What a FABULOUS breakfast. Thanks for the naughty idea. XO
Haha! Glad to hear it! ;)
[…] fried bread, […]
Ohhh, this looks SO good!!! Simple and scrumptious and I want one right now! :)
Yep, simple and scrumptious is exactly what it is, April! Love anyone who loves pork fat! :) CC
[…] it looked! I especially loved the black pudding and the bread that looks like toast is actually fried bread. We had until noon to check out of the Mermaid Inn, which was lovely as we didn’t have to […]
Such breakfast would definitely ruin my diet :)))
I just noticed this nice new design of your blog!
Thank you for noticing, Medeja! You’re the first one to say so! Yes, the fried bread isn’t diet friendly, but as I said to Suzanne, above, if you eat something healthy the other 6 days of the week, I think it’s okay :) CC
Oh wow, this sounds too good. I could eat bacon eggs and bread all day long, but I don’t. Never thought of frying the bread in bacon fat, that is gilding the lilly for sure.
You have to try it just once, Suzanne! Have grapefruit for breakfast the rest of the week, then it’ll be justified ;)
Unless of course you’re taking a statin to control your cholesterol! No grapefuit for you!