Classic Diner Breakfast

Classic Diner Breakfast
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(194)
Comments
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The beauty of a diner breakfast is that it’s different for everybody, but many consider this the most classic incarnation: eggs, bacon (or sausage) and crisp, salty hash browns. The trick to good hash browns at home: use a very hot, well-seasoned skillet or griddle, since potatoes have a tendency to stick if using stainless steel. Do not worry or fuss over trying to make them too perfect; good hash browns should always look a little unruly — it’s part of their charm. Here, the eggs here are prepared sunnyside up, but over easy, scrambled or poached would be great, too.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings
  • pounds russet potatoes (about 2 smallish-medium potatoes), peeled
  • 1small yellow onion, peeled
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8slices bacon, 4 sausage links or 2 sausage patties
  • 1tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more if needed
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for toast
  • 4slices white, sourdough, whole-wheat or rye bread
  • 4large eggs
  • Hot sauce or ketchup (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

677 calories; 37 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 63 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 25 grams protein; 1133 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Grate potatoes on the largest hole on a box grater into a medium bowl. Cover with cold water and drain; repeat once or twice, until water runs nearly clear. Taking small handfuls at a time, squeeze all the water from the potatoes and place in a dry medium bowl. Grate onion on the largest hole on a box grater and toss with potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and let sit while you cook the bacon.

  2. Step 2

    Cook bacon or sausage in a large cast-iron skillet (at least 10 inches) over medium heat until totally crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Drain fat from the skillet into a small bowl (you should have 3 to 4 tablespoons; if you don’t, use vegetable oil to make up the difference).

  4. Step 4

    Again taking small handfuls at a time, squeeze all water from the potato-onion mixture. Heat 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat or vegetable oil in that same skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl together.

  5. Step 5

    Add potatoes and onions and spread into a thin, even layer. Cook, without moving, until the potatoes are nearly cooked through and browned on one side, about 5 to 8 minutes. Using a spatula, flip sections of the potatoes to crisp on the other side. Add 1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat or vegetable oil and remaining 1 tablespoon butter and cook, without moving, until potatoes are browned on the other side, about another 5 minutes. Flip once or twice more (you don’t have to be so careful here; just kind of stir them around) and continue to cook until most of the bits of potato are golden brown and crisped, about another 4 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Transfer potatoes to a plate and set aside while you fry the eggs. Meanwhile, toast the bread.

  7. Step 7

    Increase heat to medium high and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, rotating skillet occasionally until the whites are cooked through and the yolks are still bright yellow and runny, 2 to 3 minutes.

  8. Step 8

    Place on 2 plates with hash browns, bacon and toast. Serve with hot sauce (or ketchup, if you wish).

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Ratings

4 out of 5
194 user ratings
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Comments

That might be a classic diner breakfast for Northerners, but in the South it would include a pile of grits, a few biscuits, and some gravy!

It's tough to fry bacon in a pan after converting to a sheet pan in the oven...

Squeezing the potatoes to get that moisture out can’t be over emphasized. For me the the bacon fat and butter are key to this recipe and separates it flavor wise from other recipes. As the video suggests no need to worry about being careful with trying to achieve a solid unbroken crust it’s not necessary and it’s not what you want and the flavor punch with the mildly crispy and not solid crust puts this dish into the breakfast I want it now category. Well tested and well done this recipe is.

Do yourself a favor and add some thyme to the potatoes.

Three minutes per side for the bacon? On an industrial griddle? I use a cast iron skillet on a gas burner and it still takes way longer than three minutes.

Not classic even to all Northerners - a diner breakfast should include homefries, never hashbrowns!

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