I’ve got a new poll up in the sidebar, and just in case the winning option turns out to be “Every Day” (Lord help my saddlebags) I decided to get a new recipe up today. It’s not a holiday dish—I thought you’d probably welcome something that didn’t involve an orange vegetable for a change. No…today I bring you the Cowboy Breakfast Sandwich, whose ingredients are a basic as they get: Texas Toast. Eggs. Cheese. Sausage. Mayo, if you want it. It’s something I love cooking for hungry cowboys, traveling salesmen, visiting dignitaries, and Orkin Men. And it always elicits smiles and groans, as only hungry dudes can muster. My father-in-law has made these for years.
The secret ingredient of this extremely simple and highly gourmet work of art is jarred jalapenos:
Grilled jarred jalapenos. I picked up the trick from a short order cook who spent some time cooking at a little cutting horse arena in the southern part of our state…but let me warn you: if you grill the jalapenos as I’m demonstrating, make sure your stove has proper ventilation/exhaust. You’ll have to trust me on this: the fumes that result could seriously rival the most potent chemical weapon. If your stove doesn’t have ventilation, you might want to open a few windows…or put on your gas mask.
I’LL BET YOU’RE REALLY EXCITED NOW, AREN’T YOU?
Start by frying patties of breakfast sausage.
Smash ’em down to make ’em flat. You can also grab the sausage meat and knead it into larger patties…but most of the time, I don’t want to work that hard.
While the sausage is frying over medium heat, crack a few eggs in a mixing bowl.
Splash in about 1/4 cup half & half. If you want perfect scrambled eggs, you must use half & half. This is a law of nature.
Whisk ’em together with a fork…
Then add plenty of salt and ground black pepper. And whatever you do, DON’T use freshly ground pepper—cowboys prefer the black dust in the red and white can. Trust me.
Meantime, flip the sausage and flatten it some more. Continue cooking on other side.
Next, drain some jalapeno slices.
Now put on your gas mask or turn on your ventilation.
Dump the jalapenos onto a very hot skillet or griddle.
Let ’em sizzle and really go nuts for a minute…
Then throw on a couple of slices of butter, just to give ’em a little flavor.
Stir them around a bit, just to give the jalapenos a nice color. Remove them to a plate.
In the same skillet or griddle, melt a couple of tablespoons of butter. I do it this way to keep the butter from sliding into the grooves.
Now grab some pieces of Texas Toast (it’s thick white bread sold in the bread aisle) and lay it on top of the butter.
The key here is to use plenty of butter as you grill the bread. When you flip the bread to the other side, go ahead and butter up the pan again.
It’s the right thing to do.
Meanwhile, back at the iron skillet, remove the sausage when it’s completely cooked, then drain most of the grease from the pan and set it back on the stove over low heat.
But don’t wash the pan. That would be a shame.
Pour the eggs into the skillet…
And with a spatula, gently fold the eggs around, allowing them to cook.
The secret here is not to beat the eggs to heck in the skillet but to keep the eggs from sitting too long against the bottom of the pan.
I hate brown eggs. Blech.
When the Texas Toast is nice and grilled, spread whatever sandwich spread you’d like to use. I’m a mayonnaise girl, but unfortunately, cowboys prefer that DEMONIC substance known as…gulp…Miracle Whip. (Spicy mustard works well, too.)
Throw a couple of sausage patties on the bread…
Followed by a generous portion of scrambled eggs.
Next, top the eggs with plenty of grilled jalapenos.
And finally, top with a slice of cheese, and YES—I use processed American singles. (Cheddar or Pepper Jack are delicious, too, but cowboys love the soft, creamy stuff.) And note: 2 slices of cheese is best. I just took it easy on this one because my saddlebags were watching.
Top with the other piece of Texas Toast…
Then return the sandwich to the warm griddle to thoroughly heat everything.
You want that cheese to melt.
When it’s nice and warm, you can wrap it in foil and deliver it to the nearest cowboy. OR, if it’s all for you, just place it on a cutting board…
And slice right into it.
Just remember to remove your gas mask before you eat it.
Make this for breakfast this week! Any male within 50 square miles will go berserk.
And for me, in this life I’ve been given, that’s always a measure of a recipe’s success.
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Posted with love and toxic fumes, Ree Drummond.
