The Egg Sandwich

[Jaymes]

A broken yolk is an abomination, if I do say so myself. I've no idea why the broken yolk meme is part of a fried egg sandwich, or in any fried egg application.

I would have to agree with you there Maggie. The whole point of a fried egg sandwich is the runny yolk, it's the gravy/sauce. Lightly toasted bread, a little ketchup then eaten over the sink.

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The problem is very little actually stays in the sandwich. It's wonderful for something like eggs benedict, which is eaten with a knife and fork, but a sandwich is supposed to be picked up and eaten.

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It's all in the technique. Just like any sandwich (or wrap, or taco, or pita, or gyro, etc.) with a sauce, you hold it so that the 'sauce' side is up. Not only is it not true that "very little actually stays in the sandwich," I've gotten good enough at it so that often none escapes at all. And what does is yummily swabbed up with the last of the bread - you know, those little bits on the corners that usually have nothing.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it's the only reason to have a fried egg sandwich. Without it, you might just as well have a scrambled egg sandwich. Or a sliced hard-boiled egg sandwich. Or an egg salad sandwich.

Just like Prawncrackers says, the runny yolk 'sauce' is the whole point of the fried egg sandwich. I'm not particularly interested without it.

Edited June 7, 2009 by Jaymes (log)

[docsconz]

A broken yolk is an abomination, if I do say so myself. I've no idea why the broken yolk meme is part of a fried egg sandwich, or in any fried egg application.

I would have to agree with you there Maggie. The whole point of a fried egg sandwich is the runny yolk, it's the gravy/sauce. Lightly toasted bread, a little ketchup then eaten over the sink.

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The problem is very little actually stays in the sandwich. It's wonderful for something like eggs benedict, which is eaten with a knife and fork, but a sandwich is supposed to be picked up and eaten.

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It's all in the technique. Just like any sandwich (or wrap, or taco, or pita, or gyro, etc.) with a sauce, you hold it so that the 'sauce' side is up. Not only is it not true that "very little actually stays in the sandwich," I've gotten good enough at it so that often none escapes at all. And what does is yummily swabbed up with the last of the bread - you know, those little bits on the corners that usually have nothing.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it's the only reason to have a fried egg sandwich. Without it, you might just as well have a scrambled egg sandwich. Or a sliced hard-boiled egg sandwich. Or an egg salad sandwich.

Just like Prawncrackers says, the runny yolk 'sauce' is the whole point of the fried egg sandwich. I'm not particularly interested without it.

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The beauty of this world is the diversity of opinions and preferences It would be boring if everyone looked at everything the same way.

[weinoo]

I think in the "classic NYC bodega/deli" egg sandwich, one of the reasons for the broken yolk method is that the sandwich is wrapped to go after it's cooked. Sometimes, it is eaten hours later. The fact that the yolk is broken and then cooked through allows for this...additionally, the roll is buttered, providing a barrier for the bread and keeping it from turning into a soggy mass.

[Chris Hennes]

When I make these at home (and therefore have no other "orders" to attend to) I make what amounts to a French omelette with the egg: well scrambled, no browning, a little runny in the middle, completely cohesive (as opposed to fully scrambled eggs that are in smaller chunks). I love a poached or over-easy egg on something I'm eating with a fork, but I'm still having trouble imagining it on a sandwich. And I don't care for the flavor of a bite that has only fried yolk in it, which you sometimes get with an incompletely scrambled fried egg as described above.

[Jaymes]

I think in the "classic NYC bodega/deli" egg sandwich, one of the reasons for the broken yolk method is that the sandwich is wrapped to go after it's cooked.    Sometimes, it is eaten hours later.  The fact that the yolk is broken and then cooked through allows for this...additionally, the roll is buttered, providing a barrier for the bread and keeping it from turning into a soggy mass.

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Well, you're sure right about that. One very important factor regarding the "warm runny yolk sauce" variety of egg sandwich is that it certainly does have to be eaten right away.

[KatieLoeb]

Here in Philly. the Roach Coach (local parlance for street food carts) Egg-n-Cheese sandwich (with or without bacon/sausage/ham/turkey bacon/pork roll and always with processed American cheese) is a breakfast staple. There are long lines at almost every corner cart every morning. However, the eggs are scrambled, usually in a paper coffee cup before getting placed on the flattop. The last thing the vendor asks before wrapping it up is "Salt? Pepper? Ketchup?", which is the title of a local food blog rating Philly cart cuisine.

Edited June 8, 2009 by KatieLoeb (log)

[weinoo]

Here in Philly. the Roach Coach (local parlance for street food carts) Egg-n-Cheese sandwich (with or without bacon/sausage/ham/turkey bacon/pork roll and always with processed American cheese) is a breakfast staple.  There are long lines at almost every corner cart every morning.  However, the eggs are scrambled, usually in a paper coffee cup before getting placed on the flattop.  The last thing the vendor asks before wrapping it up is "Salt? Pepper? Ketchup?", which is the title of a local food blog rating Philly cart cuisine.

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Well, that's something that can easily fit into the What Does Philadelphia have? topic.

Turkey bacon?! Ketchup put on by the vendor?! No butter?! Scrambled eggs?! Heresy.

[gfweb]

Scrambled egg + Sausage + Cheese with ketchup and significant pepper (absolutely vital for some reason) on a hoagie roll is the perfect restorative after a night of excess.

[Kim Shook]

jeez - I forgot! The ketchup comment reminded me - at a little cafe that was in the basement of a building that I used to work in, the vendor used to make these awesome egg sandwiches - scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese and HASHBROWNS on a soft roll - squirted with ketchup. Those were so good!

[rooftop1000]

Here in Philly. the Roach Coach (local parlance for street food carts) Egg-n-Cheese sandwich (with or without bacon/sausage/ham/turkey bacon/pork roll and always with processed American cheese) is a breakfast staple.  There are long lines at almost every corner cart every morning.  However, the eggs are scrambled, usually in a paper coffee cup before getting placed on the flattop.  The last thing the vendor asks before wrapping it up is "Salt? Pepper? Ketchup?", which is the title of a local food blog rating Philly cart cuisine.

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BEC/SPK

I have spent years of my life making these for a living

T

[weinoo]

Ketchup and eggs - I guess it's something I never understood. Tabasco I can understand. But with bacon, why wreck that deliciousness?

[Kim Shook]

Ketchup and eggs - I guess it's something I never understood. Tabasco I can understand.  But with bacon, why wreck that deliciousness?

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My mother says that's why God made chocolate and vanilla !

[Lilija]

I worked in a NJ deli, and made about 50 fried egg sandwiches a day. I broke the yolks, but did not "pan-scramble" the eggs.

I would fry them, over easy, then just after I flipped I would bust a hole in the yolk with the corner of the spatula. They would still be over easy, and only a bit of the yolk leaked out and became hard. There would be a little runniness, and then I would put the egg yolk-hole down on the roll, and all the lovely runniness would be absorbed by the bread. It was moist and kind of runny, but controlled. Considering that most of my customers ate this sandwich behind the driver's seat, or sitting on a tailgate, or on a curb, you don't want goo squirting out all over your pants and steering wheel. It is the best of both worlds.

The most popular way was on a seeded hard roll, with pork roll (taylor ham, for you weirdos!) and American cheese, salt/pepper/ketchup. One of my regular customers always had a fried egg, fried bologna, mayo, loads of pepper, and raw onions. I like a guy that thinks outside the box.

[Fat Guy]

This is one of my favorite food subjects.

For portability it's essential to use either a scrambled egg or a broken-yolk fried egg. There are a lot of gradations of broken-yolk fried eggs, ranging from pretty-much-scrambled-on-the-griddle to just-pricked-a-little. I prefer the latter, cooked to the point where the yolk just gels up enough not to be runny.

I make one of these sandwiches for our son about three times a week as a breakfast to be eaten on the commute to school. The tradition calls for a kaiser roll but a few years ago I was inspired by the use of Martin's Potato Rolls for chopped barbecue sandwiches at the Big Apple Barbecue, and so I've been using Martin's Potato Rolls for egg sandwiches. One egg, punctured yolk, fried in butter, Martin's Potato Roll, salt and pepper. That's the whole sandwich.

I personally don't favor cheese on an egg sandwich. I think of an egg sandwich with cheese as the equivalent of full-cream ice cream like Ben & Jerry's, whereas the no-cheese sandwich is more like gelato. In my opinion gelato is better.

Bacon, ham and sausage are another story. I like those fine on an egg sandwich, but you're talking about a major increase in labor and mess. In a deli setting, you have a ton of cooked bacon standing by for use in sandwiches. But if you have to get out the door, meats are not really convenient. Plus the minimalist egg sandwich is quite satisfying on its own. Or at least two of them are.

Runny-yolk egg sandwiches are wonderful but not portable. The best one I ever had was at a deli in Westchester where the roll was not sliced in half but, rather, cut into on one side so as to create a pocket. Into the pocket went the runny-yolk egg (and bacon). Superb, and portable enough to eat on premises with the aid of a foil wrapper, but not portable enough to throw into your briefcase and eat on the subway. Also, non-portable egg sandwiches don't benefit from the steaming-in-foil effect of portable ones.

A while back, we took a road trip and I packed the standard egg sandwich. It didn't get eaten, and was left in the car overnight. It was cool enough out that I wasn't worried about food safety. So I ate it the next morning. It was pretty good.

[Kouign Aman]

I always like a fried egg on an English Muffin, McMuffin-style, but these days I can't do cheese, and I have yet to find something to suitably replace it on such a sandwich. Without the cheese, there's something missing that ties the sandwich together.

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Try mustard.

It provides the tang and salt that cheese does, plus its own special self.

If you also miss the richness of cheese, you can butter the bread.

when I make one of these, its buttered toast, softfried egg, mustard. Very drippy.

Or the same, with scrambled egg. Not drippy.

Time to try the 'broken yolk' method.

Edited June 8, 2009 by Kouign Aman (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Scrambled egg + Sausage + Cheese with ketchup and significant pepper (absolutely vital for some reason) on a hoagie roll is the perfect restorative after a night of excess.

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Exactly. And I confess that when I have these, it is most often in this application.

weinoo - the ketchup is by request only. That's why they ask the inevitable "Salt? Pepper? Ketchup?" question just before they cut your roll in half and wrap you up in foil. I prefer hot sauce too, and usually ask them to scramble it right into the eggs. But that tends to piss off the cart owners that don't want to use up another coffee cup to scramble in.

[plattetude]

This is a standard in my house, with the following tweak -- served on a fresh everything bagel, gently warmed in the oven (it must be somewhat soft and yielding, not toasted crisp - yuck). Usually, but not always, prick the yolk but keep it well on the runny end of the scale. Bacon and a slice of cheddar to top off.

Christopher

[Restorer]

Try mustard.

It provides the tang and salt that cheese does, plus its own special self.

If you also miss the richness of cheese, you can butter the bread.

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Mustard is good - I use it on other variations of the egg sandwich - but it doesn't replace the cheese. I'm thinking about an Egg McMuffin combination, with American cheese, where the cheese has quite a bit of salty and umami flavors, but minimal tang - as it was originally meant as a portable replacement for the hollandaise of Eggs Benedict.

I haven't tried buttering the English muffin yet, but I have thought about it, and I think it would provide the right richness. I just wasn't set up to easily toast bread in my last place, and I haven't made any egg sandwiches since I moved.

[Jaymes]

...a sandwich is supposed to be picked up and eaten.

It's all in the technique. Just like any sandwich (or wrap, or taco, or pita, or gyro, etc.) with a sauce, you hold it so that the 'sauce' side is up.

The beauty of this world is the diversity of opinions and preferences It would be boring if everyone looked at everything the same way.

Exactly what I was trying to say.

[judiu]

Try mustard.

It provides the tang and salt that cheese does, plus its own special self.

If you also miss the richness of cheese, you can butter the bread.

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Mustard is good - I use it on other variations of the egg sandwich - but it doesn't replace the cheese. I'm thinking about an Egg McMuffin combination, with American cheese, where the cheese has quite a bit of salty and umami flavors, but minimal tang - as it was originally meant as a portable replacement for the hollandaise of Eggs Benedict.

I haven't tried buttering the English muffin yet, but I have thought about it, and I think it would provide the right richness. I just wasn't set up to easily toast bread in my last place, and I haven't made any egg sandwiches since I moved.

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Not butter,necessarily, but I do love mine with mayo.

[Lindacakes]

I'm all for variation, but I believe in New York this is called a baconeggandcheese and it has that, only that, and it's wrapped in paper-lined foil. The cheese is American. The egg is half scrambled, half fried; meaning not scrambled before on the grill.

I did hear a cashier admonish the cook that foil out meant meat included and paper out meant no meat included so that she could ring it up without asking.

I like egg sandwiches all sorts of ways, I never met one I didn't like, although I'd prefer not to meet one with ketchup on it. Especially not ketchup with high fructose corn syrup in it.

I confess to liking Egg McMuffins, and buying them, even when not travelling. I like to make them at home, open face, with lettuce. And, sit down: MIRACLE WHIP.

Heheheheheheh . . .

Baconeggandcheese is very good with Pepper Jack.

[suzilightning]

and as this thread rages what to my wondering eyes do i see but the Sunday , 7 June Pearls Before Swine.

but the defining thing around here isn't so much how the eggs are done or the roll but thepork roll.

[Chris Amirault]

Egg (either fried or scrambled), bread (roll, English muffin... something with the right structural support that's also tender), bacon, and yes to cheese. Right cheese is tricky, though; as Steven notes, it can easily be too much. What cheese do people use/get besides American processed non-dairy "cheese" product?

[Chris Hennes]

To be honest, I've tried them with a number of cheeses running the gamut from cheap to far too expensive to be putting on a sandwich, and I actually prefer el cheapo American (Kraft Singles, baby). I don't think the cheese needs to bring much flavor to the party, the eggs and bacon have that covered, it's mostly a textural and umami component as far as I am concerned.

[ElsieD]

Egg (either fried or scrambled), bread (roll, English muffin... something with the right structural support that's also tender), bacon, and yes to cheese. Right cheese is tricky, though; as Steven notes, it can easily be too much. What cheese do people use/get besides American processed non-dairy "cheese" product?

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I like provolone, havarti or jack cheese. It has to melt and not overpower the other flavours.