We're talking about eggs and breakfast and delicious breakfast-y things this week, so it seems perfectly fitting to read that McDonald's is rolling out a new breakfast sandwich: steak and cheese. But as Slate points out, they have no need to do this, because they already have the ideal breakfast sandwich. Who wants anything more than an Egg McMuffin? It's ridiculous to think otherwise.
Egg McMuffins aren't that good for you, being slathered with grease and filled with all kinds of wacky industrial ingredients. And there may not be a McDonald's on your way to work. But you can make a reasonable facsimile of an Egg McMuffin at home.
Obviously the muffin part is easy. Toast an English muffin and add a bit of your topping of choice: butter, margarine, that weird SmartBalance stuff that I still regret purchasing. Whatever.
Cheese-wise, you can't go wrong with a slice of good cheddar. For something like this, I like to buy pre-sliced cheese at the deli, because they can get the slices so much thinner than I can at home. And a thin slice is key: if the cheese is too thick, it won't melt. And that will make you sad.
You can add bacon to your sandwich easily. Just make the bacon ahead and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use it, then microwave a slice or two. Or do what I do: make the bacon ahead and then keep eating it out of the fridge and then not have any bacon when it comes time to make your Egg McMuffin. Whatever works for you.
Finally we come to the egg issue. A lot of people try to mimic the McDonald's experience by making a hockey puck-shaped egg patty using a tuna can with the bottom cut off, or a cookie cutter, or whatever. I have never gotten this to work. The egg doesn't cook well, it's impossible to flip, and it leaks out the bottom.
Instead, whisk the eggs in a bowl and pour the whisked egg straight into the pan. You will be basically baking an omelet. When it is done, fold it in half twice (i.e. into quarters) and slip this folded egg onto your muffin.
Presto: easy and delicious homemade Egg McMuffin!
Image courtesy Flickr/jasoniam
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