The Widow Maker ~ Loaded Egg Sandwich on a Pretzel Bun
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
- Category: American
- Cuisine: Breakfast, Dinner
Description
I call this the Widow Maker because it’s basically a heart attack waiting to happen! So, don’t eat this everyday! But, you can enjoy a splurge here and there and this sandwich is so worth it.
I’ve been itching to make an egg sandwich for dinner for quite a while now. One that was just totally loaded. You see, since the pandemic started, my ex-husband and I agreed that my son wouldn’t go back and forth between our houses for the time being. That said, my ex comes here occasionally to spend time with our son outside, socially distanced. Often times when he comes, he brings my son this bagel sandwich that is loaded with all things unholy for your heart but sooooo worth it.
Depending on what part of Jersey you’re from, it’s either pork roll or Taylor ham. It’s hotly debated. My husband says Taylor ham. I say pork roll. Although Northern Jerseyans say Taylor ham, any bodega I went to up there, it was always pork roll, egg, and cheese. Here in central Jersey (yes, central Jersey does exist), it’s pretty divided. (And if you’ve never seen the Stephen Colbert interview of Governor Murphy, YouTube it!)
As is typical Jersey fashion, it’s usually topped with ketchup… something I’ve never adapted to since moving here. What sounded delicious to me when making this sandwich was a very light sriracha aioli. Normally I load my sriracha aioli up with a fair amount of sriracha, but this time I kept it pretty subtle. There’s enough to taste but not enough to overwhelm the flavors of the sandwich. It actually turned out to be a really pleasant addition to the sandwich.
Rather than a bagel, I made homemade pretzel buns. I used my pretzel knots recipe but formed the dough into rolls rather than twists! These rolls have everything bagel seasoning on top, which really compliments the whole sandwich, and you can’t go wrong with everything bagel seasoning!
After that, everything is super easy. I didn’t make home fries from scratch. Instead, I used Ore-Ida Potatoes O’Brien. In hindsight, I should have bought a red pepper to cut up and add to the potatoes for a little more flavor… next time! While the bacon cooks in the oven and the potatoes on the stovetop, I was able to get everything else cooked up by the time the bacon was done. After that, I just had to assemble them!
This is a messy sandwich, so grab some extra napkins! And, enjoy!
Ingredients
Sandwich
4 pretzel buns, sliced in half
8 slices of Taylor ham (pork roll)
8 slices extra-thick bacon
7 oz white cheddar, thinly sliced
home fries (I used half a bag of Ore-Ida Potatoes O’Brien)
8 large eggs
nonstick spray
Aioli
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tsps sriracha
2 tsps lemon juice
pinch salt and pepper
~~~~~
serve with sliced avocado, if desired
Instructions
Mix together the aioli ingredients and set aside.
Line the bacon on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Place in a cold oven. Set the oven to 400° and cook the bacon for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the home fries according to the package. While the potatoes are cooking, slice a 1 inch slit into each of the Taylor ham slices. In a skillet over medium heat, fry each slice about 2 minutes per side until lightly golden, set aside. Using the same pan, spray a little nonstick spray, if necessary. Cooking in batches, fry up the eggs to your desired doneness. I prefer just slightly past over easy, so I cook one side about 3 minutes, until the bottom sets and the edges start to curl. Then I gently flip the eggs over and cook an additional 30 seconds.
Spread the sriracha on the top and bottom of the bun slices. Scoop a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Place the eggs on top, then the cheese, Taylor ham, and bacon. If desired, add avocado slices.
Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Keywords: Breakfast for Dinner, Egg Sandwich, Pork Roll Egg and Cheese, Taylor Ham Egg and Cheese, Loaded Egg Sandwich, Pretzel Buns
