How To Cook Eggs And Bacon In The Same Pan

If you feel it is appropriate to link things to my other post about bacon and eggs, go for it! 

Bacon and eggs is a traditional American breakfast that can be whipped up in just a few minutes in the morning. They are a classic combination and can be combined in the same pan to increase ease of cooking (and clean up!)

How To Cook Fried Eggs And Bacon In The Same Pan

1. Take your bacon out of the fridge and allow it to rest on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes
2. Add your desired amount of bacon (without overlapping or overcrowding) to a room temperature cast iron (or non-stick) skillet.
3. Turn on your stove to medium heat and cook the bacon, turning as needed (after about 5 minutes). 
4. When your bacon is approaching “done” (approximately 3 minutes after turning), move bacon to one side of the pan. 
5. Add your eggs to the empty side of the pan (into the bacon grease) and fry until they are cooked as you like (over easy, over hard, etc.). 
   1. Pro tip: during the frying process, carefully spoon up some grease over your eggs (basting them) to warm/cook the tops of the egg and add more flavor.
6. While you are cooking your eggs, your bacon will finish. Remove from pan to drain on paper towel or cloth.
7. Remove your eggs. 

So now you know how to fry your eggs in the same pan, at the same time, as your bacon. But what if you are scrambling your eggs? 

If you are making Fried eggs, you can use the method listed above to cook your eggs in the same pan, at the same time, as your bacon. 

If you are making scrambled eggs, you will not want to cook them at the same time, the eggs would get all over your bacon and make a bit of a mess. In this situation, I recommend cooking the bacon fully first, then scrambling your eggs in the bacon grease, using the below steps.

How To Cook Scrambled Eggs And Bacon In The Same Pan

1. Take your bacon out of the fridge and allow it to rest on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes
2. Add your desired amount of bacon (without overlapping/overcrowding) to a room temperature cast iron (or non-stick) skillet.
3. Turn on your stove to medium heat and cook bacon for about 10 minutes total, turning as needed (after about 5 minutes). (Cooking times will vary depending on the desired level of crispiness).
4. While your bacon is cooking, crack your eggs into a bowl or measuring cup. Add the desired seasoning and whisk/beat. Set aside.
5. When your bacon is cooked to your standards, remove it from the pan and drain it on paper towels or cloths. 
6. Carefully pour excess bacon grease from the pan into a container. You should leave enough grease to coat the bottom of the pan generously. 
7. Return pan to medium heat and pour your eggs into the skillet and scramble using your usual method. 
8. When done, remove from the pan and enjoy with your bacon!

Some things to remember. 

• Bacon is easily overcooked and will continue to cook slightly after removal from the pan.
• The bacon grease will help prevent the eggs from sticking to the pan, AND it will add flavor to your eggs, decreasing the need for other added salt. 
• NEVER pour bacon grease down a drain. It should ALWAYS be poured into a container to be disposed of later in the garbage, or better yet, to save for future cooking needs. 
• Eggs cook really quickly, and your bacon should stay nice and hot while you cook your eggs. If you are worried about it, keep it inside the microwave or oven to help hold the heat.  

Can You Cook Bacon And Eggs In A Cast Iron Skillet?

If you have read above, you see I recommend cooking your bacon and eggs in cast iron!

You can cook your bacon and eggs in a cast iron skillet. The key to evenly cooked bacon is adding your bacon to the cool pan, (instead of pre-heating the pan). If your skillet is seasoned appropriately, and you cook your bacon first, the combination of the prior oils and the bacon grease will prevent your eggs from sticking to the pan. 

As I said, the key for the bacon is the add the bacon when the pan is cool, then allow the pan and bacon to heat together. This will release the grease slowly and allow for a more even cooking and prevent the bacon from sticking to the pan. 

Eggs can be tricky because they really like to get stuck to the pan. Then when you try to flip, the yolk breaks, and it is just a frustrating mess. When using the cast iron skillet, you actually shouldn’t have this problem. If you have properly maintained your skillet (making sure it remains seasoned), the combination of the oil from the seasoning and the bacon grease that was just rendered while cooking your bacon will make an excellent non-stick surface. 

If you do have some slight sticking, it will likely be very minimal. In this case, I like to flip my spatula over and loosen the edges of the egg, then turn the spatula back over and slide it under my egg. 

Can You Cook Sausage And Bacon In The Same Pan?

Sausage and bacon can be cooked in the same pan, at the same time. The sausage and bacon can be started at the same time, depending on how thick your sausage is. The meats will take similar times to cook, averaging about 10 minutes for sausage and 12 minutes for bacon. 

If you have very thick sausage, you may want to start it a few minutes before the bacon. 

For both types of meat, allow them to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature prior to frying. This will help the meat cook more evenly. 

Make sure to drain both the bacon and sausage on paper towels or cloth after cooking. 

I highly recommend cooking yourself some eggs in the grease left in the pan after cooking your meat! 

Enjoy!