“What’s in a name? That which we call Hobo Eggs / By any other name would taste as delicious.”
On your camping trip you decide to fix Hobo Eggs for breakfast. For this hobo eggs campfire recipe, you will need butter, bread, eggs, and seasonings. Hobo eggs are experiencing a resurgence, regardless of the different names you call it — egg in a basket, egg in a hole, hole in one, one-eyed Jack, or egg with a hat.
Hobo Eggs consist of a fried egg in the middle of a slice of bread. When eggs and toast are combined, two common breakfast items, they become magnificent. This dish may essentially be prepared anywhere.
In order to make this easy breakfast dish, butter a piece of bread, cut a hole in the middle of it, place it in a frying pan, and put an egg into the hole so that everything cooks at the same time. Usually, the hobo egg and the cut out round piece of bread are fried together in the pan.
If you’ve never experienced this delicious morning staple, it basically consists of an egg that has been fried inside the hole of a piece of bread. Together, you receive a runny fried egg and some buttered toast to mop up the yolk.
The meal can bring back childhood memories while being less fancy than French toast or a ridiculous plate of pancakes looking like Mickey Mouse ears. In addition, it’s advantageous for campers and boondockers because cooking requires few skills and uses inexpensive ingredients. But how did the same dish that was eaten in all European civilizations come to have so many names in American homes?
Origins of Hobo Eggs
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Eggs in a hole date back to the turn of the previous century. Fried eggs on toast is a meal with more humble origins and were created by home cooks who spoke a wide variety of languages and brought to America. The recipe was spread by word-of-mouth, much like a folktale.
The original “egg with a hat” recipe first appeared in the Boston Cooking School Cookbook by Fannie Farmer in the 1890s. It calls for removing the bread’s center using a 2.5-inch cookie cutter so that it can be put on top of the fried egg as the “hat.” It had only a brief set of instructions with less than 100 words and no recipe introduction, yet the cookbook has passed the recipe down through many generations.
Many Italian-American home cooks who immigrated during the migration waves between the 1860s and 1920s put together a more basic version, “uova fritte nel pane” (fried eggs in bread), with peppers or tomatoes on the side, around the same time as Farmer’s recipe debuted. In the 1987 film Moonstruck, which is about an Italian-American family, a character played by Olympia Dukakis refers to the dish as “uova nel cestino” (eggs in the basket). Numerous names, ranging from the odd to the offensive, have been given to it.
Hobo Eggs from America
Eggs and a little bread are typically easily available to hoboes. In light of this, eating this meal is fairly common wherever you go. Whatever the name, the dish, the recipe, and the cooking method are the same.
Without its center, which has been removed with a glass or cookie cutter, a piece of bread toasts in a skillet that has been buttered. A fried egg cooks in the hole while being seasoned with salt and pepper as it finishes. The cook will then turn the egg and toast over, brown the other side, and then serve the dish with their choice of sides.
The tomatoes and colorful cheese on the platter give it more color. Carnivore sides tend to include bacon, sausage, or country ham. Vegetarians can choose sides of vegetables. Pick whatever your taste buds crave.
How To Prepare Hobo Eggs?
There are almost as many ways to fix hobo eggs as there are names for it. We will start with one of our favorite recipes for Campfire Hobo Eggs and work our way up to your Kitchen stove.
- Use a large iron skillet. Place a grill over the campfire and place the large skillet on it for cooking. Make sure to have a pair of long tongs or a barbecue spatula handy.
- Use a large iron skillet. Place it on a campsite barbecue grill after charcoal’s flame dies down a little, closer to a medium heat.
- Use a medium skillet. Great option, because now you are on a portable gas camping grill, where there is not as much room, but is a great way to cook easy breakfasts.
- Use a medium skillet. Make this a fun weekend breakfast when everyone is home.
What Ingredients are Needed to Make Hobo Eggs?
Here is a pleasant surprise. You can count the basic ingredients on one hand. Bread slice, large eggs, butter, salt, and pepper.
◾ You can fix two Hobo Eggs and have a very filling hot breakfast. We like to have cheese melts on top.
◾ For our own breakfast, our favorite way is to butter the bread and toast both sides first. Then we use large eggs and cook them sunny side up.
◾ Sides that you can use with this simple dish are almost limitless. Bacon, sausage links or bulk, or country ham. Vegetarian? Replace vegetables for the meat.
◾ The best things about this great breakfast recipe is that it’s easy, simple, quick, delicious and can be finished off in a hundred different ways, depending on your preferences.
Simple Hobo Eggs Campfire Recipe
Equipment
- iron skillet
- long tongs or spatula
Ingredients
- 1 slice of your favorite kind of bread
- 1/2 tbsp. butter
- 1 egg large
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Using the rim of a glass or a round cookie cutter with a 2" diameter cut a circle out of the center of the slice of bread. Place the bread in the melted butter and let lightly brown a minute or two on each side.
- Crack the egg straight into the center of the hole. (If you prefer your eggs dead and not runny, break the yolk.)
- Cook until the egg sets a bit on the bottom, about a minute. Sprinkle the egg with salt and pepper. After another minute, use a spatula to flip it over and salt and pepper the other side.
- Move the whole piece of toast around the skillet, soaking up all of the deliciousness. Cook until the egg is no longer jiggling, but still feels soft to the touch, about 3-4 minutes. You want to make sure the whites are cooked through, and the yolk reaches your preferred consistency.
Video
Notes
Nutritional Information:
Here’s the comprehensive overview of the nutritional content of the Hobo Eggs recipe, making it easier for readers to understand the benefits and considerations of including this dish in their outdoor adventure meals.
| Nutrient | Details |
|---|---|
| Calories | Approximately 240 kcal per serving. Suitable for an energizing start without being too heavy. |
| Protein | Good source from eggs. Essential for muscle repair and energy during outdoor activities. |
| Carbohydrates | Primarily from bread. Provides quick and sustained energy for active days. |
| Fats | From butter and egg yolk. Essential for long-lasting energy and vitamin absorption. |
| Vitamins & Minerals | Eggs: Vitamin D, B6, B12, zinc, iron, copper. Bread: B vitamins, iron, dietary fiber (if whole grain). |
| Dietary Fiber | Higher with whole grain bread. Aids in digestion and maintains a healthy digestive system. |
| Cholesterol | Present in eggs. They provide high-quality protein and essential nutrients. |
| Sodium | Moderate amount from bread and added salt. Important for electrolyte balance. |
Another Campfire Recipe You Can Try: Easy TexMex Chicken Foil Packets Campfire Recipe
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