An 11 AM kickoff means the lot is a breakfast crowd. Put a griddle or a cast-iron skillet on the grill and you can feed eight in about 25 minutes. Toast the English muffins, sear the ham, then crack the eggs into butter and dust them with paprika, red pepper flakes and parsley. Once the edges set, add a splash of water and cover them so the yolks cook firm without flipping, then melt a slice of cheese on top. Mayo and a swirl of sriracha go on the top half. If you'd rather not crack eggs in a parking lot, build them at home the night before and warm the foil packs on the grill.
At the lot: Eggs ride in the carton at the bottom of the cooler, and everything cooks on a griddle or skillet on the grill; plan on about 25 minutes from lighting a griddle to the first sandwich, about 40 in a 12-inch skillet working in batches. Cook ahead: Cook and build them at home, wrap each in foil and chill them, then heat them on the grill to 165°F, about 30 minutes counting the heat-up. Homegating: Same cook on the stove, served off the pan.
FIRM
Whites and yolks, lid on
25 MIN
Lighting to eating on a griddle
165°F
Reheating the foil-wrapped ones
8
Serves
Ingredients
Sandwiches
- 8 English muffins, split
- 8 slices deli ham, about ¾ lb, cut thick
- 8 large eggs
- 8 slices cheese (American or sharp cheddar)
- 2 tbsp butter, plus more for the muffins if you like
Seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; ¼ tsp if Morton)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
To serve
- Mayonnaise and sriracha, in squeeze bottles
Steps
At home
- Pack the eggs in their carton, in a zip-top bag, at the bottom of the cooler at 40°F or below. The ham, cheese and mayo ride above them.
- Mix the paprika, red pepper flakes, parsley, salt and pepper in a small jar.
At the lot
- Set a griddle or a 12-inch cast-iron skillet on the grill over medium heat and give it about 10 minutes. Toast the muffins cut side down 1 to 2 minutes, until golden. Set them on a sheet of foil.
- Sear the ham 1 minute a side, until browned in spots. Lay a slice on each bottom half.
- Melt the butter on the griddle and crack in the eggs, spaced apart. Sprinkle them with the seasoning. Cook 2 minutes, until the whites set at the edges.
- Splash about 1 tablespoon of water next to each egg and cover them with a lid, a dome or a tent of foil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the whites and yolks are firm. Lay a slice of cheese on each egg, cover again and give it 1 minute to melt.
- Wash your hands after the raw eggs. Slide each egg onto the ham, swirl mayo and sriracha on the top halves and close the sandwiches.
- Eat them right away. Extras go wrapped in foil on the cool side of the grill, at 140°F or above. Built sandwiches sit out no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Cook ahead
- The night before, cook steps 3 through 6 in a skillet on the stove. Build the sandwiches without the mayo and sriracha, wrap each one in foil and get them into the fridge within 2 hours.
- Carry them in the cooler at 40°F or below. At the lot, set the foil packs over medium indirect heat on the grill, turn them once, and heat until the center reads 165°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the mayo and sriracha and eat.
Pack for the lot
Can you make breakfast sandwiches ahead for a tailgate?
Yes. Cook and build them at home, wrap each in foil and chill them within 2 hours. At the lot, heat the foil packs on the grill until the center reads 165°F.
How do you cook eggs for breakfast sandwiches on a griddle?
Crack them into butter, let the edges set for 2 minutes, then add a splash of water and cover them for 2 to 3 minutes. The steam cooks the tops so the whites and yolks go firm without flipping.
Is deli ham already cooked?
Most deli ham is fully cooked. Keep it at 40°F or below in the cooler. You can eat it cold; the quick sear on the griddle is for flavor.
How do you carry raw eggs to a tailgate?
In the carton, sealed in a zip-top bag, at the bottom of the cooler at 40°F or below, below anything that's ready to eat.
Can you use biscuits or bagels instead of English muffins?
Yes. Toast them the same way. English muffins are the right size for one egg.
More breakfast for early kickoffs: make-ahead breakfast burritos and biscuits and chocolate gravy. To drink: a Bloody Mary bar, hot chocolate or hot apple cider. More ham: ham and cheese sliders. Keeping it hot or cold? See how to keep food hot at a tailgate and how to pack a cooler for a tailgate. Cold mornings: our cold-weather tailgating guide.
