USAThe cheese choice changes the sandwich more than any other variable. American cheese (the individually wrapped processed slices) melts better than any natural cheese — it becomes a smooth, creamy layer that coats the egg and holds the sandwich together. Cheddar has more flavour but melts less evenly, sometimes turning greasy. Gruyère is excellent if you want something more refined. If using a natural cheese, keep the heat low when melting and cover the pan with a lid to trap steam — this helps it melt without overcooking the egg.
For meal prep: cook the bacon in the oven at 200°C on a rack for 15 to 18 minutes — you can do a whole packet at once, undisturbed, while you do other things. Cool, wrap individually in paper, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. In the morning, reheat one strip in the pan for 30 seconds. Cook the eggs fresh — they take 90 seconds and cannot be made ahead without losing quality.
Breakfast Sandwich (Bacon, Egg & Cheese)
By Sergei Martynov
Crispy bacon, a folded egg with melted cheese, and toasted bread. The BEC — bacon, egg, and cheese — is New York's unofficial breakfast, sold at delis, bodegas, and carts across the city since at least the 1970s. What makes the bodega version different from a homemade one is the egg technique: not scrambled, not fried flat, but cooked like a loose omelette, folded into a compact rectangle that fits the bread and keeps everything together. The cheese melts into the egg rather than sitting on top. Everything stays in the sandwich when you eat it. That is the detail that matters.
Key Ingredients
What you'll need
Ingredients
- 2
See recipes with english muffinsEnglish muffins, split (or brioche buns, kaiser rolls, or thick toast)
i - 4 slices
See recipes with streaky baconstreaky bacon
i - 4
See recipes with large eggslarge eggs
i - 2 slices
See recipes with american cheese or sharp cheddarAmerican cheese or sharp cheddar (American melts best; cheddar has more flavour)
i - 1 tbsp
See recipes with unsalted butterunsalted butter (for the eggs)
i - 0.5 tsp
See recipes with salt and freshly ground black peppersalt and freshly ground black pepper
i - 2 tbspSee recipes with condiment of choice: hot sauce
condiment of choice: hot sauce, ketchup, chipotle mayo, or butter for the bread
i
How to make it
Instructions
- 1
Cook the bacon. Place the bacon strips in a cold non-stick skillet in a single layer. Turn the heat to medium. Starting from cold lets the fat render gradually and gives you even, flat strips rather than curled, unevenly cooked ones. Cook, flipping once, until the bacon is as crispy as you like — about 6 to 8 minutes for crisp, 4 to 5 for chewy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off most of the bacon fat, leaving just a thin film in the pan. Toast the split English muffins in a toaster or in the oven at 200°C until golden. Butter them if you like.
- 2
Beat the eggs. Crack 2 eggs per sandwich into a small bowl or cup. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and beat with a fork until completely combined — no streaks of white or yolk. The uniform mixture is what gives you the cohesive, even egg layer. If you like, add a splash of milk (about a teaspoon per egg) for a slightly softer result, but it is not necessary.
- 3
Cook the eggs folded-style. Return the skillet to medium-low heat and add the butter. When the butter foams, pour in the beaten eggs for one sandwich. Let them sit undisturbed for about 30 seconds until the edges just begin to set. Using a spatula, gently pull the cooked edges in toward the centre, tilting the pan to let the liquid egg flow to the outer edges. When the egg is mostly set but still slightly glossy on top — about 90 seconds total — lay a slice of cheese across the centre. Immediately fold one side of the egg over the cheese, then fold the other side over to make a rough rectangle that approximates the size of your bread. Slide onto the waiting muffin. Repeat for the second sandwich.
- 4
Assemble and serve immediately. Place the bacon on the bottom half of the muffin. Slide the folded egg-and-cheese on top of the bacon. Add any condiments — a few shakes of hot sauce inside the sandwich is traditional; ketchup is divisive but works. Close with the top half. Press down gently. Serve immediately. The whole point of this sandwich is that it is eaten hot, in hand, ideally within five minutes of leaving the pan. It does not wait.
- 5
Optional: wrap and steam. The bodega method involves wrapping the assembled sandwich tightly in wax paper or foil for 2 to 3 minutes before eating. The trapped heat steams the bread slightly and the cheese continues to melt. The texture of the bread changes — it goes from crunch to something between toasted and steamed, which some people (including most New Yorkers) prefer. Others do not. Try it once and decide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best bread for a breakfast sandwich?
English muffins are the most practical — the nooks hold the egg and cheese, they toast well, and they are the right size. Brioche buns are richer and more indulgent. Kaiser rolls are the New York bodega standard — soft, chewy, substantial. Bagels work if you like a denser, chewier result. Regular thick-sliced toast is fine for a simpler, less handheld version. Whatever you choose, toast it: untoasted bread goes soggy under the egg in minutes.
What is the best cheese for a breakfast sandwich?
American cheese (processed slices) melts the best — it becomes smooth, creamy, and cohesive rather than greasy. Sharp cheddar has more flavour but melts less evenly. Pepper Jack adds heat. Gruyère is more sophisticated. For the classic deli experience, use American. For a better-tasting but slightly less tidy result, use sharp cheddar. Avoid fresh mozzarella, brie, or any very soft cheese — they release too much moisture and make the sandwich wet.
Fried egg or scrambled egg in a breakfast sandwich?
Both work, but neither is the traditional deli technique. The best approach is the folded method: beaten eggs cooked briefly in butter, folded around the cheese while still slightly soft, forming a compact rectangle. This keeps everything inside the sandwich when you eat it, gives you a continuous layer of egg rather than crumbling curds, and allows the cheese to melt directly into the egg rather than sitting loosely on top. If you prefer fried eggs, over-easy (runny yolk) is more satisfying but messier; over-medium (jammy yolk) is more practical.
Can you make breakfast sandwiches ahead of time?
The eggs cannot be made ahead — they go rubbery when reheated. The bacon can be cooked ahead and refrigerated for up to 5 days. If you need to meal-prep complete sandwiches: assemble with scrambled (not folded) eggs, wrap tightly in foil without the condiments, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 180°C oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or in an air fryer at 160°C for 6 minutes. Add condiments fresh after reheating.
How do you get the cheese to melt properly on a breakfast sandwich?
Three methods. First, put the cheese on the egg while it is still cooking and cover the pan with a lid for 30 seconds — the steam melts the cheese without overcooking the egg. Second, use the folding method: lay cheese on the egg just before folding — the egg wraps around it and the residual heat melts it. Third, place the assembled sandwich under a grill (broiler) for 30 seconds to melt cheese on top. The worst method is putting cold cheese on a just-cooked egg and hoping it melts — it usually doesn't.
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