How to Cook T-Bone Steak and Eggs

A hearty, savory breakfast is one great way to prepare for a physically demanding day. Yet you don’t have to follow the popular Keto diet just to enjoy a T-bone steak first thing in the morning. Frying up a T-bone takes only a few minutes on each side in a hot skillet, and the fat left behind is perfect for cooking up some eggs to go with it. Of course, you’re also welcome to add in hash browns, biscuits, or any other starchy side dish you like with your steak and eggs. Get your protein in one flavor-packed breakfast meal designed for the big eater.

What is the Perfect Way to Cook Eggs with Steak?

When eggs are paired with a steak at a steakhouse or Texas roadhouse, you’ll generally see them cooked sunny side up. This is only a matter of preference. If you’re a fan of scrambled eggs with cheese and chives, it’ll pair perfectly with a juicy T-bone steak. Poached eggs are tasty when topping a slice of thick buttered toast and nestled next to the steak. Aside from sunny side up, don’t forget about all the variations of flipping the egg over to give the yolk a gentle to firm cooking.

Different ways to cook eggs:

Scrambled

For the simplest scrambled eggs, just whip four to six eggs in a bowl until they’re evenly blended. Add a generous pinch of salt and some cracked black pepper. Melt a tablespoon of butter in or add the fat from a cooked steak to a nonstick pan, then pour the eggs in and cook over low heat. Stir only when the eggs begin to turn opaque so they don’t get too over-stirred and rubbery. Keep them moving as they cook, and stop before all the liquid is gone to prevent dry eggs.

Sunny Side Up

The classic fried egg is sunny side up, or cooked so the yellow yolk remains whole and largely liquid. You’ll just heat up fat or butter in a non-stick skillet, then crack the eggs directly into the pan. Try to drop them gently so the yolk doesn’t burst and the white forms an even circle around it. Cook over low to medium heat, not moving or poking the egg. Once the white is completely opaque and the edges are evenly browned, remove it from the pan with care. It takes about three minutes on medium heat for a sunny side egg to cook through.

Poached

For this method, you’ll need a pot of simmering water. You only want a few bubbles rising up from the bottom every few seconds. Crack your cold eggs gently into a cup one at a time. Only transfer eggs with whole and unbroken yolks to the water, taking care not to dump them too quickly. Then turn the heat off and let the warm water cook the egg. The egg whites should stay suspended around the yolk, forming a soft poached egg that is finished after just three to five minutes of cooking.

Over Easy

If you cook an egg sunny side up but then flip it, you’re cooking it over easy. This diner style of preparation just barely cooks the yolk, leaving it runny but a little thicker than the egg that is never flipped. For the best results, try turning the heat off under the pan before flipping. This ensures only residual heat helps set the yolk without overcooking it. Leave the egg flipped for just 30 seconds to a minute before moving it to a plate.

Over Medium

Follow the steps above, but leave the egg cooking for two or so minutes on its yolk side. This will result in a soft, almost creamy yolk texture that complements the richness of the steak.

Over Hard

If you’re not a fan of wet yolk, try an egg cooked over hard by leaving the egg on its yolk side for three or more minutes. This will give it a rich flavor and a texture closer to the center of a hard-boiled egg.

How to Cook Your Steak Perfectly

No matter what you choose to pair with it, you need to handle your premium beef steaks with care.

Steak Doneness Temperatures

The key to cooking a T-bone steak in a pan is knowing exactly when it’s done. You’ll want to remove the steak from the hot pan as soon as it hits the temperature indicating your desired level of doneness. Only a meat thermometer will accurately tell you the internal temperature.

Tips for Success

• Let the steak reach room temperature before cooking. Just like you want to start with cold eggs for poaching to control the speed of cooking, starting with a warmed steak ensures better crust formation on the surface and a better depth of flavor.
• Prepare your steak before your eggs and let it rest while you focus on them. Trying to handle both dishes at once will leave you ignoring one or the other. Even the longest method of cooking eggs won’t take longer than the 10 minutes a steak should rest after cooking.
• Consider some savory toppings that pair well with both steak and eggs, such as fried onion mushrooms or pan gravy.

Easy Steak and Eggs Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 T-bone steak, around 1 inch to 1.5 inches thick
• 2 to 4 eggs, depending on the method of cooking
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil (for steak)
• Fat from cooking steak or 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter (for eggs)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Let the steak come to room temperature before cooking. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat on the stove. Add the oil to the pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the steak or any other desired seasoning. Bring the heat under the pan to high.

2. After one to two minutes of heating, place the steak in the hot pan. Let it cook for about 5 minutes (rare) to 7 minutes (medium) on the first side, then flip. It should only take three to four minutes on the opposite side to reach medium rare. Let it continue cooking for a higher level of doneness, using a meat thermometer to check it often.

3. Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest on a plate for at least 10 minutes. Prepare your eggs as desired in a non-stick pan or pot of water, depending on the method.

Notes

Pick a steak with plenty of fat along the edge if you want extra pan drippings to use for cooking the eggs. It can be possible to cook eggs in a cast iron skillet used for cooking the steak, but you will experience some sticking unless a lot of oil is used.

Conclusion

No need to head to Texas for a classic cowboy’s breakfast. Grab your pans and cook up a Chicago Steak Company T-bone and eggs meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner whenever the urge strikes.