Published October 31, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This steak and eggs recipe combines perfectly seasoned and seared ribeye with fried eggs and an incredible sauce. It’s the best way to start your day, and the sauce is so good you’ll want to bottle it up.
We have a big breakfast every day to ensure we are loaded with plenty of nutrients to give us the energy we need for the day. If you feel the same way, try my Huevos Rancheros or Avocado Toast.
Steak and Eggs
Steak and eggs are a classic breakfast dish. It consists of grilled or seared steak served alongside fried eggs. Of course, scrambled eggs or even poached eggs can also work. The meal can be served as is or with a sauce such as chimichurri or hot sauce.
For good reason, this is my dad’s all-time favorite breakfast dish. It’s an indulgent protein powerhouse created to fuel your day. You can also vary the cut of beef and egg preparation to your liking. To me, this is meant to be a quicker dish to prepare, but it can be elevated by dry-brining the beef.
History of Steak and Eggs
This dish was said to have been created in the early 19th century in Australia. However, it didn’t become popular until WW2, when American Marine soldiers were exposed to it and immediately fell in love. While it lost steam down under, it quickly became a staple breakfast food in the United States when the Marines returned home and brought it with them.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Steak — Any cut of steak, such as sirloin, filet, flank, ribeye, New York strip, skirt, or flat iron, will work. It can also be thick-cut or thin for quick cooking. The meat can be boneless or bone-in.
- Eggs – Large, chilled eggs or at room temperature will work well.
- Oil — Use a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado. Beef tallow or lard may also be used.
- Butter — I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content.
- Onions – Garlic and green onions are used in the sauce for this recipe.
- Sugar — The sauce can be made with regular granulated, light, or dark brown sugar. Honey can also be substituted.
- Water – Plain tap water is used to counter the spice in the sauce.
- Vinegar – White distilled, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar is best.
- Sauce – I used Worcestershire and Tabasco sauce in the dish. However, you can use your favorite hot sauce in this recipe. Soy can be swapped for Worcestershire, but it will alter the flavor.
- Seasonings – I only used coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper on the steak. Crushed red pepper flakes are used in steak sauce. You can substitute the pepper flakes with 1 to 2 tablespoons of your favorite spicy minced fresh chiles.
How to Make Steak and Eggs
Start by patting the steak dry on all sides. Next, season all sides of the steak with salt and pepper.
Add the oil to a large carbon-steel or cast-iron skillet and turn the heat to high until it smokes lightly. Hold the steak with tongs and sear the fat cap for 30 seconds.
Then, turn the steak on its side and let it cook for 1 minute.
Move it around in a circular motion for 90 seconds to create a Maillard crust.
Flip the steak over and let it cook untouched for 1 minute.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
Once melted, baste the steak for 2 to 3 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Set the steak aside to rest on a rack for 5 to 6 minutes.
In the meantime, drain off most of the cooking fat, return the pan to the burner over low heat, and let it cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat to medium and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add the eggs and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until the desired internal doneness is achieved. Season the eggs with salt and set them to the side.
Return the pan to the burner over medium heat and cook the minced garlic cloves until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds.
Then, add Worcestershire, vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes, hot sauce, and water and cook for 1 minute.
Turn the heat off and swirl in 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter until the sauce is emulsified.
Finish the sauce with green onions and serve it with the steak, eggs, and an optional side of home fries.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: The steak can be salt-brined for 24 hours before cooking. You can also prepare this recipe up to 1 hour before serving. However, once it’s cooked, it should be served immediately.
How to Store: Cover the steak and eggs and refrigerate for 3 days. This recipe does not freeze well.
How to Reheat: This steak does not reheat well, but if you need to reheat it, re-sear it in a hot pan with lightly smoked oil until warm. This will raise its internal doneness. The eggs can also be re-fried, but they, too, will rise in internal doneness.
Chef Notes + Tips
- Take this dish to the next level by dry-brining the steak just like in my reverse sear steak recipe.
- You can also use a non-stick or stainless-steel skillet.
- Using a long pair of tongs is recommended when cooking over high heat.
- Moving the steak in a circular motion will help create a better, even brown crust.
- Maillard reaction, also known as the browning reaction, is an interaction between sugar and amino acids in the steak when heated to 285°and 350° over high heat, browning the meat to enhance the flavor and add more crispness. This is not the same as caramelizing.
- For a deeper flavor, add 4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs and 3 to 4 whole garlic cloves to the steak while basting.
- The searing procedure I used will render a medium-rare internal doneness.
More Breakfast Recipes
Steak and Eggs Recipe
Ingredients
- 20- ounce boneless ribeye
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon distilled vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoons hot sauce
- 3 tablespoons water
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by patting the steak dry on all sides. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
- Next, season all sides of the steak with salt and pepper. I usually mop up the salt and pepper that fell to the side with the steak just to get it all.
- In a large carbon-steel or cast-iron skillet add in the oil and turn the heat to high until it begins to smoke lightly.
- Hold the steak with tongs and sear the fat cap for 30 seconds. Then, turn the steak on its side and let it cook for 1 minute. Using your tongs gently pinch the steak on its sides and move it around in a circular motion for 90 seconds to create a Maillard crust.
- Flip the steak over and let it cook untouched for 1 minute. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
- Once melted, baste the steak for 2 to 3 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Set the steak aside to rest on a rack for 5 to 6 minutes.
- In the meantime, drain off most of the cooking fat and return the pan to the burner over low heat and let it cool down for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Turn the heat back up to medium and in 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add in the eggs and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until the desired internal doneness is achieved. Season the eggs with salt and set them to the side.
- Return the pan back to the burner over medium heat and cook the minced garlic cloves until fragrant, which takes 30 to 45 seconds.
- Then, add in the Worcestershire, vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes, hot sauce, and water and cook for 1 minute. Turn the heat off and swirl in 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter until the sauce is emulsified.
- Finish the sauce with green onions and serve it with the steak and eggs, and optional side of home fries.
Steak and Eggs Recipe