Steak and Eggs Recipe

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 my delicious 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. I love serving this meal 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 I 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 are other options.
• Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content.
• Onions – Garlic and green onions are perfect for the sauce.
• Sugar – The sauce can be made with regular granulated, light, or dark brown sugar. Honey is a good substitution.
• Water – I use plain tap water 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. You can use soy instead of 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 what I use in the 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

Prep the steak: First thing I do is pat the steak dry on all sides. Next, I season every side generously with salt and pepper, making sure it’s evenly coated.

Sear the fat cap: I add the oil to a large carbon-steel or cast-iron skillet and turn the heat to high until it smokes lightly. Then, I hold the steak with tongs and sear the fat cap for 30 seconds.

Sear the side: Then, I turn the steak on its side and let it cook for 1 minute.

Create the crust: I move the steak around in a circular motion for 90 seconds to build a rich Maillard crust.

Flip the steak: I turn the steak over and let it cook without touching it for 1 minute.

Add the butter: I lower the heat to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the skillet.

Baste and rest: Once the butter is melted, I baste the steak for 2 to 3 minutes until the top is golden brown. Then, I set the steak on a rack to rest for 5 to 6 minutes.

Cook the eggs: While the steak rests, I drain off most of the cooking fat and place the pan back on the burner over low heat, letting it cool for 1 to 2 minutes. I turn the heat to medium and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter. Once it’s melted, I add the eggs and fry them for 2 to 3 minutes or until they reach my preferred doneness. I season the eggs with salt and set them aside.

Cook the garlic: I place the pan back on the burner over medium heat and cook the minced garlic cloves for 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant.

Make the sauce: I add the Worcestershire, vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes, hot sauce, and water, then cook for 1 minute.

Finish the sauce: I turn off the heat and swirl in 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter until the sauce is smooth and emulsified.

Garnish and serve: I finish the sauce with green onions and serve it right away. For ideas on how I enjoy this recipe, check out my serving suggestions section.

Serving Suggestions

I love serving this steak and eggs recipe for brunch when my parents come over on Sundays. It’s a classic with a side of my crispy home fries, and I always make something sweet for my daughter like French toast or blueberry muffins.

For a bigger spread, I sometimes add my blackberry cobbler for dessert or serve it with a fresh spring salad.

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.

More Breakfast Recipes

• Frittata
• Eggs Benedict
• Biscuits and Gravy
• Quiche Lorraine
• Corned Beef Hash