Bacon and Eggs

A historical recipe from Marion Harland's Cookery for Beginners A Series of Familiar Lessons for Young Housekeepers, by Marion Harland (1884).

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A historical recipe

Marion Harland's Cookery for Beginners A Series of Familiar Lessons for Young Housekeepers, by Marion Harland (1884). Project Gutenberg eBook #49155.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

Ingredients 1 ingredient

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

Hot oil. Never put water on an oil fire: turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or a damp tea towel. Pat food dry before it goes into hot oil, and lower it in gently, away from you.
Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Fry as many slices of ham, or what is known as breakfast-bacon, as there are eggs to be cooked.
Have the clean frying-pan warm, but not hot, when the meat goes in.
Turn the slices as they brown.
When done, take the pan over to the sink or table, remove the meat to a hot dish and set where it will keep warm.
Strain the grease left in the pan through a bit of tarlatan or coarse muslin into a cup.
Wipe the frying-pan clean, pour in the strained fat and return to the fire.
If there is not enough to cover the bottom a quarter of an inch deep, add a tablespoonful of butter.
Break the eggs one at a time in a cup, and when the fat hisses put them in carefully.
Few people like “turned” fried eggs.
Slip a cake-turner or spatula under each as it cooks to keep it from sticking.
They should be done in about three minutes.
Do not put in more at once than can swim in the fat without interfering with one another.
Take up as fast as they cook, trim off ragged and rusty edges and lay on a hot platter.
Drain each to get rid of the fat, as you take it out of the pan.
When all are dished, lay the ham or bacon neatly about the eggs like a garnish.
Pepper all lightly.
Ham for this purpose should be cut in small narrow slices.
Drop sprays of parsley on the rim of the dish.