If you don’t know what to feed your hungry hobbits over the holidays, this epic Holiday Breakfast Skillet recipe is a great start. It’s a lot like the classic cowboy breakfast skillet I make every single year, but with enough food to feed the Shire. Think second breakfast, elevenses, and everything in between, all piled into one massive skillet breakfast built for the holidays.
We’re talking a bone-in ribeye, lamb chops, crispy bacon, breakfast sausage, thin ham slices, dark brown mushrooms, and golden potatoes cooked in a single skillet over the fire. No separate pan for the ring of crispy potatoes with eggs fried right in the middle. It’s the kind of hearty breakfast skillet that feels like Thanksgiving dinner and a full diner-style breakfast plate all in one.
It’s also a big way to use all my favorite rubs, because Cowboy Campfire, Cowboy Butter, and Cowboy Candy all show up in this one. There’s a fair bit of prep work, but the payoff is an easy breakfast recipe that works for Christmas morning, Thanksgiving morning, or any lazy day during the holidays when you’re craving country-style potatoes, easy eggs, veggies, and some hearty meats.
A satisfying farmer’s breakfast skillet is a great start to any celebration and the perfect way to bring the whole family to the table.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Easy Breakfast Skillet
- Holiday Breakfast Skillet Ingredients Round-Up
- The lowdown on the Derek Wolf Cowboy rubs
- How to Make a Holiday Breakfast Skillet
- Cowboy Campfire Is Here
- Prep the Fresh Potatoes
- Cook the Bacon and Sausage
- Crisp the Ham
- Brown the Mushrooms
- Sear the Steak and Lamb
- Cook the Potatoes
- Build the Skillet and Fry the Eggs
- What to Serve with a Holiday Breakfast Skillet
- Storage & Leftovers
- More Breakfast Skillets!
- Fall Breakfast Skillet FAQs
- And It’s 🔥
- Holiday Breakfast Skillet Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Easy Breakfast Skillet
A breakfast skillet recipe is one of my favorite ways to start a holiday morning, especially with a mug of hot coffee in my hand.
First, it’s a true one-pan breakfast. Everything cooks in a single skillet, one after another, so the flavors build on each other. Bacon fat, sausage drippings, and ham all season the pan for the crispy potatoes at the end. That’s the best way to get a more cohesive bite out of every forkful.
Next, the variety. Steak, lamb, bacon, sausage, ham, mushrooms, potatoes, and eggs. Every person at the table gets to build their own plate, and nobody walks away hungry. This is a big breakfast in every sense of the word.
Finally, the flavor. It’s my favorite thing about the Holiday Breakfast Skillet recipe, brought to you by yours truly. My Cowboy Campfire goes on the steak and the potatoes, Cowboy Butter covers the lamb, and Cowboy Candy levels up normally bland mushrooms. Pre-mixed seasonings mean less time trying to figure things out, and more time creating the perfect comfort food.
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. On the holidays, it’s a great way to add more warm and cozy vibes to the slow mornings. If you want more ideas for how to make five star rating breakfasts for your crew, head on over to my Best Breakfast Skillets post.
Holiday Breakfast Skillet Ingredients Round-Up
- Steak – Bone-in ribeye and Cowboy Campfire Rub.
- Lamb Chops – Rack of lamb, sliced into chops, and Cowboy Butter Rub.
- Mushrooms – Sliced mushrooms and Cowboy Candy Rub. If you’re not feeling the mushrooms, any vegetable mixture will work here.
- Skillet – Whole eggs, large golden potatoes, sausage links, thin ham slices, bacon strips, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, tomatoes on the vine, chopped chives, and sliced bread for serving.
- Optional Add-Ons – Diced yellow onion, green bell peppers, or red bell pepper to the potatoes, sharp cheddar cheese or Monterrey Jack melted over the top, and hot sauce for serving.
Now that you know what to grab to make the best one pan breakfast, the real journey begins. Follow me through every step of the Holiday Breakfast Skillet, and we’ll make it to the table before elevenses.
The lowdown on the Derek Wolf Cowboy rubs
What’s the difference between my Cowboy Rubs, you may ask? Here’s the lowdown:
Cowboy Campfire is smoky salt, pepper, and garlic, made with real hickory-smoked salt for that over-the-fire flavor. It’s the go-to foundation for the steak and potatoes.
Cowboy Butter is herby and savory with garlic, mustard, smoked paprika, and a little heat. It’s rich and goes with just about anything, which is why it’s great on the lamb or cooked potatoes.
Cowboy Candy is sweet and spicy with jalapeño and caramelized sugar. It builds a dark, sticky crust, which makes it perfect for the mushrooms.
How to Make a Holiday Breakfast Skillet
Season the Steak and Lamb
Start by seasoning your ribeye with the Cowboy Campfire Rub. Set it to the side until you’re ready to cook.
Next, season your lamb chops with the Cowboy Butter Rub and set those to the side too. Letting both come up to room temperature while you prep the rest helps them cook more evenly.
Prep the Fresh Potatoes
Dice your golden potatoes into even cubes so they all cook at the same rate. Uneven pieces are how you end up with still-hard-inside potato cubes and burnt edges.
If you want extra crispy potatoes in your Holiday Breakfast Skillet, soak the diced potatoes in cold water for a few minutes, then dry them well with a paper towel. The potatoes’ own moisture is the enemy of a good crust, so the drier they are going in, the better they brown.
Cook the Bacon and Sausage
Preheat your fire to medium-high heat, around 375F. Set a large cast iron griddle or large skillet over the fire and let it get hot.
Cook bacon and sausage and flip them every 45-60 seconds. Cook until the bacon is crispy and the sausage hits 165F internal, about 6-8 minutes. Pull both off and keep warm.
Crisp the Ham
Leave that bacon fat in the pan. Add the ham slices and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until crispy, then pull them off and set aside with the rest.
Brown the Mushrooms
Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet and season with Cowboy Candy Rub. Cook slowly and stir until they turn a deep, dark brown, about 7-9 minutes. Low and slow here builds that sweet, caramelized flavor. Pull them off and set aside.
Sear the Steak and Lamb
Now add the ribeye and lamb chops to the skillet, or move them over to a hot grill if you want direct heat and a slight char. Cook until both hit 120F internal, about 5-6 minutes per side.
Pull everything off and let it rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle.
Cook the Potatoes
Add the diced potatoes to the cast iron skillet in a single layer. Give them room, and don’t stir too much, because that’s how you get golden brown, crispy potatoes instead of steamed ones. Cook for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on the outside.
During the last 5-7 minutes, add some Cowboy Campfire and cook until tender and crispy. Pull them off and keep warm.
Build the Skillet and Fry the Eggs
When everything is done, put the potatoes back in the skillet and spread them into a large ring. Add a little oil to the center and crack your eggs into the middle. Fry them to your preference, whether that’s sunny side up with runny yolks or cooked all the way through.
Add the rest of the cooked ingredients back to the skillet: the bacon, sausage, ham, mushrooms, and sliced steak and lamb. Add the tomatoes on the vine for a pop of color.
Take the skillet off the heat and let it rest for 1 minute. Top the whole thing with chopped chives and serve with sliced bread. Enjoy!
What to Serve with a Holiday Breakfast Skillet
This is already a whole meal, but a few sides round it out. Sliced bread is great for dunking in runny egg yolks. Homemade biscuits with country gravy take it in a classic country direction, and fresh fruit gives you something light on the side. For a Thanksgiving morning spread, add a pot of coffee, hot cider, and a little hot sauce on the table for anyone who wants heat.
Storage & Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the best results, keep the eggs separate from the rest of the skillet so nothing gets soggy.
Reheat the potatoes and meats in a skillet over medium heat or in a 400F oven for 10-15 minutes to bring back the crunch. Reheat the steak and lamb gently so they don’t overcook. Fry up fresh eggs when you’re ready to eat.
You can also easily turn leftovers into a breakfast casserole. Chop the leftover meats and potatoes, spread them in a greased baking dish, and pour over 6-8 beaten eggs (with a splash of milk) and a handful of shredded cheese. Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes, until the eggs are set and the top is golden.
More Breakfast Skillets!
Fall Breakfast Skillet FAQs
Yes. You can finish the potatoes in a 425F oven after browning them on the stovetop. An oven finish gives you crispy potatoes with less hands-on time, though you’ll miss some of the smoky flavor from cooking over the fire.
Sure. But most won’t be large enough. This recipe is built for a well-seasoned cast-iron pan; the larger, the better. A 10-inch cast iron skillet won’t hold everything, so if that’s all you have on hand, cook the recipe in batches and combine at the end.
Swap in maple sausage for the breakfast links, and hash browns or sweet potato hash instead of potatoes. Scrambled eggs instead of fried. Or, sprinkle some shredded cheese on top of the finished skillet for another layer of flavor. It’s your breakfast, so make it your way.
Cowboy Candy Is Here
And It’s 🔥
Cowboy Candy is the latest from Derek Wolf – built for those who like a little sweet with their spice.
Holiday Breakfast Skillet
Ingredients
Steak:
- 1 Bone-in Ribeye
- 2 tbsp Cowboy Campfire Rub
Lamb Chops:
- 1 Rack of Lamb sliced into chops
- 3 tbsp Cowboy Butter Rub
Mushrooms:
- 2 cup Sliced Mushrooms
- 2 tbsp Cowboy Candy Rub
Skillet:
- 4-5 Fresh Eggs
- 3 Large Golden Potatoes diced
- 3-4 Sausages Links
- 4-5 Thin Ham Slices
- 5-6 Bacon Strips
- ½ tbsp Kosher Salt
- ½ tbsp Black Pepper
- ½ tbsp Garlic Powder
- Tomatoes on the Vine
- Chopped Chives for garnish
- Sliced Bread for serving
Instructions
- Season your steak with my Cowboy Campfire Rub. Set to the side till ready to cook. Next, season your lamb chops with my Cowboy Butter Rub and set to the side.
- Preheat the fire to medium-high temperature about 375F. Set the large cast iron griddle or skillet over fire.
- Add your bacon and sausage to cook in the skillet making sure to flip them every 45-60 seconds. When the bacon is crispy and the sausage is 165F internal (about 6-8 minutes), pull off and keep warm.
- Next, add your ham slices to cook for 1-2 minutes per side till crispy, then pull off.
- Then, add your mushrooms and season with my Cowboy Candy Rub. Cook slowly and stir until dark brown (about 7-9 minutes) then pull off.
- Next, add your steak and lamb chops to the skillet (or to a grill) to cook until 120F internal (about 5-6 minutes per side). Once the steak and lamb chops are done cooking, pull off and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Add your diced potatoes to the skillet and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on the outside. During the last 5-7 minutes, add some Cowboy Campfire. Cook until tender and crispy. Once done, pull off and keep warm.
- When everything is done, add your potatoes back to the skillet. Spread the potatoes making a large ring in the skillet and add some oil to the center. Add your eggs into the middle and fry to preference. Add the rest of the cooked ingredients to the skillet for serving.
- Remove the skillet off heat and let it rest for 1 minute. Serve the whole skillet topped with some chopped chives and enjoy!
