I eat breakfast most days. Eggs are fine. But meat makes it feel real. I’ve tried a lot. Some made me happy. Some made me mad. Here’s what stuck with me.
Speaking of tracking down fresh finds, I sometimes tap into community resources like MilfMaps, a playful location-based guide run by food-loving moms that surfaces neighborhood butcher shops and breakfast counters you might otherwise miss—perfect when you want to scout new meat options beyond your usual grocery run. When I'm cruising around the Valley, I also browse the hyper-local classified boards; OneNightAffair’s Burbank Backpage is a surprisingly handy feed where pop-up breakfast counters, weekend butcher tents, and small-batch smokehouses post last-minute deals—worth a peek if you thrive on limited-edition meats and early-bird specials.
For a deeper dive into quirky charcuterie and some of the strangest breakfast-ready cuts I’ve ever seen, I sometimes wander through the virtual aisles of Hats of Meat to spark new cravings. You can also check out my dedicated rundown of breakfast meats where I log every sizzle test in detail.
Bacon: crispy dreams, greasy truth
-
Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Bacon
This one smells like a campfire, in a good way. Thin slices. They crisp fast and even. Taste is sweet smoke and a little salty. Great on a BLT. Pricey, though. If the pan’s too hot, it curls and shrinks. I learned the hard way. -
Wright Brand Thick Cut Applewood
Heavy slices with a big, meaty bite. I bake it at 400°F on a rack for 18–20 minutes. I stole that oven method from this excellent breakdown of the best ways to cook bacon. It stays flat and gets that glassy edge. Less mess. It can be a bit salty, so I don’t salt my eggs with it. Save the bacon fat for potatoes. You’ll thank me Saturday morning. -
Applegate Naturals No Sugar Bacon
Clean flavor. Not sweet. It cooks fast, so watch it close. Great with pancakes when you want the maple from the syrup, not the meat. Strips are smaller, which is fine for sandwiches.
Sausage: patties vs. links vs. “oh wow, that spice”
-
Jimmy Dean Original Pork Sausage (1-lb roll)
I slice the roll and press my own patties. It browns nice in a cast iron pan. Sage comes through. Good for sausage gravy. But it throws a lot of grease, so I drain it well. If I rush the heat, it burns outside and stays soft inside. Low and steady works. If you’re curious about the why, this sausage-cooking explainer lays out the science. -
Johnsonville Breakfast Links (Maple and Original)
The links snap a bit when cooked right. Maple is candy-sweet—my niece loves it; I don’t. I air fry them at 375°F for about 9 minutes, shaking once. Fast weekday fix. They can split if you crowd the basket. -
Trader Joe’s Chicken Breakfast Sausage
Light, herby, not greasy. Good on days I want protein without the heavy feel. It dries out if I go past medium heat. I toss it into a scramble with peppers and onions. Simple and solid. -
Aidells Chicken & Apple (not “breakfast,” but I use it anyway)
Slight apple sweetness. Nice with waffles. Sear the outside for color or it looks sad. Lower fat means less splatter. That’s a small win.
Ham and the quick Canadian bacon move
-
Boar’s Head Canadian Bacon
Round slices that cook in like one minute. Lean. Salty, but clean. I use it for a copycat Egg McMuffin with a toasted English muffin and a fried egg. It won’t give you crispy bits, but it won’t smoke up your kitchen either. -
Smithfield Ham Steak
Fast. Cheap. Also easy to overdo. If I sear it hard, the edges turn tough. I cube it and fold it into eggs with cheddar. A little goes a long way, because the salt is loud.
On mornings when I crave something brined and smoky beyond ham, I reach for corned beef or Montreal-style smoked meat—my full taste rundown lives here.
Wild cards that steal the show
-
Cacique Pork Chorizo
Spicy, soft, and rich. It turns the pan orange. Use paper towels. I cook it slow, then add eggs and a handful of cilantro. Taco time. It does stain wooden spoons, so I keep a “chorizo spoon.” -
Spam Classic
Don’t laugh. I slice and pan-fry it till the edges crisp. Then I do fried rice with eggs and green onion. It’s salty comfort food. Not for low-salt days, but sometimes you just need that throwback taste.
Another dried-beef sleeper that surprised me is cecina; I captured its leathery chew and deep beefiness in this first-person taste test.
Turkey bacon: manage your hopes
- Butterball Turkey Bacon
Bake it if you want it crisp. Pan-fry makes it rubbery fast. It works for a wrap when I want a lighter bite. It’s not real bacon, and that’s fine. I treat it like its own thing.
Plant-based picks that surprised me
-
MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage Patties (Original)
Microwaves in a minute. Peppery, crispy edges if you pan-sear after. Texture is a little spongy, but it works in a biscuit with egg and cheese. I keep a box for busy school-day mornings. -
Beyond Breakfast Sausage (Classic)
Good sizzle. Tastes close to pork, with a hint of “pea” if you eat it plain. Best in a sandwich where cheese and egg balance it out. It can stick, so I use a little oil and a nonstick pan.
How I cook them without drama
- Bacon: Oven, 400°F, on a rack over a sheet pan, 15–20 minutes. Don’t crowd.
- Links: Air fryer at 375°F for 8–10 minutes. Shake once.
- Patties: Cast iron, medium heat, don’t press with the spatula or they dry out.
- Canadian bacon: 30–60 seconds per side, and you’re done.
- Chorizo: Low heat, take your time, drain well.
A tiny tip: Rest meat on paper towels. You’ll taste the meat, not just the grease.
Small pairings that make breakfast pop
- Chorizo + scrambled eggs + warm tortillas + a squeeze of lime.
- Thick-cut bacon + tomatoes + mayo on toast. Summer magic.
- Canadian bacon + egg + cheddar on an English muffin.
- Sausage gravy over biscuits on a rainy day. Cozy, messy, perfect.
Quick picks if you’re standing in the aisle, stuck
- Best for a crowd: Wright Thick Cut Bacon, oven-baked.
- Weekday fast: MorningStar Farms patty in the microwave, then a quick sear.
- Kid favorite: Johnsonville Maple Links (sweet, but they cheer).
- Low-mess: Boar’s Head Canadian Bacon.
- Splurge: Nueske’s Bacon for that deep smoke.
- Light day: Trader Joe’s Chicken Breakfast Sausage.
Little things I learned the hard way
- If bacon smells too sweet in the pack, it’ll taste sweeter than you think.
- “No sugar” bacon burns quicker. Watch it.
- Lean sausages need lower heat. Be patient.
- Freeze sausage patties with parchment between them. They cook from frozen.
- Save bacon fat in a jar. Roast potatoes in it. You’ll smile.
You know what? Breakfast meat is about mood. Some mornings I want light and tidy. Some mornings I want a plate that says, sit down, breathe, and eat. I’ve cooked all of these in my small, loud kitchen, with coffee that went cold twice. And I’d buy them again, for different days and different feels. That’s the fun part—picking the right bite for the morning you’ve got.