A historical main dish from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Cook ham slices for three minutes, being careful not to burn. Break eggs separately in a saucer to check for bad ones. Don't turn eggs while frying - baste with hot lard instead. The white should retain transparency so the yolk shows through. Trim any discolored or ragged whites.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Cut slices of ham quite thin, cut off the rind or skin, put them into a hot frying pan, turning them often until crisp, taking care not to burn the slices; three minutes will cook them well
Dish them on a hot platter
then turn off the top of the grease, rinse out the pan, and put back the clear grease to fry the eggs
Break the eggs separately in a saucer, that in case a bad one should be among them it may not mix with the rest
Slip each egg gently into the frying pan
Do not turn them while they are frying, put keep pouring some of the hot lard over them with a kitchen spoon; this will do them sufficiently on the upper side
They will be done enough in about three minutes; the white must retain its transparency so that the yolk will be seen through it
When done take them up with a tin slice; drain off the lard, and if any part of the white is discolored or ragged, trim it off
Lay a fried egg upon each slice of the ham, and send to table hot
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Rendering the ham first releases flavorful fat that becomes the cooking medium for the eggs, creating a cohesive flavor profile. Basting eggs with hot fat cooks the tops gently without flipping, preserving the delicate yolk membrane while setting the whites through heat conduction from above and below. The brief three-minute cooking time prevents the Maillard reaction from going too far, keeping whites translucent rather than browned and rubbery.
The ham can be cooked up to 2 hours ahead and kept warm in a 200°F oven on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. However, eggs must be cooked just before serving for optimal texture and food safety.
This dish is best served immediately and does not store well. Fried eggs become rubbery when refrigerated and reheated. Leftover cooked ham can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and used in sandwiches or salads.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The ham can be cooked up to 2 hours ahead and kept warm in a 200°F oven on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. However, eggs must be cooked just before serving for optimal texture and food safety.
This dish is best served immediately and does not store well. Fried eggs become rubbery when refrigerated and reheated. Leftover cooked ham can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and used in sandwiches or salads.
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