There’s a very cottagey solution to serving a morning meal that’s easy, delicious, and unforgettable—the barbecue. All the reasons a barbecue works for dinner apply to breakfast: everything cooks in one spot, cleanup is simple, it’s social, and—best of all—you can have that delicious grilled flavour, plus grill marks on your toast, to start the day.
Huevos Rancheros with Sausage and Grilled Avocado
Ruth Gangbar
Have fun with extra toppings on this breakfast skillet: crumbled cooked bacon, grated cheese, green onion, even grilled corn kernels cut off the cob—they all build layers of flavour and texture.Remember that eggs continue to cook in a hot pan: take the pan off the heat just before they’re cooked as you like them.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Mexican
- 4 spicy Italian sausages
- 1 yellow or orange pepper halved
- 1 red onion peeled and cut into wedges with stem end attached
- 1 head garlic halved
- 2-3 tbsp tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 can (540 ml) pinto (Romano) or white kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 can (540 ml) Italian-style stewed tomatoes
- 2 avocados halved and peeled
- 4 eggs
- chopped parsley or coriander
- small corn or wheat tortillas
- hot sauce optional
Preheat grill to medium, with a 9" or a 10" cast iron skillet on the grate. In a bowl, toss pepper halves and onion with ½ tbsp of the oil to coat; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle garlic halves with a little oil, wrap in a small foil bundle, and place onto grill alongside skillet.
Add sausages and veggies to grill, using a grill basket, if desired. Cook, turning occasionally, until sausages are fully cooked and vegetables charred and softened, about 10 minutes. Remove sausages and vegetables to bowl. When garlic bundle is softened and aromatic, remove and squeeze roasted garlic cloves into the bowl.
While sausages are cooking, add 1½ tbsp oil to the preheated skillet. Add beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Crush some beans with a potato masher or wooden spoon.
Using kitchen shears (or a knife and a cutting board), coarsely chop sausages and vegetables in the bowl.
Add sausage, veggies, accumulated juices, and canned tomatoes to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and bubbling, about 6–8 minutes.
Top the hot bean mixture with cracked eggs (adding additional eggs for up to 6 people, if desired). Place avocado and tortillas on the grill and close lid.
Cook until eggs are cooked to your preferred doneness, about 5–8 minutes. Turn avocados and tortillas after 2–3 minutes, removing when charred. Wrap grilled tortillas in a clean paper bag or a moist clean towel wrapped in foil to stay soft and warm.
Sprinkle eggs with chopped parsley and place skillet on a trivet (IT’S HOT!) at the table with warm tortillas, sliced grilled avocado, and hot sauce (if using).
Tip
Perfectly ripe and even slightly underripe avocados grill beautifully (and taste delicious), but if your avocados are very soft and overripe, mush the flesh with a little salt and lime juice in a bowl and serve alongside the eggs. Keyword Barbecue, breakfast, eggs, grilling, mexican
This recipe originally appeared in our May ’24 issue.
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