Bobby Flay's Go-To Midnight Snack Is A Popular Breakfast Staple

Breakfast for dinner is a fun switch-up that can make any evening feel a little more special. For celebrity chef Bobby Flay, however, breakfast isn't just for a morning or evening window; it's also for midnights. In an Instagram video posted by Misfits Market, Flay declares the bacon, egg, and cheese his favorite late-night sandwich. 

This accolade, in part, has Flay's New York roots to thank; the chef cites the breakfast essential as "a classic New York combination," pointing to the city's longstanding history with the egg-based mainstay. The bacon, egg, and cheese — often abbreviated to "BEC"  — is something of a New York City icon, popularized through its relatively low-cost and grab-and-go nature. Indeed, as a New Yorker, Flay grew up eating the sandwich, which is a New York bodega and deli staple.

 "We'd go to our local deli — 24-hour late night situation — and get a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, maybe after a couple of cocktails ..." Flay says in the video. He also calls the sandwich a great hangover meal, proving its versatility ... no matter the time of day. 

Yet not all BECs are equal, and Flay makes his with a few specific elements that elevate the sandwich from a midnight snack to a perfect meal. Namely, Flay relies on both harissa and brioche — and makes sure to cook his eggs in bacon fat.

Bobby Flay calls his BEC recipe "fairly straightforward" but outlines a few specifics for how, exactly, to assemble the ultimate version. Crucially, Flay uses a brioche bun, but rather than toast the bread as-is, he shells out the soft interior. This process improves the ratio of bread to filling, said Flay, who doesn't want the roll to overpower the bacon, egg, and cheese. 

Once the bun is cored, Flay toasts it and adds two pieces of pan-fried bacon. If he's making enough sandwiches to feed a large group, he'll cook the bacon in the oven. The stovetop, however, is ideal, as Flay uses the leftover bacon fat to fry eggs in the same pan. On occasion, Flay will make scrambled eggs, but — per his video — fried eggs are the most traditional form. And, just like those eggs, the bacon should be ultra-crispy, adding crunch to the sandwich. 

As for the cheese, Flay layers a slice directly atop his eggs while they're cooking on the stove. Then, he adds a little water to his pan, covering it until the eggs and cheese melt together. The finishing touch? A few spoonfuls of spicy, flavorful harissa, layered over the brioche bun. If you're not crazy about this step, try making sriracha butter for the ultimate egg sandwich on an English muffin. In the words of Flay, "It's not about elegance; it's about flavor."