Taylor Ham Egg and Cheese
The classic flavors of a Taylor Ham Egg and Cheese on an everything bagel turned into an easy breakfast casserole that is low carb and keto-friendly. This is the flavorful breakfast or brunch egg bake you have been waiting for.
If you have ever been to New Jersey or know someone from here you have heard about either Taylor ham or pork roll. Depending on where in NJ you live factors in on your name for this delicious breakfast meat. The top half of Jersey calls it Taylor ham and the bottom half calls it pork roll. I grew up in south-central NJ and called it pork roll but after going to college and marrying my husband he converted me to the Taylor ham camp.
On our honeymoon, we were driving through Vermont on our way home and Paul tried to order his diner class “two eggs over easy, Taylor ham, homefries, and rye toast.” The waitress raised her eyebrows and said “you ain’t in Jersey anymore, honey”. Sadly, he had to settle for bacon that day.
Whatever you call this it really is tasty. Classicly it is served on an everything bagel with eggs and American cheese. This part of the country has the best bagels. Truly. And pizza. It can be hard to stick to a low carb diet with such tempting carby options which is why I wanted to take the best flavors of those NJ bagel sandwiches and remove the bagel.
This Taylor ham egg and cheese bake was just as good and when the same is on a huge carb loaded fresh everything bagel.
Is Taylor Ham Egg and Cheese Healthy?
My way, yes. It is low carb and keto friendly. If you are having it on a big ole bagel that is debatable.
How to Make Taylor Ham Egg and Cheese
Step One: Add the pieces of pork roll to an 8×8 baking dish. Pop it in the oven at 400 for about 30 minutes until they are starting to crisp and brown.
Expert Tip: You can quicken this step by frying the Taylor ham in a frying pan for a few minutes and then adding it to the casserole dish.
Step Two: Crack the eggs over the par-cooked Taylor ham and return the dish to the oven.
Step Three: Top with cheese and return to the oven to let it melt. You can sub in another cheese if you don’t want to use American cheese.
Step Four: Remove from the oven, sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning and serve hot.
How to Cook Pork Roll
Traditionally, you would cut a slit in the circle of a piece of Taylor ham and pan fry it until it is golden and beginning to get crisp. But you can also bake it in the oven. I chose to bake it in this recipe so I didn’t have an extra pan to wash. It is important you cook it a bit before adding it to the casserole.
Pork Roll vs Taylor Ham
I talked about this a little in my intro but in a nutshell, they are the exact same thing. Taylor ham is a name brand. There are other brands that make the same product and just call it pork roll. Depending on which part of New Jersey you are in will vary the name it is called.
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Taylor Ham Egg and Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 oz sliced Taylor ham if unavailable sub in regular ham or Canadian bacon
- 8 eggs
- 6 slices American cheese
- 1 tbsp everything bagel seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Please the Taylor ham in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Cook for 30 minutes or until starting the crisp. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Crack the eggs on top of the Taylor ham. Bake for 25 minutes. They should be almost set at this point. You want the white set and the yolk soft.
- Top with cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Top with everything bagel seasoning and serve immediately.
SO GOOD! Perfect for making and serving a larger group of people. I made two trays and they were both eaten up. One recommendation is to break the yolks and lightly mix up after cracking them onto the Taylor ham. I liked how this spreads the yolk texture and flavor a bit more. Great take on a classic though!
That’s funny, yesterday I saw “pork roll” at the grocery store and had no clue what it was (I’m in PA). Now you’ve solved the mystery for me! They even sell a Taylor brand, which I assume is where the moniker came from. 🙂
Yes! Southeast Pennsylvania born and raised! Taylor Pork Roll or Ham is a Jersey thing! Made by Taylor Provisions in Trenton NJ. Its over 170 years old and it was originally called Taylor Ham and changed by John Taylor in 1906. Today north Jersey still calls it Taylor Ham while South Jersey and Southeast PA calls it Pork Roll. Absolutely love the stuff (only once in a while as its not super healthy along with Scrapple, another Pennsylvania staple).
I whipped this up for a make ahead breakfast and the family loved it! I will be making it for holiday brunches, too!
Made this for brunch and it was an absolute hit! We all ate it up so fast! Yum!
I’m from monmouth County too! I was born in Red Bank, grew up In Middletown and now live in Colts Neck. Yup, it always has been, and always will be pork roll 😆
Originally from central Jersey at the shore. Now living in AZ. I finally found Taylor pork roll at my local Fry’s. I’m going to try this. Pork Roll!!!
I saw this recipe and just HAD to look! “Wait! Are they talking about MY TAYLOR HAM!?” Surprised to see someone else knows about this wonderful ham, only known in the region. I was born I New Jersey, however my family moved us to California shortly after I was born. The one thing sorely missed was Taylor Ham. We looked forward to the days each year when grandmother would fly in from the East Coast each year with a suitcase full of those delicious rolls, 4-large, must’ve weighed 20-lbs each! With a family of 8, they never lasted long enough. But the aroma and deliciousness have stayed with me for a lifetime!, and well past my grandmother’s passing. Fast forward to several years ago when I discovered you can now order them online and they arrive cold and in perfect condition! I buy several now during the Christmas season and deliver them as gifts for the family. Generations now later, my kids now grown and grandkids have quickly coughs on to the tradition and for the LOVE of TAYLORS HAM! I think I’ll print this recipe up and include it with these gift this year! I only hope that too many people catch on to this and becomes a hard commodity to buy! 😧
We have traveled with some of those big rolls to my brother-in-law in Minnesota. They look like a missile going through security scanners. lol.
I’m excited to try this- born (in Long Branch) and raised on the Jersey shore and still living in Monmouth County it’s always been pork roll!