Elevate A Classic Sausage, Egg, And Cheese Breakfast Sandwich With One Simple Tip

Few foods are as glorious as your classic breakfast sandwich. Biting into the beloved combination of a fluffy bagel (or biscuit), a buttery egg, melted cheese, and the salty, umami flavor of your favorite breakfast meat is one of the best ways to start the day. And while a breakfast sandwich is delicious when it's put together simply, there's an extra step that can take your breakfast to the next level.

From bacon to brisket, there are a variety of different ways to take your breakfast sandwich up a notch. However, high-quality sausage links are among the most popular choices when it comes to meat, and if you haven't butterflied your sausage links before putting them on your breakfast sandwich, then you're seriously missing out.

If you're unfamiliar with what the butterflying technique is, it's essentially when you cut a piece of meat (or any thick ingredient) down the middle, but not all the way through. Then, before slapping it on the grill or on a pan, you spread the two cuts open so it resembles the wings of a butterfly. Butterflying can result in thinner cuts that are not only quicker to cook, but can help to elevate the taste and texture of a dish — and when it comes to breakfast sausage links, it's pretty essential.

Breakfast sandwiches are known for being quick to throw together, but delicious nonetheless. And while it may seem like an unnecessary step that adds to your cooking time, butterflying your sausage links has a ton of benefits for your breakfast sandwich recipe. (Oh, and it can actually make the cook time a bit shorter, too.)

First and foremost, butterfly-cutting your breakfast sausage links can make them much easier to cook. Sausage links are pretty dense, and cooking them all the way through can take a good bit of time. By butterflying them, your sausage links will be (basically) split into two thinner pieces, which means quicker and easier cooking. Just be sure you're cooking your breakfast sausages to 160 degrees Fahrenheit internally. Butterflying also makes the sausage flatter, which means you can more easily build the sandwich without it toppling over. 

Butterflying your sausage links can enhance both the taste and texture of your dish. As opposed to crisping up the skin of a sausage link — which is great in its own right — doing a butterfly cut allows that crispy caramelization to form on both the casing and the meat. This additional crisp is the perfect contrast to your fried egg, melty cheese, and garlic mayo all on a soft, toasted bun.