Venison Chorizo Egg Bites

Venison Chorizo Egg Bites

  • Course

    Breakfast

  • Duration

    1 hour

  • Serves

    12 muffins
Chef’s notes

Neighborhood coffee shops seem to take advantage of our lack of time in the morning—overpriced coffee and breakfasts offset by the convenience of being immediately available. Do the math though, and you’ll find that a dozen eggs is cheaper than a basic coffee shop egg bite. With a bit of planning, you can create a better product for way less money. A single batch of these grab-and-go breakfasts can last me all week.

The real beauty of this dish is that you can make the recipe absolutely your own. Swap the chorizo for regular breakfast sausage, corned venison, bear ham, or smoked salmon. Or swap the queso fresco for Havarti, feta, cheddar, or goat cheese. The addition of fresh herbs, such as chives or dill, make the possibilities endless.

Ingredients

Chorizo

  • 1 lb. of ground venison
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp. ancho chili powder
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano

Egg Bites

  • 1 lb. venison chorizo
  • ½ lb. crumbled queso fresco
  • 12 eggs
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ cup half-and-half

Also works with

Any sausage

Special equipment

Cake pan, silicone muffin tin

Preparation

  1. Find a cake pan that the silicone muffin pan will fit inside. Fill the cake pan with 1 inch of water and place in a 275-degree oven. Bring the water bath up to temp for 15 minutes.
  2. Combine ground venison and spices into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Cook the venison chorizo in a skillet on medium heat. Break up the meat into a coarse consistency while cooking—the use of a wooden spoon or spatula works great for this. Once browned, drain any grease from the chorizo.
  3. Crack 12 eggs into a mixing bowl. Pour in the half-and-half and a pinch of salt. Whisk vigorously for one minute, ensuring that the mixture is uniform. Transfer to a container that will facilitate pouring into the molds, such as a small pitcher.
  4. Portion 1 tablespoon of cooked chorizo per slot in the muffin tin. When all the slots have chorizo, equally divide the egg mixture between the 12 slots. Once the egg mixture is divided, portion a tablespoon of crumbled queso fresco on the top of each slot.
  5. Carefully place the silicone muffin mold into the pre-heated water bath. Cook at 275 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the egg bites have solidified. The use of a water bath will allow the egg bites to cook evenly and gently.
  6. Once cooled enough to handle, the egg bites can be carefully removed from the molds. Enjoy warm or place in a storage container in the refrigerator for up to a week. They can easily be reheated in a microwave for 20-30 seconds.

Sign In or Create a Free Account

Access the newest seasons of MeatEater, save content, and join in discussions with the Crew and others in the MeatEater community.
Save this recipe

Venison Chorizo Egg Bites

Recipe by: Michael Vialpando
Venison Chorizo Egg Bites
  • Course

    Breakfast

  • Duration

    1 hour

  • Serves

    12 muffins
Chef’s notes

Neighborhood coffee shops seem to take advantage of our lack of time in the morning—overpriced coffee and breakfasts offset by the convenience of being immediately available. Do the math though, and you’ll find that a dozen eggs is cheaper than a basic coffee shop egg bite. With a bit of planning, you can create a better product for way less money. A single batch of these grab-and-go breakfasts can last me all week.

The real beauty of this dish is that you can make the recipe absolutely your own. Swap the chorizo for regular breakfast sausage, corned venison, bear ham, or smoked salmon. Or swap the queso fresco for Havarti, feta, cheddar, or goat cheese. The addition of fresh herbs, such as chives or dill, make the possibilities endless.

Ingredients

Chorizo

  • 1 lb. of ground venison
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp. ancho chili powder
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano

Egg Bites

  • 1 lb. venison chorizo
  • ½ lb. crumbled queso fresco
  • 12 eggs
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ cup half-and-half

Also works with

Any sausage

Special equipment

Cake pan, silicone muffin tin

Preparation

  1. Find a cake pan that the silicone muffin pan will fit inside. Fill the cake pan with 1 inch of water and place in a 275-degree oven. Bring the water bath up to temp for 15 minutes.
  2. Combine ground venison and spices into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Cook the venison chorizo in a skillet on medium heat. Break up the meat into a coarse consistency while cooking—the use of a wooden spoon or spatula works great for this. Once browned, drain any grease from the chorizo.
  3. Crack 12 eggs into a mixing bowl. Pour in the half-and-half and a pinch of salt. Whisk vigorously for one minute, ensuring that the mixture is uniform. Transfer to a container that will facilitate pouring into the molds, such as a small pitcher.
  4. Portion 1 tablespoon of cooked chorizo per slot in the muffin tin. When all the slots have chorizo, equally divide the egg mixture between the 12 slots. Once the egg mixture is divided, portion a tablespoon of crumbled queso fresco on the top of each slot.
  5. Carefully place the silicone muffin mold into the pre-heated water bath. Cook at 275 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the egg bites have solidified. The use of a water bath will allow the egg bites to cook evenly and gently.
  6. Once cooled enough to handle, the egg bites can be carefully removed from the molds. Enjoy warm or place in a storage container in the refrigerator for up to a week. They can easily be reheated in a microwave for 20-30 seconds.