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Cheesy Western Skillet with Hash Browns and Ham

Cheesy western skillet with hash browns and ham is a hearty one-pan breakfast with golden hash browns and jammy melted cheddar. Eggs cook directly in the skillet wells, so every bite has ham, peppers, onions, and set yolks.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Hash browns
  • 20 oz frozen hash browns Frozen hash browns in a 20 oz bag.
Ham and vegetables
  • 1 lb ham Diced ham.
  • 1 bell pepper Diced.
  • 1 onion Diced.
Eggs
  • 6 eggs Crack into 6 wells.
Cheese
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese Use shredded cheddar for easy melting.
Cooking fat and seasoning
  • 3 tbsp butter or oil Choose butter or oil for browning.
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the hash browns
  1. Heat the butter or oil in a large cast iron skillet over campfire.
  2. Add the frozen hash browns and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.
Add ham and vegetables
  1. Add the diced ham, bell pepper, and onion, and cook for 5 minutes more.
Cook eggs in wells
  1. Create 6 wells in the hash brown mixture and crack an egg into each well.
  2. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over everything and cover with a lid or foil.
  3. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the eggs are set to desired doneness, with cheese melted and bubbling at edges.
Serve
  1. Season with salt and pepper and serve directly from the skillet while steaming.

Notes

For the best golden texture, let the hash browns sit briefly before stirring so they can brown. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended due to egg texture. For a dairy-light option, use reduced-fat cheddar (or a cheddar-style shreds) to help the cheese melt while lowering calories.