“Egg In The Hole” Grilled Cheese with Carnitas, Jalapeño Bacon Jam, and Port Salut

I like to design some crazy creations. Last year, I decided to enter a grilled cheese contest. I put my all into designing this masterpiece, and in true Gemini fashion, I was way too excited about my idea, and didn’t read the entry rules. Regardless, I’m proud of what I accomplished.

I’m definitely planning on entering the contest this year. I’m pretty sure I can come up with something just as inventive that actually obeys the rules.

To make this concoction, you’ll need the Carnitas recipe and Jalapeño Jam recipe from one of my previous posts:

Carnitas Grilled Cheese with Jalapeño Bacon Jam

Happy grilling :)

Carnitas Grilled Cheese with Jalapeño Bacon Jam
Makes 4 Sandwiches

1/2 Red Onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup Flour
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1lb Carnitas
8 slices Brioche Bread
4 Large Eggs
A few TBSP of Butter, for grilling
1 Cup Sharp White Cheddar, shredded
1 Cup Port Salut Cheese, Shredded
1/2 cup Jalapeno Bacon Jam

In a small bowl, toss the thinly sliced red onions in flour. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat, and fry the flour-covered onions for 30 seconds-1 minute, until crispy. Pull the crispy onions out of the oil, and set aside on a paper towel to cool.

A flat top grill is ideal for cooking all of the sandwiches at once, but if you don’t have one, do them in batches in the largest skillet you own.

First, take a drinking glass that’s about 3 inches in diameter, and cut a hole in the center of 4 slices of the Brioche.

Melt butter on the grill (or in the skillet), and lay all 8 slices of bread down in the hot butter. Drop one egg into each slice of bread with a hole, and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.

Carefully spread 1/4 cup of Jalapeño Bacon Jam on the non-hole side of bread, then spread out 1/4 cup of shredded Sharp White Cheddar on top of the Jam. On the side with the egg, place 4oz of Carnitas, and shredded Port Salut.

Cover the grill (or pan) until all the cheese is melted. Add the crispy red onions to whichever side of the sandwich you want, then use a spatula to press both sides of the sandwich together.

Enjoy immediately.