Fried Bread
Thick slices of white bread fried in bacon fat or oil for 6 minutes until crisp and golden, a part of a full English breakfast. Two servings in 8 minutes.
Before You Start
Use day-old bread.
Heat the fat first.
If your pan runs hot, check at 2 minutes.
Drain briefly.
Making Fried Bread
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Heat the fat in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
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Fry the bread for 3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
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Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with the salt and serve at once.
Why It Works
Fried bread is the crisp, greasy, golden part of a full English, and the best of it is the edge. The method is simple, and the one thing that goes wrong is a pan that is not hot enough.
Use thick slices of day-old white bread, which hold the fat without going limp. Fresh bread is soft and soaks up oil like a sponge.
Heat the fat until it shimmers, then lay the bread in. If it does not sizzle at once, wait. A cool pan gives pale, oily bread.
Fry for about 3 minutes a side, pressing down gently so the surface makes contact. If your pan runs hot, check at 2 minutes. Bacon fat gives the best flavour, left in the pan after the rashers come out. Otherwise use a neutral oil with a knob of butter. Drain on kitchen paper for a few seconds and serve straight away, alongside the eggs.
Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping
Eat straight away.
What to Serve Alongside
- Fried eggs
- Bacon
- Baked beans
- Grilled tomatoes
Questions and Answers
How long does Fried Bread take to make?
About 8 minutes in total — 2 minutes of preparation and 6 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 2.
What are the key tips for making Fried Bread?
Use day-old bread. Heat the fat first. If your pan runs hot, check at 2 minutes. Drain briefly.
What should I serve with Fried Bread?
Fried eggs; Bacon; Baked beans; Grilled tomatoes.
Is Fried Bread suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
Nutrition per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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