Smoked Eggs In A Boat

These easy grilled breakfast egg boats are the perfect smoker breakfast recipe! Cook a delicious egg, bacon, and cheese filling inside a hollowed out baguette for a crowd pleasing savory breakfast dish.

I love a good savory breakfast or brunch recipe and I also love the idea of making breakfast on my smoker (like I do here with this smoked breakfast fatty recipe). I was inspired to try this recipe on the grill and create my own version after seeing this version of baked eggboats and wanted to make a version that was smoker-friendly.

Having grillable breakfast options is also great for those long low and slow pellet smoker brisket cooks (need to eat while you wait, am I right?) or for sharing with friends and family for tailgating game days or even the holidays. Find yourself traveling to the great outdoors, then you also need to try this camping breakfast casserole recipe.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Using a sourdough baguette to hold the eggs keeps them from leaking out and allows them to fully bake on the grill.
• The smoke flavor pairs well with the crispy bacon (or breakfast sausage) you can add to the inside of the breakfast egg boat.
• This is an easy way to serve a large group a savory egg based breakfast.

Supplies Needed

• Wire Rack (this helps with easy transfer of the egg boats on and off the smoker)
• Baking Sheet
• Large Bowl
• Whisk
• Frying Pan
• Measuring Cup
• Knife and Cutting Board

Egg Boat Ingredients:

• Demi Baguettes: Find baguettes that are at least 12 inches long and thick enough to cut into to create the egg boat. Using slightly older bread for this works ok too (great way to use up day old bread).
• Eggs: I used large eggs for this recipe. You may need to adjust the egg amount slightly if you want a fuller egg boat.
• Shredded Cheese: Use any cheese you like, I love classic cheddar cheese or pepper jack.
• Protein (optional): Cooked bacon, smoked sausage, smoked salmon, chorizo, etc.
• Veggies: Add in any veggies you prefer, I like green onions, spinach, mushrooms, peppers, and more! You can also add shredded hash browns here if you like.
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)
• Red Pepper Flakes (for a little heat)

Smoking Instructions:

1. Preheat the smoker to 350 F. and set it for indirect heat. This allows the eggs to cook and solidify without the bread becoming too crispy. This works on any style grill or smoker.
2. Precook any proteins you want to add to this recipe. I used 4 thinly sliced pieces of cooked bacon for each baguette (8 total).
3. Hollow out the baguettes by carefully using a pairing knife to lightly slice through the top layer of the bread, not cutting all the way through to the bottom. Use your fingers to scoop and pull out the center of the bread creating a hollowed out space for the egg mixture. Use the leftover bread for other recipes like this smoked stuffing!
4. Place the baguettes onto a wire rack and the rack over a baking sheet. This makes transferring on and off the grill so much easier (and provides stability)
5. Place a little shredded cheese into the bottom of each loaf of bread. Do not overfill with cheese (I was tempted myself) because it will overpower the eggs in this recipe. Place any meat or veggies into the base of the baguette as well.
6. Beat the eggs in a bowl and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. I prefer to not add liquid to the eggs (like heavy cream) because I find it makes it harder for the eggs to solidify using this method.
7. Carefully fill each egg boat with the beaten and seasoned eggs. It’s ok if the egg mixture doesn’t fill to the top of the baguette, you need room for it to expand as it cooks.
8. Place the wire rack with the egg boats onto the grill grates of your smoker. Close the lid and smoke for 30-35 minutes. Check that the eggs have been fully set. Continue to smoke for an additional 5-10 minutes if needed.
9. Remove the smoked eggboats from the grill and let them sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife or chef’s knife to cut individual servings and garnish with fresh chives or parsley and enjoy!

Expert Tips & Variations:

• Don’t overfill the baguettes with extra meat, cheese, or veggies or they can overflow.
• Avoid very watery veggies or be sure to really drain or strain them prior to using them in the filling. If the mixture gets too watery the eggs won’t firm up and set fully.
• Enjoy creating fun variations like a Mexican-inspired version with chorizo, pico de Gallo, and avocado. You can also make a “Denver” style with ham, peppers, onions, etc.
• You can freeze these as a whole, cooked egg boats for up to three months or as individually sliced pieces.