Elevate Breakfast Sandwiches With This Savory German-Style Makeover

Whether it's an Egg McMuffin from McDonald's or New York's iconic bacon, egg, and cheese, there is something uniquely comforting about a good breakfast sandwich, and a great one can even become part of our daily routine. However, you should never be afraid of trying something new, which is why you should consider elevating your next breakfast sandwich with a savory, German-style makeover in the form of the Strammer Max.

Breakfast sandwich aficionados need not worry about stepping too far out of their comfort zone, as the Strammer Max is a just a particular national take of the classic formula of bread, meat, and egg. An open-faced sandwich popularized in the 1920s, the Strammer Max typically comprises of a slice of rye or wheat flour bread that has been fried or toasted and buttered, then seasoned with salt, pepper, and optionally mustard, and finally furnished with sliced, cured ham and a fried egg. 

As with many great sandwiches, however, you can expect to find numerous variations. Cheese is sometimes added, and regional versions include the Stramme Lotte, which features cooked rather than cured ham; the Strammer Otto, which instead uses beef; and the Strammer Moritz, which substitutes salami. In Bavaria, you may find the sandwich made with a slice of leberkäse, a dense German meatloaf of beef and pork. Strammer Max will commonly be served with pickled gherkins or cornichons, though in Cologne it will often come with a ladleful of goulash on top. 

As you may have guessed from its description, putting together your own Strammer Max is hardly difficult. If you're keen to keep your breakfast sandwich as authentic as possible, head to your local deli to get some imported German Black Forest ham, but if that's not an option, Tasting Table judged Kirkland's Black Forest Ham to be the best ham to buy at Costco for sandwiches. If you're feeling especially ambitious and fancy making your Strammer Max as much as possible from scratch, bear in mind our advice on how to choose the best rye flour before baking your next loaf. 

Given the amount of variations of the Strammer Max that already exist, you shouldn't feel too worried about sticking to the traditional script, as this is as perfectly adaptable as any good breakfast sandwich. For a spicy twist, you could take some inspiration from how some New Yorkers enjoy a bacon, egg, and cheese, and garnish your Strammer Max with some hot sauce, ketchup, or both. Alternatively, if you simply can't imagine your morning repast without bacon, you can employ the bacon trick that makes breakfast sandwiches so much better and cook up a crispy bacon weave, which has the benefit of both looking elegant and tasting predictably delicious.