Christmas Breakfast Traditions

Every Christmas morning, the Bassett family’s kitchen fills with the comforting aroma of their family’s familiar breakfast foods. Mel Bassett’s Christmas china, adorned with red holly accents, is set at the dining room table for their time-honored family ritual: a formal sit-down Christmas morning breakfast with three generations of family members present. 

Everyone is surrounded by the delicious spread of prepared dishes, ready to fill up with the meal they share each year. This cherished tradition is about more than just the flavors; it is about the time together on Christmas morning.

Tuck and Mel Bassett have embraced this breakfast tradition for over two decades. Their two sons, Carson and Casey, grew up eating this same breakfast, and now the next generation is, too, including their two grandsons, Luke, 3, and Jack, 1. 

BREAKFAST TIME Tuck Bassett, the “chef” of the family, makes his famous brisket hash recipe for Christmas morning for his family and neighbors including wife, Mel, son Casey and his wife Annie, son Carson and his wife Courtney, and neighbors Susan and Ginny Hightower.  

The spread on their Christmas breakfast table is expansive. “We serve cheese grits with sausage, scrambled eggs with cheese, mini sausage kolaches, venison sausage, fruit salad, and cinnamon rolls,” shares Mel. 

Tuck always prepares his family’s favorite, his famous brisket hash – a closely guarded recipe for 25 years, until now (see below for the recipe). 

“When I asked my son Casey if I should share the recipe, he said, ‘No way, Dad, do not do it,’” said Tuck. However, in the end, after careful consideration, Tuck and Casey decided they should not hold out on sharing the recipe with the community.

BREAKFAST TIME Tuck Bassett, the “chef” of the family, makes his famous brisket hash recipe for Christmas morning for his family and neighbors including wife, Mel, son Casey and his wife Annie, son Carson and his wife Courtney, and neighbors Susan and Ginny Hightower.  

The time spent together, and favorite family dishes contribute to creating special memories. “I love this breakfast because it is something different, and my husband made the recipe up [for his famous brisket hash],” said Mel. She calls him the chef of the family. He is always making new dishes and trying out new things, said Mel. The family enjoys the benefits of his cooking hobby. 

For the Bassetts, Christmas morning represents culinary creations that bring joy and togetherness. Tuck’s quest was to create a breakfast that combines their love for hearty meals with the warm memories of togetherness. 

After the dishes are cleared, and the aromas subside, the table conversations quiet down, Casey and Carson handle the cleanup of the kitchen. As the dishes are loaded away, and the Christmas plates are cleared, they hold the new memories close and look forward to the next time they get to pull the Christmas china out. 

The Dudley family, including parents Ann-Margaret and James, have roots in the northeast, New Orleans, and Lebanon. Ann-Margaret still remembers receiving a recipe for a delicious breakfast strata casserole when she arrived in Texas. "It had some Texas flair to it," she recalls. 

Ann-Margaret says her family loves to mix things up for Christmas morning breakfast. She recalls taking that breakfast recipe as a starting point for her new life as a Texan, and changing it up to suit her family’s taste. They have substituted some commonly used ingredients, such as white bread, opting instead for sourdough bread and adding in rosemary, too.

BREAKFAST TIME Tuck Bassett, the “chef” of the family, makes his famous brisket hash recipe for Christmas morning for his family and neighbors including wife, Mel, son Casey and his wife Annie, son Carson and his wife Courtney, and neighbors Susan and Ginny Hightower.  

For the Dudleys, Christmas morning signifies family-rooted traditions. They have two teenage sons who are passionate about hunting, so the family customizes their Christmas breakfast by using venison meat from their hunting expeditions to prepare the dish.

On Christmas morning, the family’s enthusiasm is palpable as they gather around the table. The Dudleys opt for a more casual setting for breakfast. In addition to the venison strata, they enjoy other dishes that pay homage to their roots, including a favorite, baklava. 

These breakfast traditions serve as a reminder that Christmas is about more than just gifts and decorations; it is a time for connecting, sharing, and creating lasting memories with the people who matter the most. Whether a time-honored recipe or a unique twist on an old tradition, the most essential ingredient is the love and joy of being together on Christmas morning for a good meal.

RECIPE REVEAL Casey (pictured, left) jokingly said he was hesitant to share his dad's secret brisket hash family recipe. (Thankfully, they agreed to share it with Buzz readers.) Here he's pictured enjoying the famous hash with his parents, Mel and Tuck. (Photo: hartphoto.com)

Christmas Breakfast Recipes 

Looking to start a new Christmas breakfast tradition? Tuck Bassett shares his famous brisket hash recipe below. 

Tuck Bassett’s Christmas Brisket Hash Recipe

1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 (32-ounce) bag of frozen tater tots, thawed and broken up
1/2 to 3/4 pound of smoked brisket, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Eggs (to serve)
1 bunch of green onions, diced (to serve)

In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and diced sweet onion to the skillet to sauté. Stir in the tater tots. Cook until they start to crisp up. Add the cubes of smoked brisket to the skillet. Continue to cook and stir until the brisket is heated through and slightly crispy at the edges. If desired, sprinkle red pepper flakes over the mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and fry the eggs to your desired doneness. Serve a portion of hash with an egg or green onion, if desired.

Traditional Breakfast Casserole 

A breakfast casserole is the perfect way to enjoy Christmas morning. Below is a sample recipe, but just as Ann-Margaret Dudley did, substitute and play with ingredients to suit to taste. Breakfast casseroles can be prepared the night before and baked in the morning – one less thing to do on Christmas Day. 

1 pound ground breakfast sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
12 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
6 slices of bread, cubed (stale or toasted)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Christmas Eve Preparation

Cook the breakfast sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Once cooked, remove the sausage from the skillet and drain it on paper towels. In the same skillet, sauté the chopped onions and bell peppers.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and black pepper.

Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place the bread at the bottom of the dish. Layer the cooked sausage and sautéed vegetables over the bread. Finally, sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese.

Pour the egg mixture over the layers. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight (or for a minimum of 4 hours).

Christmas Morning Preparation

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the casserole for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Serve, whether on Christmas china or paper plates, dressed up or still in pajamas, and enjoy with family.