BLT
intro
The iconic timeless BLT layers smoky crispy bacon, juicy ripe summer tomato, crisp lettuce, and creamy mayo on toasted bread for a perfectly satisfying quick bite.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep fresh produce
First, wash and dry the 200g iceberg lettuce leaves thoroughly with a salad spinner to remove all surface moisture (soggy lettuce ruins BLT texture!). Slice the 350g ripe beefsteak tomatoes into even 6mm (1/4-inch) thick rounds, patting cut surfaces lightly with a paper towel to remove excess seedy juice. Set prepped vegetables aside at room temperature.
Cook crispy bacon
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat (175°C/350°F pan surface temperature). Arrange the 240g thick-cut bacon slices in a single layer, working in 2 batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until deep golden and crispy around the edges with no soft, rubbery uncooked fat remaining. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess grease for 2 minutes.
Toast sourdough bread
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon (15ml) of rendered bacon fat from the skillet, then return the pan to medium-low heat (150°C/300°F). Place the 8 slices of sourdough bread in the skillet in batches, toasting for 1.5-2 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp on the surface, with a soft, chewy center. Transfer toasted slices to a clean work surface.
Spread mayo coating
Let toasted bread slices cool for 1 minute until safe to handle, then evenly spread 1 tablespoon (15ml) of full-fat mayonnaise across the entire surface of each of the 8 bread slices. Lightly season the mayo-coated sides with the 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, divided evenly across all slices.
Layer sandwich fillings
Assemble sandwiches on 4 of the mayo-coated bread slices (mayo side facing up): add 3 slices of drained crispy bacon per sandwich, breaking slices slightly to fit evenly across the bread. Top bacon with 2-3 slices of patted-dry tomato, then add 2-3 dry iceberg lettuce leaves to cover the tomato completely. Top each stack with the remaining 4 bread slices, mayo side facing down against the lettuce.
Cut and serve
Press each assembled sandwich down gently with the palm of your hand to compact layers slightly (this prevents fillings from sliding out while eating). Use a sharp serrated knife to cut each sandwich diagonally into 2 triangular halves, and serve immediately while the bacon is crisp and bread is warm.
Tips
2.Never cook bacon over high heat: this burns the bacon edges before the interior fat fully renders, resulting in charred, chewy strips instead of evenly crisp, perfectly cooked bacon.
3.For the best, brightest flavor, use in-season ripe summer tomatoes; out-of-season hothouse tomatoes are bland, watery, and cannot provide the signature sweet, juicy contrast to salty, smoky bacon.
OMG this BLT is SO good! I made it for my kids’ after-school snack yesterday and they begged me to add it to our weekly dinner rotation. The trick to cooking the bacon super crispy in the oven? Total game changer, no more splatters all over my stovetop! 10/10
Solid easy recipe! I threw this together for a quick lunch between work meetings and it came out perfect. I added a little extra mayo and a sprinkle of black pepper, chef’s kiss. Only took me 12 minutes total, super fast.
Wait, I swapped the bacon for coconut bacon and used vegan mayo, and it still hit so hard! The tip to toast the bread until it’s golden crunchy is what makes this, honestly. Only knocking a star because I wish there was a quick note for easy vegan swaps, but it was still the perfect summer lunch.
Took this to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and people were asking me for the recipe left and right! I used thick-cut hickory bacon and homegrown tomatoes from my garden, absolute perfection. Who knew a simple sandwich could be such a crowd pleaser?
Bro I’m a total beginner in the kitchen and I didn’t mess this up at all? 15 minutes start to finish, crispy bacon, juicy tomato, crunchy lettuce. Way better than the sad BLTs they sell in the campus dining hall, saved me so much money this week.
I’ve been making BLTs for 50 years and I have to say, the tip to let the bacon drain on paper towels for a minute before assembling keeps the bread from getting soggy? Wish I’d thought of that decades ago! Perfect classic recipe, no weird fancy frills, just good old fashioned sandwich goodness.
Meal prepped the bacon ahead for weekend camping trips and these were chef’s level after a long morning on the trail. I packed the tomato and lettuce separate so nothing got mushy, assembled them on the trail, and everyone in my group was jealous. 10/10 camping food.
Made these for my husband’s work lunch all week — I cooked a big batch of bacon on Sunday, assembled the sandwiches the morning of, and he said they stayed crispy and delicious even by lunchtime. Way better than his usual fast food runs.
Added a slice of sharp cheddar and a little avocado to mine and it was *chef’s kiss*. The crispy, evenly toasted bread is the perfect base for whatever add-ins you want, honestly. Such a flexible, no-fuss base recipe.
I was worried the bread would get soggy if I added too much tomato, but the tip to pat the tomato slices dry with a paper towel? Total game changer. No soggy sandwich mess in my kid’s lunchbox, thank you!
I made these for our family game night last night and everyone customized theirs with different add-ins — pickles, hot honey, avocado, even a fried egg for my oldest son! The crispy bacon base made every version slap, will be making these again for sure.