Juicy BLT
Published August 27, 2019
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
8 slices thick-cut, smoked or unsmoked bacon, or 16 slices thin-cut bacon
2 heirloom tomatoes (in summer season, in winter use smaller vine tomatoes)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 slices good white bread (medium thickness, boule is preferable), heavily toasted
¼ cup mayonnaise
6 butter lettuce leaves
Nutritional analysis per serving
33 grams carbs; 88 milligrams cholesterol; 932 calories; 32 grams monounsaturated fat; 22 grams polyunsaturated fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 78 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 1320 milligrams sodium; 23 grams protein; 7 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
Working in batches if necessary, fry bacon in a large skillet over high heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large cutting board.
- Step 2
While bacon cooks, slice tomato crosswise into thin rounds. Transfer to a plate and marinate with red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Step 3
Spread toast generously with mayonnaise on one side, follow with remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil.
- Step 4
Divide the tomatoes with some of their vinegar marinade among 2 slices of toast. Top with the lettuce.
- Step 5
Lay the bacon on the remaining slices of toast. Form sandwiches by piling the bacon-topped slices on top of the remaining toasts. Squeeze to close, cut in half and serve immediately.
Private Notes
Comments
The tomatoes are always between the bacon and the lettuce so the hot bacon does not wilt the lettuce. Place the lettuce first.
Although I love slices of tomatoes in sandwiches, often the tomato skin is not fully torn through with a bite and much of the tomato is pulled out with a bite. Before placing in the sandwich, I slice the skin of the tomato slices radially around the edges so that the skin tears easily with a bite of sandwich, eliminating the pullout of the entire tomato slice.
I *love* the tomatoes atop the mayonnaise: it’s one of my favorite tastes. So while hot bacon might wilt lettuce, it’s worth it. You can also let the bacon cool a touch too.
Use Serious Eats/Kenji's method & bake a 12-strip lattice weave @ 400F to get full bacon coverage. Easily cuts into 4 woven squares & unused squares store in fridge ready for the next meal, just microwave for 15-30sec. Works well on any bacon sandwich or burger -- just use the weave as the first layer above any mayo or spread on your bread or roll.
Clare's recipe is specific about the bread. Heavily toasted boule is recommended. You can't really discern that from the photo. It's key to dry your toast on a rack so it does not get floppy. I used some homemade buttermilk sandwich bread with garden tomatoes and lettuce; I grew iceberg lettuce just for BLT's. Best Foods mayo (West Coast Hellmann's). Miracle Whip is icky. My bread was pretty good, but Clare's recommended boule would've been better to get luscious with the tomato juices.
Cook your bacon in the oven- that's how my friend's boyfriend who was a chef told me. It stays flat- Be sure to watch it so it doesn't burn. I cook more than I'll eat and warm in the microwave when I want it. About 350 to 375 degrees.