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The Ultimate BLT Sandwich

Posted July 23, 2020 by Chris Last Updated August 27, 2020

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A BLT Sandwich couldn’t be easier to make. Here I share with you some game changing tips to taking a BLT to the next level!

Yes, as you can see by the photo I’ve added a few more letters to the BLT. BUT these are totally optional, the tips I’m sharing with you go for the classic BLT. I’m just being extra, as per 🤣 Anywho, follow me…

one sandwich stacked on top of each other on wooden board

Best BLT Sandwich

All great BLT sandwiches start with great bacon. I mean realistically it’s a 3 way effort with the tomato and lettuce, but c’mon, we all know what we came here for!

What bacon to use?

I always go for streaky bacon, of which I’m routinely reminded by my American readers is just regular bacon 😂 You can in reality use any bacon you fancy as long as it’s pork. Turkey bacon has no place here.

How many pieces of bacon are in a BLT?

Streaky bacon is fairly thin, so I usually go for 4 pieces per sandwich. If you’re using a thick cut bacon consider 3 slices.

Bake or fry the bacon?

You’ll definitely want to fry the bacon, mainly because you want to use the bacon fat. This neatly leads me on to my next point…

Should a BLT be toasted?

In short – half of it should. Stick with me here. Once you’ve rendered down the fat from the bacon leave it in the pan. From there grab your bread and fry one side of it. Not only will this add flavour to the toast, but is a great way to use up the leftover fat. Waste not want not and all that.

The reason I only toast one side is that way you get the best of both worlds. The outside is toasted, so you get good stability when holding the sandwich. It also gives a slight crunch to the sandwich, without being too crunchy along side the lettuce and bacon. The soft side allows you to spread mayonnaise and because it’s not toasted, the heat won’t cause it to go greasy.

How to fry bacon for a sandwich - 4 step by step photos

How to make a BLT Sandwich

Alrighty, bacon crisp, bread HALF toasted, let’s talk discuss fillings. Mayo is the first layer, followed by lettuce. Here I use Red Gem Lettuce, but you could sub Iceberg Lettuce. Next up is tomato. I recommend good quality fresh tomatoes – I usually go for vine-ripened tomatoes. In all cases though I highly recommend seasoning the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper.

What could you add to a BLT?

BLT purists, no apologies are made here. BLTs invite so many additional fillings and you know it. Hey, rules are made to be broken aren’t they? Or at least bent a little bit.. Anywho, here’s the 3 extras I usually chuck in:

  • Cheese – Shaved cheddar works great. Nice and thin so doesn’t overpower the flavour or texture.
  • Avocado – Thin fresh slices of avocado are heaven in a BLT. Just like the tomato though I highly recommend seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Red Onion – Very thin slices. Red Onion is quite pungent in comparison to the other flavours, but does over a gorgeous extra punch of flavour if added in the right quantity.

If you like pesto then a dollop of that, goes beautifully too. Or even pesto mayo. But we’ll stop there before I anger the purists too much.

How to make a blt sandwich - 8 step by step photos

Serving a BLT

I recommend serving up right away as they start to go soggy after a little while. The mayonnaise does protect the bread somewhat from moisture, but the salt will extract a good amount of moisture from the tomatoes which will soften the other ingredients, namely the bacon. Honestly these are pretty hefty so I usually serve them as they are, but if you’re looking to make into a larger meal consider these:

Crisp/Chip Recommendation: Cheese and Onion is my favourite with the classic BLT. If you’re adding cheese and onion in the filling I recommend Ready Salted.

Side Recommendation: Something light like Sweet Potato Wedges works great here.

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this BLT shall we?!

3 sandwich halves stacked on each other with filling showing

How to make a BLT Sandwich (Full Recipe & Video)

one sandwich stacked on top of each other on wooden board

The Ultimate BLT Sandwich

A BLT Sandwich couldn't be easier to make. Here I share with you some game changing tips to taking a BLT to the next level!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Brunch, lunch
Cuisine: Western
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings (click & slide): 2 sandwiches
Calories per serving: 759kcal
Author: Chris
Cost per serving: £3 / $4

Equipment

  • Frying Pan & Tongs
  • Sharp Knife & Chopping Board

Ingredients

BLT:

  • 4 large thick slices of Seeded Bread (or bread of choice)
  • 8 slices of Streaky Bacon (see notes)
  • 2 fresh vine-ripened Tomatoes, 6 slices per sandwich
  • 6 leaves of Red Gem Lettuce, firm stalks removed & washed if necessary
  • 2 tbsp Mayonnaise
  • Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Optional:

  • 1 small Avocado, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 small Red Onion, thinly sliced
  • thin shavings of Cheddar (easiest to use potato peeler)

Instructions

  • Add your bacon to a large pan over low-medium and fry until most of the fat has rendered down and the bacon is nice and crispy. Remove from pan, leaving bacon fat behind.
  • Place in bread and lightly toast one side (see notes).
  • Place bread toasted side down, spread over around 1/2 tbsp mayo (or to preference) then top with lettuce. Add tomato slices, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then top with bacon. Optionally add any or all of the following: shaved cheddar, avocado (seasoned with pinch of salt & pepper), thinly sliced red onion.
  • Spread mayo over second slice, place on top then slice through the center. Enjoy!

Quick Demo

Notes

a) Bacon - Important to fry it low and slow to render out as much fat as possible so a) the bacon will be nice and crispy and b) there will be enough fat to toast your bread. Streaky bacon is fairly thin so I usually do 4 slices per sandwiches, but if it's thick cut bacon 3 may suffice. You could bake the bacon but you'll lose out on the excess bacon fat to toast the bread.
b) Toasted Bread - You can toast both sides (spread a little mayo or butter if you run out of bacon fat), I just prefer the crisp outside and soft inside. It also means you can spread the mayo on the soft side without it warming/going greasy.
c) Cheese - This is of course optional. I find shaves of cheese are nice because they're nice and thin so don't overpower the flavour/texture of the sandwich. I have also used Swiss cheese in a BLT which works nicely, mozzarella is also nice for a more subtle taste.
d) Calories - per sandwich without any of the additional toppings:
Nutrition Facts
The Ultimate BLT Sandwich
Amount Per Serving
Calories 759 Calories from Fat 494
% Daily Value*
Fat 54.93g85%
Saturated Fat 2.371g15%
Trans Fat 0.026g
Polyunsaturated Fat 7.831g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.987g
Cholesterol 6mg2%
Sodium 896mg39%
Potassium 1063mg30%
Carbohydrates 41.77g14%
Fiber 7.8g33%
Sugar 9.63g11%
Protein 25.51g51%
Vitamin A 1779IU36%
Vitamin C 17.8mg22%
Calcium 110mg11%
Iron 3.13mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
*Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.
Tried this recipe?Be sure to show it off and tag @somethingaboutsandwiches with #somethingaboutsandwiches!

If you loved this BLT Recipe be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth Sachs

    August 27, 2020 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    This is my kind of sandwich and one of our family favourites. I’d eat it for lunch every day if I could.

    Reply
    • Chris

      August 27, 2020 at 3:49 pm

      Same!! 🤣

      Reply
  2. Julia

    August 27, 2020 at 1:36 pm

    5 stars
    I have to say I make similar sandwich if not the same often for lunch. It’s so good, isn’t it?

    Reply
    • Chris

      August 27, 2020 at 3:49 pm

      The best!!

      Reply
  3. Jen

    August 27, 2020 at 1:06 pm

    5 stars
    BLTs are such a yummy lunch option in our house. My boys request them often but I think I’ll switch it up with some of your add in ideas. Avocado and red onion, yum!!

    Reply
    • Chris

      August 27, 2020 at 3:49 pm

      Thanks Jen!! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Amanda Wren-Grimwood

    August 27, 2020 at 12:43 pm

    5 stars
    Now that’s what I call a proper sandwich! I’ve got to add the avocado to mine.

    Reply
    • Bless my food by payal

      August 27, 2020 at 1:29 pm

      5 stars
      Too good. Such a fabulous and nicely explained recipe.

      Reply
      • Chris

        August 27, 2020 at 3:49 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    • Chris

      August 27, 2020 at 3:48 pm

      Thanks Amanda! All about the avo 🙂

      Reply

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