Buzz
A BLT is already an ideal sandwich. No need to explain why the mix of crispy bacon, crunchy lettuce, creamy mayo, and juicy tomatoes is irresistible. Every component plays its role perfectly, but let’s be honest—the 'B' in BLT stands for bacon, and people can't get enough of it. Good news: there are three (3) ways to add more bacon to your BLT, turning it into a BbbLT.
Start with the bread of your BLT.
Toasting the bread for a BLT is a classic choice, adding extra firmness to help handle those juicy tomatoes. But why stop at toasting when you can fry your bread in bacon grease, infusing it with a savory, salty pork flavor and extra texture?
The method—which we've discussed before—is straightforward:
Cook your bacon for the BLT the usual way.
Place the crispy bacon on paper towels and reduce the heat a bit (medium works well).
Fry a slice of white bread in the same pan, using the leftover bacon drippings. A couple of minutes on each side is all it takes.
Transfer the golden, bacon-infused, griddled bread to a plate and get ready to assemble your bacon-boosted BLT.
Create meaty mayo
I adore meaty mayo, whether it’s duck fat mayo or bacon fat mayo, but the latter is the clear winner when you’re sneaking in extra bacon for your BLT. (Though duck fat mayo would work well too.) Meaty mayo brings the same tangy, slightly sweet flavor, with just enough bacon grease to lend it a savory, smoky kick.
Bacon Fat Mayo (Check out the how-to video here)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or safflower)
2 tablespoons bacon fat
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Melt the bacon fat in the microwave until it’s just liquid, then pour in the neutral oil to cool it down a little. (You don’t want to cook your yolks.) Add all ingredients except the oil mixture to the cup for your immersion blender, and gently pour the oil over the top. Place the blender at the bottom, switch it to high, and let the blades pull the oil down into the rest of the ingredients. Once you notice mayo ribbons forming, carefully move the blender up and down, tilting as needed to emulsify. Spread it on your bacon-fried bread, and get ready for the tomatoes.
Marinate your tomatoes in a bacon vinaigrette
Marinating tomato slices can turn dull, flavorless ones into something bursting with taste. In her New York Times cooking diary, Chef Clare de Boer offers a tomato tip that boosts the flavor of the meaty fruit with a dash of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt. The tomato absorbs the marinade, while the juices mix with the oil and vinegar to create a tomato-infused vinaigrette, which you then drizzle over the sandwich.
A basic oil and vinegar mix is tasty, but you can take it up a notch by marinating your tomatoes in a bacon vinaigrette.
Bacon Vinaigrette (adapted from this video):
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons neutral oil
2 tablespoons melted bacon fat
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 generous squirts of Dijon mustard
2 generous drizzles of honey
Big pinch of salt
10 cracks of fresh pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake to blend. Drizzle the dressing over your sliced tomatoes and let them marinate for about 15 minutes. Layer the tomatoes on your bacon-mayo-coated, bacon-fried bread, then toss the leftover marinade with shredded lettuce and pile it on top. Indulge in the most bacon-packed BLT ever.
