How to Make a BLT Sandwich

Making a Classic BLT

Cook the bacon. If there's one thing that's absolutely, positively, 100% crucial to a BLT, it's bacon. Delicious, delectable bacon. Turn a burner on your stove to medium heat and place a large or medium-sized frying pan on it. When the pan is hot (you'll know it's ready if water flicked on to immediately sizzles), add your bacon strips and let them begin to fry. Use tongs or a long fork to periodically turn your bacon strips as they cook to avoid burning. When they have achieved a pleasing brownish color, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. The entire process shouldn't take longer than 10 minutes or so.

While waiting for your bacon to cook, you can proceed to the next few steps to save time. Just keep an eye on your bacon to make sure it doesn't burn.

As an alternative to frying, you can bake bacon by placing it in a shallow cooking pan and leaving it in an oven set to 375o F (190o C) for about 15 to 20 minutes.

The "correct" crispiness of bacon is a subject of endless debate among bacon aficionados. Some people like their bacon soft and chewy, while others like it burnt to a crisp. Ultimately, it's up to you. The earlier you remove your bacon from the pan, the softer it will be.

Add your spreads to one slice of bread. Next, take out two slices of bread and lay them flat on a clean, clear cutting board or work area. Spread mayonnaise (or a substitute like Miracle Whip) on one slice of bread. Then, spread mustard over the mayonnaise. Finally, add any optional spreads or condiments that you care for. For instance, some like to add a little "kick" to their BLTs with a splash of Tabasco sauce.

If you like, you can toast your bread to give your sandwich a crispy texture before applying your spreads.

Obviously, if you don't care for mayonnaise or mustard, there's no need to add either to your sandwich. You may find that having at least one spread helps your sandwich "stick together", though it's certainly not necessary.

Add a few tomato slices. Next, grab a tomato, turn it on its side, and make a few vertical cuts to produce several circular slices. Lay these evenly over your bread. Your tomato layer may be as thick as you like — some people like lots of tomatoes, while others prefer just a few thin slices.

You can use whichever type of tomato you like for your BLT. Traditional, "standard" BLTs are often depicted with large slices of beefsteak tomato, but you can also use a more flavorful varieties like heirloom or Roma tomatoes if you wish.

Add your lettuce. If you haven't already done so, wash your lettuce thoroughly in cold water to remove any dirt and make the leaves crisp and cold. Lay a few leaves of lettuce over your tomatoes. Again, the amount of lettuce you add is up to you. Many find a leaf or two to be sufficient.

As with tomatoes, the variety of lettuce you use is your choice. While many enjoy ordinary iceberg lettuce, other types, like romaine lettuce, are great alternatives. You can even use a different green, like spinach, if you prefer, though in this case your sandwich won't technically be a BLT.

Add your bacon. If your bacon hasn't finished cooking at this point, wait for it to do so. When you've removed it from the stove, lay it on a plate lined with paper towels for a few moments to allow any excess grease to be absorbed. Then, transfer the bacon to your sandwich. The amount of bacon you use is up to you — some folks like a thick mouthful of bacon, while others prefer just a taste. Depending on the size of your bread, 3-4 strips is usually enough to provide a satisfying crunch.

Place your second piece of bread on top of your sandwich. Congratulations! Your sandwich is ready to eat. At this point, you can either enjoy your delicious BLT or continue adding fillings to create a double-decker sandwich.

If your sandwich fillings are stacked too high and your sandwich falls apart when you try to eat it, you may want to spear your sandwich with a toothpick to keep it together.

For a double-decker, add more fillings and another piece of bread. Sometimes, an ordinary sandwich just doesn't cut it. If you're feeling especially hungry, consider adding a second layer of ingredients above your existing sandwich, then capping your double-decker with a third piece of bread. This second layer can contain all of the fillings you've used thus far or just the ones that you wish.

For example, if we wanted to add a second layer with all of the ingredients in the sandwich, we would spread mustard and mayonnaise on top of our current sandwich, add a few tomato slices, add a leaf of lettuce, add a few strips of bacon, and finally add another piece of bread on the very top.