Equipment
Ingredients
Bread and Spreads
- 2 white sandwich bread
- 30 g mayonnaise, room temperature
Fillings
- 4 thick-cut bacon, raw
- 1 tomato, medium, ripe
- 2 iceberg lettuce, whole leaves
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 861 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 67 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 2618 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 16 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 36 g
- Cholesterol
- 13 mg
- Potassium
- 581 mg
- Calcium
- 136 mg
- Iron
- 6.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 58 mg
- Phosphorus
- 203 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 18 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 10.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 60 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 6.46 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.93 mg
- Niacin
- 13.4 mg
- Folate
- 142 mcg
- Water
- 125 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Slice the tomato into thick, even rounds. Set aside on the cutting board.
Wash the lettuce leaves thoroughly and pat them completely dry to prevent a soggy sandwich.
Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the raw bacon to prevent cross-contamination. Place the raw bacon strips in a cold skillet, then turn the heat to medium. Fry until the fat renders and the meat is crisp, ensuring the pork reaches a safe internal temperature of 74C/165F.
Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and let it drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Toast the white bread slices until golden brown and firm to the touch.
Spread the mayonnaise evenly over one side of each toasted bread slice, going all the way to the edges to create a moisture barrier.
Season the tomato slices generously with the freshly ground black pepper.
Layer the dry lettuce, seasoned tomato slices, and crispy bacon onto the bottom slice of bread. Place the second slice of bread on top, mayonnaise side down.
Cut the sandwich in half diagonally using a knife and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Starting bacon in a cold pan allows the fat to render slowly, resulting in impeccably crisp strips with minimal curling or burning.
- Applying mayonnaise directly to the toasted bread acts as a lipid barrier, repelling water from the tomatoes and lettuce to preserve the bread's structural integrity.
- Seasoning the tomato slices directly, rather than just the sandwich as a whole, dramatically elevates the overall flavor profile by drawing out the tomato's natural umami.
- Iceberg lettuce is the preferred greenery for a traditional BLT; its high water content and rigid cell structure provide the necessary refreshing crunch to cut through the rich bacon.
Storage
Refrigerator: 12 hours — Store ingredients separately to prevent soggy bread. Assembled sandwich does not keep well.
Troubleshooting
The bread became soggy and fell apart.
Cause: Wet lettuce, highly juicy tomatoes, or insufficient mayonnaise barrier.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled.
Prevention: Thoroughly pat the lettuce and tomatoes dry. Spread mayonnaise from edge to edge on the toasted bread to seal the crumb.
Bacon is curled and burnt on the edges but chewy in the middle.
Cause: Bacon was placed in a hot pan, causing the muscle fibers to shock and contract rapidly.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always start bacon in a cold pan and let the heat rise gradually to render the fat evenly.
Cultural Context
The BLT gained nationwide prominence in the United States following World War II, coinciding with the expansion of supermarkets that made fresh tomatoes and pre-sliced bacon accessible year-round. It is widely regarded as a masterclass in culinary composition, perfectly balancing salty, sweet, crisp, and soft elements in a single bite.
