The American classic of bacon, lettuce, and tomato on toasted bread with mayonnaise. Its appeal is all contrast: crisp bacon, juicy but well-drained tomato, fresh lettuce, and sturdy toast. Fast, straightforward, and ideal for lunch or an afternoon meal.
Wash the iceberg lettuce, dry it thoroughly, and separate enough leaves for both sandwiches. Slice the tomato about 7 to 10 mm thick and rest the slices on paper towels for 2 minutes. They should remain juicy without excess surface moisture that would soak the bread.
Place the smoked bacon in a cold skillet and set it over medium heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning as needed, until the fat is well rendered and the strips are golden and crisp. Transfer to paper towels and leave only a thin film of bacon fat in the skillet.
Toast all four slices of sandwich bread
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Spread the mayonnaise over one side of each toast. Immediately before assembly, season the tomato slices with the salt and black pepper. Do this now rather than earlier so the salt does not draw excessive moisture from the tomato.
Build each BLT with lettuce, plenty of tomato, and three strips of crisp bacon, arranged so every bite gets some bacon. Close with the second toast, press very lightly, and cut diagonally. Serve immediately: the bread should remain crisp, the tomato juicy, and the lettuce fresh. 🥓
