The Perfect BLT (Bacon Lettuce and Tomato)

5 from 1 vote

The Perfect BLT (Bacon Lettuce and Tomato)

The most perfect BLT situation known to man! Bacon, lettuce, tomato, bacon jam, mozzarella, basil vinaigrette....the works! Be prepared to never make another BLT any other way ever again.

Prep Time20

Cook Time0

Total Time20

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

For the BLT Bar

8 strips bacon cooked and crispy
1 head butter lettuce
2 heirloom tomatoes sliced
1 recipe Basil Vinaigrette
½ cup mayo
8 ounces fresh mozzarella
½ cup sun dried tomatoes finely chopped
16 slices Sourdough bread or any other bread of your choosing
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

For the Bacon Jam

1.5 pounds sliced bacon cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
2 cups finely chopped shallots about 6-8 shallots
4 small cloves garlic chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground mustard
½ cup bourbon
¼ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup sherry vinegar
⅓ cup packed light-brown sugar

Instructions

For the Basil vinaigrette

Make the Basil Vinaigrette and set aside.

For the Bacon Jam

Cook all bacon off in a large skillet reserving 1 tablespoon fat in pan. Depending on the size of your pan, this might have to be done in batches.
Add shallots and garlic to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder and mustard and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Increase heat to high; add bourbon and maple syrup. Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Add vinegar and brown sugar and return to a boil. Add reserved bacon; reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces to a thick glaze, about 10 minutes.
Transfer mixture to a food processor and pulse until it has the consistency of a chunky jam. Refrigerate in an airtight container at least 1 hour and up to 4 weeks.

To serve:

Arrange all the BLT ingredients on a large board or table and let people assemble their own sandwiches as needed.
My preferred way of assembling a BLT is as follows:
Toast 2 pieces of bread and on the bottom slice, slather some of the mayo. Add a piece or two of the butter lettuce and drizzle a spoonful of the basil vinaigrette on top of the lettuce. Top the lettuce with some sliced fresh mozzarella and a sprinkle of the sun dried tomatoes and sliced heirloom tomatoes. Season each layer as you go with salt and pepper. Top the tomatoes with a piece of bacon ripped into piece. On the top piece of bread, slather some of the bacon jam. Then press everything together and eat.

Notes

Nutrition depends on your personal sandwich selections.

Nutrition