About this recipe

The ultimate BLT — crispy bacon, ripe tomatoes, and fresh lettuce stacked on toasted bread with a generous swipe of mayo. Simple, satisfying, and timeless. The secret is in the details: thick-cut bacon cooked just right, bread toasted golden, and a great tomato at peak ripeness. This is the sandwich that never goes out of style.

Instructions

1. 1

   Lay the bacon strips in a cold skillet in a single layer. Turn heat to ^[medium]. Cook, flipping occasionally, until the bacon is deep golden and crispy, about 8–10 minutes. Adjust heat down if it's spattering too aggressively — ^[low] and slow gives you flat, evenly crispy bacon.

2. 2

   Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Let it rest for 1–2 minutes — it will crisp up even more as it cools.

3. 3

   While the bacon drains, toast the sandwich bread slices until golden brown. Use a toaster oven, toaster oven, or the broiler. The toast should be firm enough to hold the fillings without going soggy.

4. 4

   Spread mayonnaise generously on one side of each slice of toasted sandwich bread — don't be shy, it's the glue that holds everything together and adds essential richness.

5. 5

   Season the tomato slices lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides. This step is small but makes a big difference in flavor.

6. 6

   Build each sandwich: on one mayonnaise-spread slice, layer 2 romaine lettuce leaves, then the seasoned tomato slices, then 3 strips of bacon (broken in half if needed to fit). Top with the second mayonnaise-spread slice, mayonnaise-side down.

7. 7

   Press gently and cut diagonally. Serve immediately while the bacon is still warm and the toast is crisp.