I bought a house so that I could grow tomatoes. Store bought tomatoes just aren’t the same and I could only get cherry tomatoes to grow on my condo balcony. So now that I have a yard, I plant LOTS of tomatoes. One of the best ways to enjoy a homegrown tomato is in a BLT.
A bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich – so simple, and yet so good. But what is the secret to a great BLT? There isn’t just one. There are five.
Five secrets to a great BLT
#1. Really good bread. There was a time that I would have said good old Wonder bread, lightly toasted was the way to go. However, now there are so many other options. Ciabatta is great. However, like everyone else on the planet I started making homemade sourdough bread during the pandemic. I have to say, homemade sourdough lightly toasted makes for a great BLT.
#2. Really good bacon, fried up to be crispy. Don’t skimp. Use a really good thick cut bacon. My personal favorite is Pine Street Market’s bacon. So yummy. I’m lucky to have Pine Street as my local butcher. If you have a good local butcher, you should try theirs. If you don’t have a good local butcher don’t worry: Pine Street Market ships.
#3. Crisp, cool lettuce. I have a trick for keeping lettuce crisp. I clean it in a salad spinner and then store it in the fridge in the salad spinner. Yes, this takes up a lot of room. However, it keeps the lettuce really crisp and the lettuce stays fresh longer.
#4. Homegrown tomato. If you do not have the luxury of a homegrown tomato, a locally grown farmers market tomato will work, too. If you want to kick it up a notch, use an heirloom variety. I’m partial to Cherokee Purple.
#5. Homemade Mayo. My grandfather would argue that this is the most important secret to a great BLT. Making mayonnaise may sound a bit harrowing, but do not fear. As Poppa always said, “if you have 15 seconds you can make homemade mayonnaise”. I’ve included my grandmother’s recipe below. However, consistent with the CDC’s recommendations, I use a pasteurized egg instead of a regular raw egg to reduce the risk of food-borne illness. Pasteurized eggs can be hard to find, but I find them consistently at Publix.
Big Quin's Food Processor Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 1 pasteurized egg
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice (~ 1/2 a large lemon)
- 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp. table salt
- 1 c. salad oil (vegetable or canola oil)
Directions
- Step 1 Combine the first four ingredients plus 1/4 c. of the salad oil in a food processor or blender.
- Step 2 Turn the food processor on. Pour the remaining oil through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream for 15 seconds. (All the oil should be added by the time you count to 15.)
- Step 3 Scrape the sides of the bowl and pulse 1-2 more times to ensure everything is well blended. Serve.
- Step 4 Store in refrigerator. Will last until the expiration date on the egg carton.
