The Cooking Method That Will Lead To The Crunchy BLT Of Your Dreams
There are few sandwiches more classic than the BLT. Although some sandwiches seem to get less exciting as we grow up (looking at you, peanut butter and jelly), the BLT is a favorite for fans of all ages. You can order it at nearly any deli, and over time, it's spawned plenty of variations featuring avocado, basil, and even fried green tomatoes.
Whether you have a favorite type of BLT — maybe your local deli makes the best one you've ever had, or maybe you prefer to make the sandwich yourself — or you're an equal-opportunity BLT lover, there are ways to make your favorite sandwich even tastier.
According to Bon Appétit, one of the most delicious ways to elevate the BLT has nothing to do with how many toppings you add — it's all in the bread. This "bread hack" can help you build the most perfectly crisp BLT you've ever tasted.
The bread tip that will change the way you make BLTs
When you make a BLT, you may not think much about the process. Cook bacon until it sizzles, slice tomato, wash lettuce, add mustard or mayonnaise, and stack it all on your bread of choice before taking that crispy, smoky first bite. But the bread might matter more than the B, the L, or the T — especially if you like sandwiches with a little extra crunch.
You can use any type of bread you have on hand, whether you opt for white, wheat, sourdough, rye, or even a ciabatta loaf or Italian roll. What matters more is what you do with the bread before you top it with bacon, lettuce, and tomato. If you like your sandwiches crispy, you may run straight to the toaster to make sure the bread has that golden-brown hue. But for an even crispier BLT, skip the toaster altogether and use the stovetop. Slather both sides of the bread with mayo and fry the bread slices over medium heat, suggests Bon Appétit.
Just be sure to watch the bread so that it doesn't get too toasty (per YouTube) — no one likes scraping burnt bread crumbs into the sink or the garbage. This hack will add to the crunch factor and give you a BLT you'll crave.
Other ways to make your BLT crunchy
If you want every bite of your BLT to be crisp, there are plenty of other ways to give it a crunchier texture while still hanging onto the classic flavors you love in a sandwich. For crispier bacon, cook it in the oven instead of on the stove — it'll cook more evenly that way. It may be tempting to arrange the bacon so that it looks flawless, but to give more texture to the sandwich, layer the slices irregularly (per The New York Times). This will keep every bite of the sandwich crunchy, especially if you choose to fry the bread, too.
The lettuce you choose can also add crunch to a BLT. You may gravitate towards red-leaf lettuce, green-leaf lettuce, or romaine, but there are plenty of other crunchy options. Although it often gets a bad rap, iceberg lettuce is crunchy enough to meld well with the crispy bacon and toasted bread you love on a BLT; many BLT recipes recommend it for a bit of extra texture (per Simply Delicious). Other types of lettuce can be crunchy, too, but they often have a softer texture that may not deliver the crisp bite you crave.
If you want to hear the "crunch" on every bite of your BLT, toast the bread on the stove for the perfect bite, then add crisp flavor to the rest of the sandwich for the perfect crunchy lunchtime treat.