You Should Really Be Weaving Your BLT's Bacon

The BLT is simple in both name and construction — a foundation of toasted bread with layers of succulent mayonnaise, crispy bacon, lettuce, and tomato. While every ingredient may get equal billing in the title, it's safe to say that bacon is the star of the show. Nobody's eating a flavorful BLT for the lettuce. It's all about the bacon.

When it comes to a sandwich, so much of its goodness comes from how it's constructed. The bread must be firm enough to hold the fillings and mayo without falling apart due to moisture. The lettuce needs to be the right size for the bread. And the bacon has to be perfectly cooked to give a bit of savory smoke with every bite. If it's too thick or undercooked, you risk coming off the sandwich or shifting around while eating. There's nothing sadder than an eviscerated sandwich or the attempt to put it back together mid-bite. The coveted BLT experience is one where the mouthful has a little bit of everything, especially bacon. We will tell you how to get a perfect sandwich every time.

Maximizing your bacon with a bacon lattice is the best way to guarantee that every bite of the sandwich is perfect. The idea behind the bacon lattice is simple: instead of just cooking it up and layering it on your sandwich as you usually would, the strips are first woven into a square. Once the bacon strips have been woven, they're placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cooked in the oven at 400 F until they're done.

In a video for Food and Wine, Culinary Director at Large Justin Chapple shares another tip for your bacon weave: flipping over a cooling rack on top of the bacon lattices before you put them in the oven. This will reduce the chance of the bacon curling, leaving you with a nice, flat weave. The result is a sheet of bacon cooked evenly, holds its shape, and makes the perfect addition to your BLT.

Once your bacon sheets are ready, it's time to build your sandwich. Your freshly made lattices are the secret to ensuring the sandwich has bacon in every bite. As Justin exclaims in his video, "There's bacon everywhere!" And really, who doesn't want bacon everywhere, especially in their lunchtime BLT? It would be a mistake to leave this trick only to BLTs.

Consider your next breakfast sandwich, but amped up with a sheet of bacon instead of a few slices. It'll make the start of your day even better. It could even dress up a plate of avocado toast, adding some crunch between the bread and creamy avocado.

As bacon lattices can work at breakfast, they can be a great addition to dinner. Your next burger night is just begging for a bacon lattice, and it'll make them extra indulgent. Once you've mastered the bacon lattice, no sandwich will be the same — especially your BLT.