My ‘Jacked Up’ BLT Recipe

Warning: this post may contain scenes of extreme deliciousness (which may be unsuitable for those who do not enjoy bacon). It is intended for mature carnivores only. Viewer discretion is advised.

Bacon lovers, rejoice! Did you know that National BLT month is a thing? …Yeah, me neither. But I’m so glad that I know now and you will never hear me complain about any opportunity to celebrate BACON! National BLT month is during the month of April, and I’ve teamed up with duBreton to bring you my very own, mouth-watering BLT recipe. It’s a classic BLT sandwich  with a couple of juicy twists, that’s almost too good to share!

But since I’m a generous person 😉 , I’m showing you exactly how to make this BLT recipe at home in less than an hour, so you’re going to want to read more! I’m also giving 2 lucky subscribers an opportunity to win a 2-night stay for 2 people at Hotel Sainte-Anne in Quebec City, $500 spending money, and 2 VIP tickets to Bacon Fest in Quebec. Create your own BLT recipe and entering duBreton’s #BestBLT contest to win. Visit BestBLT.com for more information. You can also follow duBreton on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for more details and inspiration.

But before I get on to the good stuff, I wanted to share some fun facts that you probably didn’t know about bacon in honour of National BLT month:

1. You can thank the Chinese! Apparently, salting and curing pork dates back to around 1500 B.C. in China. They were really onto something back then!
2. Bacon slices can be patented? Yes, it’s true. The first patent on the slice of bacon was awarded in 1924.
3. The Brits call it a “rasher”. In the United Kingdom, a thin slice of bacon or loin bacon with some belly attached is known as a rasher.
4. The rise of the BLT after WWII. The BLT sandwich (short for Bacon Lettuce Tomato) began to increase in popularity after World War II, with the proliferation of supermarkets and availability of fresh produce all year round.

Below is some more information on BLT month and the BestBLT contest courtesy of duBreton. Be sure to check out duBreton’s recipe video here.

So, now that your mouth is probably watering, while you dream about all the bacon you could be eating right now, I present to you my ‘Jacked Up’ BLT sandwich!

Spoiler Alert: the twists that make this BLT sandwich ‘jacked up’? Candied bacon, roasted cherry tomatoes, and a sunny-side egg on top!

Here is the recipe…

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 package (approximately 255 g) cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1/4 cup (60mL) olive oil, divided
• 5 tsp. (55mL) Kosher or sea salt, divided
• 1/2 cup (125mL) Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, divided
• 12 slices duBreton Organic Bacon
• 1 tsp. (2-1/2mL) finely ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup (80mL) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (60mL) unsalted butter
• 4 Ciabatta buns (sliced in half)
• 4 eggs
• 3 Tbsp. (45mL) Dijon mustard and/or grainy mustard
• 2 tsp. (10mL) horseradish
• 1 tsp. (5mL) cider vinegar
• 4 leaves Romaine lettuce, halved
• 4 slices Emmental cheese

Instructions:

To roast the cherry tomatoes

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F (205°C). Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise and place in large bowl. Toss tomatoes with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. salt until coated. Place tomatoes, skin side down, on a large baking sheet. Grate approximately half of the cheese over tomatoes. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven, grate remaining cheese over tomatoes and set aside to cool.

To candy the bacon

1. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). In a large bowl, toss bacon, black pepper and brown sugar with remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil until coated. Lay bacon on parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with any remaining pepper, brown sugar and olive oil mixture. Place tray in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until bacon is preferred doneness. Remove from oven, drain excess oil and let cool on baking tray.

To assemble the BLT

1. Butter each inside face Ciabatta bread and toast in a frying pan over medium-high, taking care not to burn the bread.
2. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in pan, crack eggs and cook eggs as desired (Sunny Side Up, Over Easy or Fried). Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a bowl, combine Dijon mustard, horseradish and cider vinegar until smooth. Spread mixture on one or both sides of bread. Add 2 pieces Romaine lettuce, approximately 2 Tbsp. of roasted cherry tomatoes, 1 slice Emmental cheese and 3 strips of bacon. Top with egg and other half of Ciabatta bun.

And there you have it!

Try this recipe, yourselves, at home and let me know what you think!

And don’t forget that you can also get creative and make your own BLT recipe to enter the contest on BestBLT.com.

Good luck!