A BLT is a sandwich that takes its name from the initials of its three main ingredients: bacon, lettuce, and tomato. It can be prepared using various recipes according to personal preference. Using different kinds of lettuce, grilled or not, and adding mayo are simple variations. Using turkey bacon or tofu instead of bacon, or omitting the lettuce entirely, are more obvious changes.
What’s the best way to layer a BLT sandwich
Make BLT. Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on each slice of bread. Place 1 romaine lettuce leaf on each loaf, folding if necessary to fit neatly. Place a layer of seasoned tomato slices on top, cut them in half as needed to fit in a single layer (no need to pat the top dry). Tear three slices of bacon in half and lay two layers over the tomatoes. Close the sandwich with the second slice of bread with the mayo side down.
What kind of lettuce goes in BLT
Romaine lettuce is the best lettuce for BLT sandwiches. This type is moderately flavored, crisp and leafy. You can also use crisp iceberg lettuce or spinach, which is higher in vitamins, but romaine is the best choice for flavor and texture.
How can I season it?
- In addition to traditional mayo, add some barbecue sauce or sriracha for extra flavor and heat.
- Chicken breast or turkey slices will add more protein to this sandwich, making it more filling and flavorful.
- If you like it spicy, you can add some cayenne, tabasco, or red pepper flakes to the mayo before spreading it on your bread.
Who came up with the idea for the bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich
One of the most popular sandwiches in America is the bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich with mayo, usually served on triple toast (also a British favorite).
While toast, bacon and lettuce have been served on the table since Roman times, the other two ingredients take longer.
The ancient Egyptians mastered the practice of sourdough bread. Flatbread offers fewer cooking options than bread.
The ancient Egyptians were the first to produce lettuce, turning it from a weed to an edible plant as early as 2680 BC.It was brought to Greece and Rome, and by AD 50, many varieties of lettuce were produced there
Boar boar has been cured by smoking, curing and drying since the Paleolithic times. (From 750,000 BC or 500 BC to about 8,500 BC, the Paleolithic Age, commonly known as the Stone Age, lasted.)
Wild boars were domesticated as pigs as early as 13,000,12,700 BC. However, there is nothing like bacon these days.
Previously, the term meant ‘all pork was called ‘bacon’, followed by back meat, and finally all cured pork. Farmers in the UK launched a campaign after seeing the visibly plump sides of certain pig breeds The term “bacon” was eventually defined as salt cured pork.
Tomatoes were imported to Europe from the New World at the end of the 16th century. However, not as food.
Yellow cherry tomatoes are the original tomatoes. Although they are lethal (members of the nightshade family), they are still used as houseplants.
Tomatoes were not eaten for the next two centuries, until then because of the Italian famine in the early 1800s.
Meanwhile, BLT lacks mayonnaise. The original mayonnaise was created in 1756, but it took a few years for it to mature into the mayonnaise we know today.
Marie-Antoine Carme (1784-1833) was a great French cook who lightened the burden of the original recipe by mixing vegetable oil and egg yolks into an emulsion, resulting in mayonnaise (the history of mayonnaise) as we know it today.
In 1762, John Montagu, the fourth earl of sandwiches, was the first to invent the food of the same name (History of Sandwiches).
He wouldn’t leave the table for dinner because he was a marathon gambler, so he asked for meat and a few slices of bread. He can eat with one hand and throw dice with the other, without the need for a knife and fork. (Sushi was created for the same reason.)
The original sandwiches were gambling food: they were easy to eat and didn’t require any utensils. Although more premium sandwiches have evolved over time, it took more than a century for someone to invent the club sandwich.
While the Victoria Tea sandwich with bacon, lettuce and tomato was popular, a search of American and European recipes from the 19th and early 20th centuries found the club sandwich to be a precursor to BLT.
Most culinary historians agree that, according to the food timeline, the club sandwich was invented in the United States in the late 19th/early 20th century.
To date, no printed records have been found, so where and who was cooked remains a point of contention in the culinary debate. The Saratoga Club in Saratoga, New York, is the focus of current thinking.
The club sandwich was popular and quickly spread to other men’s clubs. In 1903, the Good Housekeeping Everyday Cook Book published its first printed cookbook. According to the recipe, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo and a piece of turkey will be sandwiched between two slices of bread (no one has yet found out when the third slice is added).
So, lo and behold, the club sandwich (image #5), a turkey BLT, is already on menus and cookbooks. When there was no demand for turkey, the “club sandwich without turkey” evolved into the “bacon, lettuce, and tomato” sandwich, eventually abbreviated to BLT.
There is a legend that a man came home hungry after his family and servants left. He finds something to eat in the pantry and eats bread. He found cooked bacon, chicken, tomato and mayonnaise in the freezer while looking for butter for the bread.
He made a sandwich and was so pleased with it that he told his club friends about it. They recreated it in the kitchen and added it to the menu as a “sandwich club”.
Many different versions of BLT toast have been made. BLTA (bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado) is probably the most prominent.
Form a group and assign each member a different version of BLT. Use it for a feast, maybe with chocolate bacon for dessert.
Don’t limit yourself: Cobb salad is a BLT salad with a few extras (avocado, blue cheese, and chicken).
BLT Grilled Cheese
It’s amazing to add melted cheese to regular dishes. Make a BLT Grilled Cheese Sandwich by placing a piece of cheese, three slices of bacon (crush the bacon if you like), two slices of tomato, and another slice of cheese between two slices of bread. In a frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook sandwiches over medium heat until golden on both sides.
BLT Sandwich with Arugula and Avocado
Try arugula instead of iceberg lettuce in the BLT! Guacamole should be spread on one side of both slices of bread. Add arugula, 2 slices of tomato and 3 slices of bacon. Add a large slice of avocado on top. Avocado contrasts nicely with bacon while still imparting a mellow flavor to guacamole, which is a great alternative to mayo.
Herbed BLT Sandwich
Herbs such as parsley, dill and watercress give BLT its unique flavor. Make this sandwich as you normally would, but substitute fresh herbs the next time you crave lettuce. You can also keep the lettuce and add some fresh herbs to the sandwich.
BLT Pizza
To enjoy bacon, lettuce and tomato, you don’t need to make a sandwich! This combination of ingredients is proving delicious as a pizza topping, especially when you substitute spinach or arugula for iceberg lettuce. Spread about 1/2 cup crumbled bacon and a handful of arugula or spinach over the pizza, along with the standard tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. To keep the topping from burning, add a little cheese on top. Preheat oven to 375°F and bake cheese until golden brown. For a classic BLT flavor, use fresh tomato slices instead of ketchup.
BLT Burger
On hamburgers, bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes are great! Spread mayonnaise on both sides of the hamburger bun. Add burger patties, bacon, tomato and lettuce on top. To spice up this sandwich, replace regular mayo with spicy mayo. Mix one teaspoon of Tabasco sauce with 1/3 cup of regular mayonnaise to make spicy mayo.
Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato Salad
Who says you have to use a standard mix of bacon, lettuce and tomato for a sandwich? These foods are also delicious in salads. You can use any salad greens, but spinach, lettuce, iceberg, and arugula work well with tomatoes and bacon. Extras, like avocados or even fried eggs, can be added to your salad.
Is it necessary to add cheese to the BLT
Here are some of my favorite items to put in BLT to make the ultimate BLT sandwich:
- avocado. Almost every time, I add one. Eating cream under the sharpness of bacon is a treat.
- cheese. Make your BLT with cheese for a delicious variation (I like to bake it on a pan so the cheese melts). Try cheddar for an all-American flavor, or provolone or fontina for an Italian flavor.
- Fried eggs. You didn’t survive until you made a BLT with an egg running down your jaw. Breakfast sandwiches are also great.
- jam. Spread fig or raspberry jam on your BLT sandwiches for a sweet/salty flavor.
What can I do to make my BLT better
Swirl the chopped chipotle into the mayo, and some spicy adobo sauce. Contrasted with the saltiness of the bacon and the crispness of the vegetables. Pickled cherry peppers give this dish a rich flavor. To add some zip to mayo, mix in some brine.
